To: Safety Department
Re: Accident Report Follow-up
Subject: Memo
I am writing in response to your request for additional information. In block Number 3 of the accident reporting form, I put quote, "Poor Planning", unquote, as the cause of my accident. You said in you letter that I should explain more fully, and I trust that the following details will be sufficent.
I am a roughneck by trade. On the day of the accident, I was working alone on the crown of a drilling rig. When I completed my work, I discovered that I had about 500 pounds of fittings left over. Rather than carry them down by hand, I decided to lower them to the rig floor in a barrel by using a pulley which, fortunately, was attached to the underside of the crown.
Securing the rope at ground level, I then went back up to the crown. I swung the barrel out and loaded the fittings into it. Then I went back down to the rig floor and untied the rope, holding it tightly to insure a slow decent of the 500 pounds of fittings. ( You will note in Block Eleven of the accident reporting form that I weigh 135 pounds.)
Due to my surprise at being jerked off the rig floor so suddenly, I lost the presence of mind and forgot to let go of the rope. Needless to say, I proceeded at a rather rapid rate up the side of the derrick.
In the vicinity of the working board, I met the barrel coming down. This explains the fractured skull and broken collarbone.
Slowed only slightly, I continued my rapid ascent not stoping until the fingers of my right hand were two knuckles deep into the pulley.
Fortunately, by this time, I had regained my pressence of mind and was able to hold tightly to the rope in spite of my pain.
At approximately the same time, however, the barrel of fittings hit the floor-- and the bottom fell out of the barrel. Devoid of the weight of the fittings, the barrel now weighed approximately fifty pounds.
I refer you again to my weight in Block Number Eleven of the accident reporting form. As you might imagine, I began a rapid decent down the side of the derrick.
In the vicinity of the working board, 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 fittings and, fortunately, only three vertebras were cracked.
I am sorry to report, however, that as I lay there on the fittings, in pain and unable to stand---watching the empty barrel under the crown---I again lost my presence of mind--------I let go of the rope-----
Author unknown.
