Bad Day at Work

"Bad Day at Work"

I am writing in response to your request for additional
information. In block #8 of the accident form, I put 'trying
to do the job alone' as the cause of my accident. You
said in your letter that I should explain more fully, and
I trust that the following details will be sufficient.

I am a bricklayer by trade. On the date 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 about 500
pounds of brick left over. Rather than carry the bricks
down by hand, I decided to lower them in a barrel by
using a pulley, which was fortunately attached to the
side of the building at the sixth floor. Securing the rope
at the ground level, I went up to the roof, swung the barrel
out, and loaded the bricks into it. Then I went back to the
ground and untied the rope, holding it tightly to insure a
slow descent of the 500 pounds of brick.

You will note in block #11 of the accident report that I
weigh 170 pounds. 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 rather rapid rate up the side of the building.

In the vicinity of the third floor, I met the barrel coming
down. This explains the fractured scull and the broken
collarbone. 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 my pain.
At approximately the same time, however, the barrel of bricks
hit the ground, and the bottom fell out of the barrel. Devoid of
the weight of the bricks, the barrel then weighed approximately
50 pounds. I refer you again to my weight in block #11.

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, and
the lacerations of my legs and lower body area. The encounter
with the barrel slowed me enough to lessen my injuries when
I fell onto the pile of bricks, and fortunately only three vertebrae
were cracked.

I am sorry to report however, that as I lay there on the bricks,
in pain, unable to stand, and watching the empty barrel six
stories above me, I again lost my presence of mind and let
go of the rope. The empty barrel weighted more than the rope,
so it came back down on me and broke both my legs.

I hope I have furnished the information you requested.
Received on Mon Oct 22 07:02:32 2007