This has been on the internet for several years. An oldie but a goodie. Author unknown
"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 insure a slow descent of the 240 lbs 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 of the
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..."
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