Taz
Member
Dear Sir,
I am writing in response to your request for additional information in Block 3 of the accident report 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
that I had some bricks left over which, when
weighed later were found to be
slightly in excess of 500lbs. 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 on the sixth floor.
Securing the rope at ground 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 bricks. You will note in Block 11
of the accident report
form that I weigh 135lbs. 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 explained the
fractured skull, minor abrasions and the broken
collar bone, as listed in
section 3 of the accident report 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.
Fortunately by this time I had regained my
presence of mind and was able to
hold tightly to the rope, in spite of beginning to
experience pain. 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, that
barrel weighed approximately
50 lbs. I refer you again to my weight. As you can
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 several 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, 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 down onto
me. This explains the two broken legs.
I hope this answers your inquiry.
Mike Burns
mburns7@netzero.net
Always accept that some days you are the pigeon and some days you are the statue.
I am writing in response to your request for additional information in Block 3 of the accident report 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
that I had some bricks left over which, when
weighed later were found to be
slightly in excess of 500lbs. 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 on the sixth floor.
Securing the rope at ground 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 bricks. You will note in Block 11
of the accident report
form that I weigh 135lbs. 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 explained the
fractured skull, minor abrasions and the broken
collar bone, as listed in
section 3 of the accident report 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.
Fortunately by this time I had regained my
presence of mind and was able to
hold tightly to the rope, in spite of beginning to
experience pain. 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, that
barrel weighed approximately
50 lbs. I refer you again to my weight. As you can
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 several 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, 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 down onto
me. This explains the two broken legs.
I hope this answers your inquiry.
Mike Burns
mburns7@netzero.net
Always accept that some days you are the pigeon and some days you are the statue.