Dear Sir,
I am writing in response to your request for additional information
for block number 3 of the accident reporting form. I put "poor
planning" as the cause of my accident. You said in your letter that
I should explain more fully and I trust the following detail will
be sufficient.
I am an amateur radio operator and on the day of the accident, I
was working alone on the top section of my new 80 foot tower. When
I had completed my work, I discovered that I had, over the course
of several trips up the tower, brought up about 300 pounds of tools
and spare hardware. Rather than carry the now un-needed tools and
material down by hand, I decided to lower the items down in a small
barrel by using a pulley, which fortunately was attached to the gin
pole at the top of the tower.
Securing the rope at ground level, I went to the top of the tower
and loaded the tools and material into the barrel. Then I went back
to the ground and untied the rope, holding it tightly to insure a
slow decent of the 300 pounds of tools. You will note in block
number 11 of the accident reporting form, that I weigh only 155
pounds.
Due to my surprise of 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 rather rapid rate of speed up the side of
the tower. In the vicinity of the 40 foot level, I met the barrel
coming down. This explains my fractured skull and broken
collarbone.
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 onto the rope in spite of my pain.
At approximately the same time, however, the barrel of tools hit
the ground and the bottom fell out of the barrel. Devoid of the
weight of the tools, the barrel now weighed approximately 20
pounds. I refer you again to my weight in block number 11. As you
might imagine, I began a rapid descent down the side of the
tower.
In the vicinity of the 40 foot level, I met the barrel coming up.
This accounts for the two fractured ankles and the lacerations of
my legs and lower body. The encounter with the barrel slowed me
enough to lessen my injuries when I fell onto the pile of tools and
fortunately, only three vertebrae were cracked.
I am sorry to report, however, that as I lay there on the tools, in
pain, unable to stand and watching the empty barrel 80 feet above
me... I again lost my presence of mind. I let go of the rope.
