Dear Sir,
I am writing in response to your request for additional
information in Block #3 of the accident reporting form. I
put "Poor Planning" as the cause of my accident. You asked
for a fuller explanation and I trust the following details
will be sufficient.
I am a bricklayer by trade. On the day of the accident, I
was working alone on the roof of a new six-story building.
When I completed my work, I found I had some bricks left
over which when weighed later were found to weigh 240 lbs.
Rather than carry the bricks down by hand, I decided to
lower them in a barrel by using a pulley which was attached
to the side of the building at the sixth floor.
Securing the rope at ground level, I went up to the roof,
swung the barrel out and loaded the bricks into it. Then I
went down and untied the rope, holding it tightly to ensure
a slow descent of the 240 pounds of bricks. You will note on
the accident reporting form that my weight is 135 lbs.
Due to my surprise at being jerked off the ground so
suddenly, I lost my presence of mind and forgot to let go of
the rope. Needless to say, I proceeded at a rapid rate up
the side of the building.
In the vicinity of the third floor, I met the barrel which
was now proceeding downward at an equally impressive speed.
This explains the fractured skull, minor abrasions and the
broken collarbone, as listed in Section 3, accident
reporting form.
Slowed only slightly, I continued my rapid ascent, not
stopping until the fingers of my right hand were two
knuckles deep into the pulley which I mentioned in Paragraph
2 of this correspondence. Fortunately by this time I had
regained my presence of mind and was able to hold tightly to
the rope, in spite of the excruciating pain I was now
beginning to experience.
At approximately the same time, however, the barrel of
bricks hit the ground - and the bottom fell out of the
barrel. Now devoid of the weight of the bricks, the barrel
weighed approximately 50 lbs.
I refer you again to my weight. As you might imagine, I
began a rapid descent down the side of the building. In the
vicinity of the third floor, I met the barrel coming up.
This accounts for the two fractured ankles, broken tooth and
severe lacerations of my legs and lower body.
Here my luck began to change slightly. The encounter with
the barrel seemed to slow me enough to lessen my injuries
when I fell into the pile of bricks and fortunately only
three vertebrae were cracked.
I am sorry to report, however, as I lay there on the pile of
bricks, in pain, unable to move and watching the empty
barrel six stories above me, I again lost my composure and
presence of mind and let go of the rope. And I lay there
watching the empty barrel begin its journey back onto me.
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