Just popping in to share this;
This is a bricklayer's accident report, which was printed in the
newsletter of the Australian equivalent of the
Workers' Compensation board. 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 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.

Kind Regards,

Mike Pashby

You can't even call that 'Bad Luck'
SteveS