Workers Compensation Laugh
Margaret Morford
1,143 Posts
This is a bricklayer's accident report, which was printed in the newsletter of the Australian equivalent of the Workers' Compensation board.
This is a true story.
Dear Sir: (Thanks Robert S)
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 500 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 on 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 bricks. You will note in Block
11 of the accident report form that I weigh
175lbs. 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 a great deal of 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.
Margaret Morford
theHRedge
615-371-8200
[email]mmorford@mleesmith.com[/email]
[url]http://www.thehredge.net[/url]
This is a true story.
Dear Sir: (Thanks Robert S)
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 500 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 on 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 bricks. You will note in Block
11 of the accident report form that I weigh
175lbs. 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 a great deal of 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.
Margaret Morford
theHRedge
615-371-8200
[email]mmorford@mleesmith.com[/email]
[url]http://www.thehredge.net[/url]
Comments
Karla
It made me laugh so I thought it might brighten everyone else's day.
Margaret Morford
theHRedge
615-371-8200
[email]mmorford@mleesmith.com[/email]
[url]http://www.thehredge.net[/url]
"Sam"
Look it up on urban legends:
[url]http://www.snopes.com/humor/letters/bricks.htm[/url]
I must be a big skeptic. I keep looking up more and more stories I hear and find out about them on the urban legends site.
Rob Shuster