Hi
Joel's misfortunes remind me of this story which a famous Welsh MP (whose
name escapes my memory - might have been Aneurin Bevan (1897 - 1960 )
related to the Oxford Union. It goes something like this.
The following is an accident report of a bricklayer, which was printed in the
newsletter of the British Worker's Compensation Board.
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 had to be taken down to the ground
floor.
Rather than carry the bricks down by hand, I decided to lower them in a
barrel by using a pulley fastened to a beam which was attached to the side
of the building at the sixth floor, and a rope.
Hauling the barrel to the top and 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 ensure a slow descent of the
bricks.
To my surprise, I found that the barrel of bricks was much heavier than I was.
I lost my presence of mind and held firmly onto 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 rapid speed. ... ... ...
Here the impact was severe and I suffered a fractured skull, minor abrasions
to my right shoulder and a broken collar bone.
The barrel was still heavier than me, and continued unabated to the ground.
I continued my rapid ascent, not stopping until the fingers of my right hand
had been pulled two knuckles deep into the pulley, suffering severe
lacerations in the process.
Fortunately by this time I had regained by presence of mind and was able to
hold tightly to the rope, in spite of the excruciating pain.
The barrel of bricks hit the ground with an impact of some force.
The bottom fell out of the barrel and the bricks spilled on to the foot-path.
The barrel was now much lighter than me ... .... ....
I began to rapidly descend down the side of the building.
In the vicinity of the third floor, I met the barrel coming up.
In the sharp impact it inflicted on me two fractured ankles, a 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
broken bricks and fortunately only three vertebrae were cracked.
I am sorry to report, however, that 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. ... ...
The barrel was now heavier than the rope .... ... ... ...
I respectfully ask for time off to recover from my injuries, and for
compensation.
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