May not be true, but it made me smile.
> AUSTRALIAN BRICKLAYER'S REPORT
> Possibly the funniest story in a long while. This is a bricklayer's
> accident report, which was printed in the newsletter of the Australian
> equivalent of the Injury 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 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
> 50lbs. 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.
> AUSTRALIAN BRICKLAYER'S REPORT
> Possibly the funniest story in a long while. This is a bricklayer's
> accident report, which was printed in the newsletter of the Australian
> equivalent of the Injury 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 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
> 50lbs. 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.