Bravo Bill! I haven't read that one in quite a long time. Thanks for
remembering. 😊
Matt
KM5VI
-----Original Message-----
From: TowerTalk <towertalk-bounces@contesting.com> On Behalf Of Bill Bennett
Sent: Sunday, December 1, 2024 7:22 PM
To: towertalk@contesting.com
Subject: [TowerTalk] Here is the insurance report
I'm writing in response to your request for additional information for block #3
of the Accident Report 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 will be sufficient.
I am a Amateur Radio Operator and on the day of the accident, I was working
alone on the top 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 lbs. of tools and hardware. Rather than carry the now unneeded
tools and materials down by hand, I decided to lower them down in a small
barrel by using a pulley, which 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 materials into the barrel. I climbed down to the ground and
untied the rope, holding it tightly, to insure a slow decent of the 300 lbs of
tools and hardware. You will note, in block #11, of my Insurance Plan Profile,
I weigh only 155 lbs.
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 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
hang onto the rope in spite of the pain. At approximately the same time,
however, the barrel of tools and hardware struck the ground and the bottom fell
out of the barrel. Devoid of the weight of the contents, the barrel now
weighed approximately 20 lbs. (I refer you to the figure of my weight in
block#11). As you might imagine, I began a rapid decent 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 on my legs and lower
body.
The encounter with the barrel slowed me enough to lessen my injuries when I
fell on to the pile of tools and hardware, and fortunately only three vertebrae
were cracked. I'm sorry to report, however, that as I lay there on the tools,
in pain, unable to stand or move and watching the empty barrel 80 feet above
me, I again lost my presence of mind. I let go of the rope.
Bill K4IBC
_______________________________________________
_______________________________________________
TowerTalk mailing list
TowerTalk@contesting.com
http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/towertalk
_______________________________________________
_______________________________________________
TowerTalk mailing list
TowerTalk@contesting.com
http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/towertalk
|