To: Katt-000 who wrote (573 ) 4/30/1999 9:37:00 AM From: Vision21 Respond to of 2380
Subject: The Brick layers accident report >Dear Sir. > >I am responding to your request for additional information regarding how my >recent injury occurred. In block number 3 of your accident report 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. I trust that 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 >discovered that I had about 500 pounds of bricks left over. Rather than >carry the bricks down by hand, I decided to lower them in a barrel by using >a pulley, which fortunately was attached to the side of the building at the >6th 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 ensure a slow descent of the 500 >pounds of bricks. You will note in Block number 2 of the accident report >form that my weight is 135 pounds. > >Due to my surprise at being jerked off the ground so suddenly I lost my >presence-of-mind and didn't 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 my fractured skull and 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 bricks, the >barrel then weighed approximately 50 lbs. > >I refer you again to the information in Block number 2. 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. > >The encounter of the barrel slowed me enough to lessen my injuries when I >fell onto the pile of bricks and fortunately, only 3 vertebrae were cracked. > >I am sorry to report, however, that as I lay in pain on the bricks, unable >to stand-up, and watching the empty barrel 6 stories above me, I again lost >my presence of mind and let go of the rope. The empty barrel weighed more >than the rope so it came down upon me and broke both of my legs. > >I hope I have furnished the additional information you required as to how >the accident occurred. >