If I remember the song right the foreman asked the person in the tune to hold
on to the rope. So said not a solo incident. The person in question used the
story to explain why he was late. Just my little penny.
Hans - N2JFS
-----Original Message-----
From: EZ Rhino <EZRhino@fastmovers.biz>
To: Towertalk Reflector <towertalk@contesting.com>
Sent: Wed, Dec 2, 2015 9:49 pm
Subject: Re: [TowerTalk] Erecting tower sections solo
This topic reminds me of a story....
Dear Sir:
I am writing in response to your request for additional information for my
insurance claim. In block number three of the accident claim form I wrote,
"trying to do the job alone" as the cause of my accident. You said in your
letter that I should explain that statement more fully. I trust 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 discovered
that I had about 500 pounds of brick left over. Rather than carrying 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 level.
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 back to the ground and untied the
rope, holding it tightly to insure a slow descent of the 500 pounds of bricks.
You will note in block number 22 of the claim form that my weight is 150 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
up the side of the building at a very rapid rate of speed.
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.
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 the information in block number 11 regarding 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 and the lacerations of my legs and lower body.
This second 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 weighed more
than the rope so it came down upon me and broke both of my legs.
I hope I have furnished information sufficient to explain why "trying to do the
job alone" was the stated cause of the accident.
Sincerely,
A Bricklayer
Chris
KF7P
(not a mason....either kind!)
(be careful out there!)
_______________________________________________
_______________________________________________
TowerTalk mailing list
TowerTalk@contesting.com
http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/towertalk
_______________________________________________
_______________________________________________
TowerTalk mailing list
TowerTalk@contesting.com
http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/towertalk
|