Tape measure falls 50 stories, killing man at construction site

Fox News ^ | November 04, 2014 | FoxNews.com

[Bettyprob]

A man delivering drywall to a New Jersey construction site was killed Monday when a tape measure fell 50 stories, striking him on the head, authorities said.

The 1-pound tape measure became dislodged from the belt of a worker on the 50th floor and struck construction equipment about 10 to 15 feet from the ground, according to Carly Baldwin, a spokeswoman for Jersey City's Department of Public Safety. It then ricocheted and struck Gary Anderson, 58, who had just stopped to speak with another worker who was in a pickup truck just before 9 a.m. in the city's downtown section.

Anderson, of Somerdale, N.J., was taken to a hospital, where he died shortly before 10 a.m.

Anderson was not wearing a hard hat, but had one in his truck at the time, according to the police report.

[Robert A Cook PE]

The least valuable PPE is the piece you choose not to wear....

[cripplecreek]

Anderson was not wearing a hard hat, but had one in his truck at the time, according to the police report.

Didn't do him any favors in the truck.

When I worked in a sawmill I got into the habit of wearing my hardhat in a hurry. Moving around in the maze of steel I-beams meant smacking your head a lot.

[Gamecock]

Million to one shot.

[Larry Lucido]

I suppose that even if he had his hardhat on, it would have still hurt.

One foot to the left, and he’s still here.

[Tax-chick]

The poor fellow.

[Pearls Before Swine]

Bad luck story of the morning.

[Vaquero]

why you wear a hard hat in a construction site.

I have been guilty of not wearing one.
Had a larger chunk of something hit him it would be no issue as the hard hat might have been the missile that killed him...but for small objects?, yeah its worth wearing the PPE.

[Larry Lucido]

Years ago I worked in a steel mill. One of these falls on you, you and the helmet just protect the rolled steel from getting scratched any worse.

[rarestia]

I suppose that even if he had his hardhat on, it would have still hurt.

I've had a 4 ft. long 2x6 fall from the third story of a condo under construction right on to my hard hat while working as an electrician years ago. My hard hat cracked but never hit my head. Yeah it hurt, but it was more of a shock than painful.

That event is permanently burned into my memory, and I never get out of my vehicle on a construction site without my hard hat on. Period.

[tacticalogic]

Get one of those dropped on you from 50 stories, and that hard hat can be your casket.

[Jack Hydrazine]

New Jersey?

[.45 Long Colt]

Providence

[Vaquero]

Million to one shot.

[angcat]

Awful story.

[Arthur Wildfire! March]

I once dropped a heavy tool from a great height and should’ve been fired for it. I was young, new to that kind of thing. But it’s a very big deal to drop something.

[Larry Lucido]

The only person ever who didn't need a hardhat.

[Arthur Wildfire! March]

One reason I never wanted to be a surgeon — no way, not me. Just too impatient, I make mistakes.

[Vaquero]

Curly: oh moe, oh moe, oh moe, OH LOOK!

Moe: now look what you did chowder head...you broke the saw.

[Larry Lucido]

I wasn’t able to find a bent-crowbar picture. :-)