I spent half a year working in an iron foundry, hired to baby-sit new machinery that wasn't quite working as planned.

One critical piece of machinery was a small, chain-driven elevator that raises and lowers empty steel bins. My job description required that I insert steel pegs into the elevator shaft, as a safety precaution. (This was to ensure that whoever was inside the shaft would be amply protected if the chain were ever to snap while they were inside the shaft.) I was then to go inside the shaft, and re-arrange freshly cleaned castings.

Enter problem one: Remembering to remove the safety pegs after the job is done. If the elevator lowers onto the pegs, it stops. The chain does not. As a result, the whole system has to be stopped, the chain raised, the pegs removed, and then work continues as usual. I personally never had a problem remembering to remove the pegs.

The girl that was hired to cover the afternoon shift was a different story all-together. She forgot the remove the pegs with such frequency that it became a running joke with the maintenance department, who's job it was to reset the system afterwards.

One night, after having forgotten to remove the pegs several times, my coworker's shift was finally coming to an end. Lo and behold, on the very last load to go through the machine, she forgot to remove the safety pins...again. Not wanting to have to put up with another good-natured ribbing from the maintenance department, she proceeded to step underneath the jammed elevator, and attempt to hammer the pegs out of place.

Eventually, my coworker succeeded in pounding out the pegs, causing 800 pounds of steel elevator to drop the remaining 7 feet to the ground.

Amazingly, she survived, being small enough to lie prone in the space between the bottom of the elevator and the floor. After the bin was unloaded, the elevator automatically began to travel upwards again, allowing my coworker to extricate herself from the elevator shaft and go for help.

As a result of the elevator slamming into her back and dropping her to the floor, my coworker sustained large bruises, and a hole in her back large enough for the doctor to fit his whole (pun intended)hand into. The wound took 40 stitches to close. Regardless of the fact that my coworker nearly did the world a favour by removing herself from it, she continued to work at the foundry when her injuries healed.

Submitted on 05/09/2006

Submitted by: Anonymous
Reference: October 2005

Copyright © 2006 DarwinAwards.com

James said:
Neutral: Personal Account
While not the most thrilling story we've received, I think it has enough happening to make for a decent PA!

Sheryl said:
Neutral: Personal Account
Thanks for the story. Well, it certainly wasn't an accident! As James says, it's not "thrilling" but when you think about what she did, it *was* fairly stupid.

Jorge said:
Neutral: Personal Account

Greg said:
Definitely Keep: Personal Account
I think this PA deserves to be kept. Thanks!

The Darwin Awards Gift Shop

The Darwin Awards Condom Keep yourself out of the gene pool! A condom in a matchbook, useful for emergency contraception, bachelor parties, frat parties, and important rites of passage. LOADED inside and out with funny quotes and stories. Everyone loves this item! Friends don't let friends reproduce! $13 for Pack of 4