Bricklayer's Accident Report

Newsletter

Date: Wed, 10 May 1995 16:18:40 EST
From: Nachum Hurvitz <Nachum.Hurvitz@SSA.GOV>

This is a bricklayer's accident report that was printed in
the newsletter of the English 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 reporting 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 I had some bricks left over which when weighed later were found to weigh 240 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 at 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 insure a slow descent of the 240 lbs of bricks. You will note on the accident reporting form that my weight is 135 lbs.

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 explains the fractured skull, minor abrasions and the broken collarbone, as listed in Section 3 of the accident reporting 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 which I mentioned in Paragraph 2 of this correspondence. Fortunately by this time I had regained my presence of mind and was able to hold tightly to the rope, in spite of the excruciating pain I was now beginning to experience.

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, the barrel weighed approximately 50 lbs. I refer you again to 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, broken tooth and severe 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 and watching the empty barrel six stories above me, I again lost my composure and presence of mind and let go of the rope.

Song by Noel Murphy

1. Dear Nora I write this letter for to tell you of me plight
   For at the time of writing I'm not a pretty sight
   Me body is all black and blue, me face a deathly grey
   And I write this note to say why Murphy's not at work today

2. While working on a building site, some bricks I had to clear
   But to toss them down from such a height was not a good idea
   The foreman wasn't very pleased, he is an awkward sod
   He said I had to cart them down the ladder in me hod.

3. Now shifting all these bricks by hand, it was so very slow
   So I hoisted up a barrel and secured a rope below
   But in me haste to do the job, I was to blind to see
   That a barrel full of building bricks was heavier than me.

4. So when I untied the rope the barrel fell like lead
   And clinging tightly to the rope I started up instead
   A shot up like a rocket, then to my dismay I found
   That half way up I met the barrel coming down.

5. Now the barrel broke me shoulder as to the ground it sped
   And when I reached the top I banged the pulley with me head
   I clung on tightly numbed with shock from this all mighty blow
   And the barrel spilt out half its bricks some fourteen floors below.

6. Now when the bricks had fallen from the barrel to the floor
   I then outweighed the barrel so I started down once more
   Still clinging tightly to the rope , me body racked with pain
   nd half way down I met the barrel once again.

7. Now the force of this collision halfway down the office block
   Caused me multiple abrasions and a nasty case of shock
   Still clinging tightly to the rope I fell toward the ground
   And I landed on the broken bricks the barrel had scattered round

8. As I lay there moaning on the ground I thought I'd past the worst
   But the barrel hit the pulley and then the bottom burst
   A shower of bricks rained down on me, I didn't have a hope
   As I lay there bleeding on the ground, I let go the bloody rope.

9. The barrel then being heavier, it started down once more
   It landed right across me as I lay upon the floor
   It broke three ribs and my left arm and I can only say
   I hope that you can understand why Murphy's off today.