Tom Hoffman
Well-known member
Presence-of-mind.
During my summer after high school graduation I got a job as a construction helper. About half way through the summer I had a serious on the job accident. As I was laying in the hospital bed recovering from the accident, the company insurance agent charged into the room and in a loud voice asked,
"What is all this trash you put on this accident report. You put down as the cause of the accident, 'Trying to do the job by myself and losing my presence of mind. Now just what is that supposed to mean?'"
Well, as you know, I'm just a construction helper, I stated.
"On the day of the accident I was working with my boss doing final clean up on this 6 story building that the bricklayers had finally completed. We got all the way to the roof and found a pile of bricks had been left up there. My boss told me he had to go back to the office and for me to get the bricks off the roof and finish the cleanup.
He left and I was alone on the roof of this new 6 story building. When I completed all the rest of the cleanup on the roof, I figured I had about 500 pounds of bricks left to move.
Rather than carry them down by hand, I decided to lower them down in a barrel, using a pulley, which fortunately was attached to the building at the 6th floor. I tied some rope, I got from my truck, to the barrel, threaded it through the pulley and dropped it to the ground.
Securing the rope to the bumper of my old work truck, I went up to the roof, swung the barrel out, and loaded the bricks into it. Then I went to the ground floor, untied the rope from the bumper, holding it tightly to ensure a slow decent of the 500 pounds of bricks. Now you will note in block number 3 of the Accident Reporting Form, that I weigh 195 pounds.
Imagine my surprise at being jerked off the ground suddenly, that's when I first lost my presence-of-mind. I forgot to let go of the rope. Needless to say, I proceeded at a high rate of speed up the side of the building. In the vicinity of the 3rd floor, I met the barrel coming down--this explains the fractured skull, broken collar bone and abrasions down my side...
Slowed, only so slightly, I continued my rapid ascent, not stopping until the fingers of my right hand were 2 knuckles deep into the pulley. Which explains my broken fingers and skinned knuckles. Fortunately, by this time I had regained my presence-of-mind, and was able to hold tightly to the rope in spite of my increasing pain.
At approximately the same time, however, the barrel of bricks hit the ground and the bottom broke out of the barrel. Devoid of the weight of the bricks, the barrel now weighed approximately 50 pounds. I refer you again to my weight in block number 3, and as you might imagine--I began a rapid decent down the side of the building.
In the vicinity of the 3rd floor, yes, I met the barrel coming up, this accounts for the 2 fractured ankles, and the lacerations on my legs and lower body...
The encounter with the barrel slowed me enough to lessen my injuries when I fell onto the pile of bricks, and fortunately, only 3 vertebrae were cracked...
I am sorry to say, however, that as I lay there on the pile of bricks, in pain, unable to stand, and watching the empty barrel swing 6 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 on me and broke both my legs..."
Once the agent finished laughing and wiping the tears from his eyes, he signed off on the paperwork and the company paid in full.
Hope some folks get a smile.
During my summer after high school graduation I got a job as a construction helper. About half way through the summer I had a serious on the job accident. As I was laying in the hospital bed recovering from the accident, the company insurance agent charged into the room and in a loud voice asked,
"What is all this trash you put on this accident report. You put down as the cause of the accident, 'Trying to do the job by myself and losing my presence of mind. Now just what is that supposed to mean?'"
Well, as you know, I'm just a construction helper, I stated.
"On the day of the accident I was working with my boss doing final clean up on this 6 story building that the bricklayers had finally completed. We got all the way to the roof and found a pile of bricks had been left up there. My boss told me he had to go back to the office and for me to get the bricks off the roof and finish the cleanup.
He left and I was alone on the roof of this new 6 story building. When I completed all the rest of the cleanup on the roof, I figured I had about 500 pounds of bricks left to move.
Rather than carry them down by hand, I decided to lower them down in a barrel, using a pulley, which fortunately was attached to the building at the 6th floor. I tied some rope, I got from my truck, to the barrel, threaded it through the pulley and dropped it to the ground.
Securing the rope to the bumper of my old work truck, I went up to the roof, swung the barrel out, and loaded the bricks into it. Then I went to the ground floor, untied the rope from the bumper, holding it tightly to ensure a slow decent of the 500 pounds of bricks. Now you will note in block number 3 of the Accident Reporting Form, that I weigh 195 pounds.
Imagine my surprise at being jerked off the ground suddenly, that's when I first lost my presence-of-mind. I forgot to let go of the rope. Needless to say, I proceeded at a high rate of speed up the side of the building. In the vicinity of the 3rd floor, I met the barrel coming down--this explains the fractured skull, broken collar bone and abrasions down my side...
Slowed, only so slightly, I continued my rapid ascent, not stopping until the fingers of my right hand were 2 knuckles deep into the pulley. Which explains my broken fingers and skinned knuckles. Fortunately, by this time I had regained my presence-of-mind, and was able to hold tightly to the rope in spite of my increasing pain.
At approximately the same time, however, the barrel of bricks hit the ground and the bottom broke out of the barrel. Devoid of the weight of the bricks, the barrel now weighed approximately 50 pounds. I refer you again to my weight in block number 3, and as you might imagine--I began a rapid decent down the side of the building.
In the vicinity of the 3rd floor, yes, I met the barrel coming up, this accounts for the 2 fractured ankles, and the lacerations on my legs and lower body...
The encounter with the barrel slowed me enough to lessen my injuries when I fell onto the pile of bricks, and fortunately, only 3 vertebrae were cracked...
I am sorry to say, however, that as I lay there on the pile of bricks, in pain, unable to stand, and watching the empty barrel swing 6 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 on me and broke both my legs..."
Once the agent finished laughing and wiping the tears from his eyes, he signed off on the paperwork and the company paid in full.
Hope some folks get a smile.
