Australian Bricklayers Accident Report

12 replies · 2,798 views

over 17 years ago · edited over 13 years ago

Proud to have attended the first 175 Consecutive "Home" Wellington Phoenix "A League" Games !!

The Ruf, The Ruf, The Ruf is on Fire!!

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over 17 years ago · edited over 13 years ago

AUSTRALIAN BRICKLAYER'S ACCIDENT REPORT:

This is a bricklayer's accident report, which was printed in the newsletter section of the Australian Workers' Compensation Gazette. This is a true story. Had this guy died, he'd have received a Darwin Award for sure.......

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 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 250Kg.
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 90 Kg.
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 50kg) I refer you again to my weight - 90Kg.
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

Proud to have attended the first 175 Consecutive "Home" Wellington Phoenix "A League" Games !!

The Ruf, The Ruf, The Ruf is on Fire!!

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over 17 years ago · edited over 13 years ago

Love it- can't believe its true though- those Darwin Awards are classic

Some of the ways people concieve to kill themselves, like the lady who posed two lion cubs in a wild life park, so that they'd look cuter for her picture-

A wildlife park, two cubs, with a mother nearby

wasn't there a film recently about the darwins?

Salmon swim upstream

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over 17 years ago · edited over 13 years ago

Sounds familiar...

http://susie1114.com/BrickLayersSong.html
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=70vcS41tr2A&feature=related

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over 17 years ago · edited over 13 years ago

Beautiful, laughed like a drain...

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over 17 years ago · edited over 13 years ago

There was also the burglar in Argentina who was surprised by the law whiilst in the middle of robbing a closed butcher's shop. In his haste to escape from the police he climbed out an upstairs window and accidently hung himself with a string of sauasges he was carrying.

Before anyone says "no way" it is 100% true, I remember it happening and the news reports on it, it was about thirty years ago.

Nix, Leyton Orient and Alloa Athletic supporting schmuck.

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over 17 years ago · edited over 13 years ago

Classy

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over 17 years ago · edited over 13 years ago

Old as dirts LG, but it's still a classic.

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over 17 years ago · edited over 13 years ago

Not as bad as the Brazilian robbers who were convinced by the bank teller to take a cheque... That's about 20 years ago. The dumb idiots even tried to bank it.

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