Gidday,
A less serious e-mail I hope you enjoy.
Reg
T.R.
Subject: : Accidents can happen
> A man was in an accident (work accident, not car accident), so he
> filled out an insurance claim. The insurance company contacted him and
> asked for more information. This was his response:
>
> "I am writing in response to your request for additional
> information for block number 3 of the accident reporting form. I put
> 'poor planning' as the cause of my accident. You said in your letter
> that I should explain more fully and I trust the following detail will
> be sufficient.
>
> I am an amateur radio operator and on the day of the accident, I
> was working alone on the top section of my new 80 foot tower. When I
> had completed my work, I discovered that I had, over the course of
> several trips up the tower, brought up about 300 pounds of tools and
> spare hardware. Rather than carry the now unneeded tools and material
> down by hand, I decided to lower the items down in a small barrel by
> using a pulley, which was fortunately attached to the gin pole at the
> top of the tower.
>
> Securing the rope at ground level, I went to the top of the tower
> and loaded the tools and material into the barrel. Then I went back to
> the ground and untied the rope, holding it tightly to ensure a slow
> descent of the 300 pounds of tools. You will note in block number 11
> of the accident reporting form that I weigh only 155 pounds. Due to my
> surprise of 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 of speed up the side of the tower. In
> the vicinity of the 40 foot level, I met the barrel coming down. This
> explains my fractured skull and 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 onto the rope in spite of my pain. At approximately
> the same time, however, the barrel of tools hit the ground and the
> bottom fell out of the barrel. Devoid of the weight of the tools, the
> barrel now weighed approximately 20 pounds. I refer you again to my
> weight in block number 11.
>
> As you might imagine, I began a rapid descent down the side of
> the tower. In the vicinity of the 40 foot level, I met the barrel
> coming up. This accounts for the two fractured ankles, and the
> lacerations of my legs and lower body. The encounter with the barrel
> slowed me enough to lessen my injuries when I fell onto the pile of
> tools and, fortunately, only three vertebrae were cracked.
>
> I am sorry to report, however, that as I lay there on the tools,
> in pain, unable to stand and watching the empty barrel 80 feet above
> me, I again lost my presence of mind. I let go of the rope..."
>
>
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