This is a bricklayer's
accident report, which was printed in the
newsletter of the Australian
equivalent of the Workers' Compensation board.
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.
Kevin Roben
Wagga Glass & Aluminium Pty Ltd
PO Box 5004 ( 11 Dobney Ave )
Wagga Wagga NSW 2650