The following is an accident report which was printed in the newsletter
of the British equivalent of the Workers' 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 I had some bricks left over which, when weighed later, were
found to be slightly in excess of 500 lbs. 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 at the sixth floor.
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 insure a slow descent of the bricks.
You will note in block #11 of the accident report form that my weight is
135 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 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 impressive speed. This explains the fractured
skull, minor abrasions and the broken collarbone, 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 the excruciating pain I was now
beginning to experience. 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, the barrel weighed approximately
50 lbs. I refer you again to my weight.
As you might 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 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 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. I lay there watching the empty barrel begin its
journey back down to me. This explains the two broken legs.
This explains why I cited "poor planning" as the cause of the accident.