Window cleaner dies in fall

« **on:** February 23, 2008, 06:07:46 pm »

http://www.shropshirestar.com/2008/02/ladder-fall-man-dies/

A Shropshire window cleaner has died after slipping off his ladder and suffering a head injury.

The family of 58-year-old Ken Morris, of Waters Upton, near Telford, had to make the heartbreaking decision to switch off his life support machine in hospital.

Warm tributes have been paid to the father-of-two, a keen grasstrack car racer, who was liked and respected by everyone in the village.

Mr Morris, of East View, Sytche Lane, leaves a widow Carol, 55, children Charlotte, 27, and 22-year-old Mathew and many members of his extended family.

So sad

« **Reply #1 on:** February 23, 2008, 06:18:33 pm »

This is such a shame, Im glad I dont use ladders. It only takes one moment of madness and your dead. At least with a pole the worst that can happen is some spotting, I feel very sorry for his poor family, Luke

« **Reply #2 on:** February 23, 2008, 06:20:33 pm »

Very sorry to hear this from a fellow WC, my condolences to the family

Ladders are ban, in my company as I employ, its not the ladder, its the user BUT that's the problem in its self! while there are humans using them, there will be human error and in this job it can be serious or fatal

Andy

« **Reply #3 on:** February 23, 2008, 06:30:33 pm »

So sorry to hear that, it could happen to any of us. How many of us have died in the last 12 months?
So sad, and so unnecessary. WFP is the safest way to do the job, nobody can argue against that. Dai

« **Reply #4 on:** February 23, 2008, 06:34:50 pm »

so sorry to hear this news my hart goes out to all family

« **Reply #5 on:** February 23, 2008, 06:43:05 pm »

good post
anything like this should be posted to make aware of the massive potential
for injury and death
something to counter lacksidasical mind

« **Reply #6 on:** February 23, 2008, 06:58:25 pm »

you wouldn't get us up a ladder when the cheapest wfp is a 80 quid backpack
from Gardiners maybe some spotting but better then DEAD still very sad to here this tragic news again Edd

« **Reply #7 on:** February 23, 2008, 06:59:37 pm »

Sorry, to correct but that £80 backpack is from Window Cleaning Warehouse! Luke

« **Reply #8 on:** February 23, 2008, 07:02:55 pm »

A salutory reminder...

« **Reply #9 on:** February 23, 2008, 07:05:25 pm »

I stand corrected cheers luke xxxxxxxx

« **Reply #10 on:** February 23, 2008, 07:15:01 pm »

a real shame .

« **Reply #11 on:** February 24, 2008, 01:01:50 am »

The poor guys family... To loose a husband and a dad all for just cleaning a window! So sad!

Andy

« **Reply #12 on:** February 24, 2008, 01:35:18 am »

An awful tragedy, I feel for his family!

Im wondering if there is anything we could do? other than switching over to WFP, should the window cleaning federations push for better practical safety legislation regarding body harnesses and hook eyes on new properties being built?

It just makes me wonder if this tragedy could have been avoided!

Question; Are most falls off of ladders due to window cleaners over reaching?

« **Reply #13 on:** February 24, 2008, 08:39:46 am »

Quote from: keith b on February 24, 2008, 01:35:18 am

Question; Are most falls off of ladders due to window cleaners over reaching?

That or not footed/wrong angle.

« **Reply #14 on:** February 24, 2008, 08:53:05 am »

You can't clean windows without stretching sometimes and you can't choose the ground beneath every window at every house. Its just the reality of cleaning windows with a ladder.

Its really bad when these things happen. You go out to work one morning and thats it.

My sadness for the family is all the more because I know that it could have been any of us.

Nobody should die trying to earn a days wages. I feel safer now because I am WFP but I still get my ladders out most days.

The good thing about this forum is that news does reach a wider and more diverse number of window cleaners who would otherwise never have known about it. A little personal reflection isn't a bad thing at times like this.

« **Reply #15 on:** February 24, 2008, 11:55:42 am »

My thoughts are with his family. Must be a really bad time for them.

Perhaps the public may have a bit more of an undrstanding as to why we strive to make this occupation safer for ouselves and our employees.

Steve

« **Reply #16 on:** February 24, 2008, 12:15:39 pm »

My condolences to all his family and friends.

The way forward is wfp to minimise the tradegies that are happening year in year out.

Is there some sort of fund for window cleaners to help families out in these situations?

Very sad news and shows all on here how dangerous our jobs can be.
Thanks Robbie

« **Reply #17 on:** February 24, 2008, 06:19:22 pm »

very sad news, my thoughts go out to his family

« **Reply #18 on:** February 24, 2008, 06:40:09 pm »

very, very saddening, our thoughts are with the family.
It is sobering when this happens and serves as a reminder to those who have to use ladders to think of your families, particularly if tempted to reach that little bit further, or go up without ladder legs at the bottom. It reminded me of a cleaner i saw in Looe two year ago doing first floor windows on a steeply inclined pavement with the ladder at a tilt.....and the scary bit was that the ally ladders had no rubber feet!!!Shame on him!.

« **Reply #19 on:** February 25, 2008, 12:40:04 am »

Sad news indeed

Quote

Is there some sort of fund for window cleaners to help families out in these situations?

Good question, I would have though the answer is NO. Unless the poor guy had accident insurance that pays out a death benefit, unfortunately there'll be no payout for the family.

Just goes to show, we should all at least try and get some kind of accident cover in place for ourselves. I looked at it a while ago and found it to be mega expensive - window cleaners are a big risk, and they couldnt understand the concept of a window cleaner that didnt use ladders.

« **Reply #20 on:** February 25, 2008, 07:24:41 am »

You need to check the terms of your life insurance if you have any. You may find they don't cover you for "dangerous" jobs.

« **Reply #21 on:** February 27, 2008, 06:44:06 pm »

Further news from tonights paper.

A window cleaner found lying on the ground after slipping off his ladder died from a blood clot in the brain, a Telford inquest heard.

A CT scan at the North Staffordshire Royal Infirmary in Stoke-on-Trent revealed there had been no chance of saving 58-year-old Ken Morris, of Sytch Lane, Waters Upton.

After hearing medical and identification evidence, Telford & Wrekin coroner Mr Michael Gwynne adjourned the inquest for 10 weeks. He said this would enable experts from the Health & Safety Executive to investigate what happened.

Read the full story in today’s Shropshire Star

Ray