Clean It Up
UK Window Cleaning Forum => Window Cleaning Forum => Topic started by: GB Window Cleaning on December 22, 2010, 07:08:34 pm
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so how do you go on using ladders in the snow and ice safely without a person footing it? as im on my own? ???
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If you are on your own then it really is your call.
Imo working on ladders in this weather demands some serious consideration.
Be sure that you have definatly set properly, for each and every set.
Don't take it for granted that you have done it right, just check it again to be sure.
In a few weeks all this weather will be over and the wfp's will start flowing again, but for now just be a bit more careful.
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I am 100% trad and today went out for the first time for almost a week. I drove round where I was due to work, and, as the pavements were still very slippery, decided that it was still not safe to get the ladders off, so abandoned the idea until tomorrow, when I will try again.
John.
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so how do you go on using ladders in the snow and ice safely without a person footing it? as im on my own? ???
Dont do it mate, just go skint for a bit, or you'll lose everything when you fall! :'(
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Ive been using ladder mitts this year (did not have last winter) and i feel really safe on the ladder but i always double check where i put my ladder as i work on my own.
But if i think its not safe in this weather ill use trad pole as my wfp is frozen and my work is a mixed off wfp and trad.
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ive not worked this week ,ive written off all those well earned tips now :(
at the top of my ladder ive pipe insulation which really stops sideways slip and spikes on the bottom. but i wont trust spikes on ice . i saw a youtube video of an inventor putting the ladder stopper LadderM8trix on ice but im still unsure
especially because i had a nasty fall using a Laddermat ,back in October and im still not fully confident since that event
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im 100% trad finding it ok here in sth london anyone with any snow or slush just leave them for a few days and hopefully itll melt, first day back today and managed to do 15 jobs, roll on the summer though. 8)
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Ladders and ice don't mix.
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dont risk it .better to have couple of days off .than lying in hospital bed for a few weeks .
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Thanks for all the replys! i really appreciate it! ;)
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Been mentioned on here before, but I made no money at all, one week in 1986, so went and chanced it on the Thursday, did a few houses then the ladder went from under me on snow, (young and daft I suppose) broken tibia and fiblia on right leg, 2 broken toes on left foot, 3 months off, went back to work and a third of business was gone.
As long as anyone reading this, takes heed of the advice given.
Got the 2 screws out of leg 2 years ago, and you will get pain all your life followed by arthritis and steroid injections.
Happy new year ;)
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@ iwitot
Wow :o thats a shocking accident mate, really sorry to hear about that! i broke 3 bones in my foot about 7 years ago and was off work for 6 weeks then coudlnt walk proper for another week or two, bad times! not from falling off a ladder either i was a plasterer at the time and it was from falling off the top of a little 6 foot gate :-[ ::)
when i first started w.c'ing i was trad for about 6 months, then with over confidence on the ladder had a slip but managed to not fall to the ground :).
A week later i bought a w.f.p trolley and havnt looked back! i love it!
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iwitot, out of interst was you up 1st floor when you fell or higher?
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It doesn't matter how high you are if you fall awkward you gonna damage yourself,I fell down a stairwell when I did drylinning and went through 12mm sheet of plasterboard broke my ankle,went back to work after 2 months and broke the other ankle.6 years later still have problems in winter and I not even 40 yet.I use to hate ladders when i was trad but you still have to be careful WFP when looking up and moving about make sure there no ice to slip on and stay safe be a bad to start to the new year if your laid up because of a fall.
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@Clearclean
thats some bad luck mate, breaking your anke then breaking the other ankle when you get back to work! :(
Plastering and drylining was really starting to do my elbow it still aches from time to time but nothing like when i was plastering :)
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Ive been followig a tip I think I got off this site for the past few years, , I use a bit of new carpet off cut , placed fluffy side down on the snow / ice , ladders on top , the flufy side sticks to the ice , as will be seen when you try to pull it up .
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Ive been followig a tip I think I got off this site for the past few years, , I use a bit of new carpet off cut , placed fluffy side down on the snow / ice , ladders on top , the flufy side sticks to the ice , as will be seen when you try to pull it up .
what about if the ice starts to thaw and creates moistier (and therefore no friction) between the carpet and ice?
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I started of using the carpet with a lot of care , if the surface s damp , it will still stick , strangy , allso works on slimy geen slabs, but I prefer to stake the adder legs using the gaps between the slabs.
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thats it!put a carpet down!!seriously guys either take a few days off until the weather gets better or use wfp/trad pole.its just not worth the risk!!
i have seen a few one man bands with ladders in the snow/ice trying to get a bit of work in.rather them than me!!
dazmond
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so how do you go on using ladders in the snow and ice safely without a person footing it? as im on my own? ???
dont use them as its not very safe in snow and ice
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g.b
did you get some sort of safety device for your ladder,think it was you who was asking couple of weeks ago,iv got spikes fitted but gave up tuesday ice is bad enough but with a layer of snow over that it just really aint worth it on your own
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Trad guy came in my street yesterday hes just been cleaning downstairs only bit of a wage cut but hes earning something and still getting the tips
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g.b
did you get some sort of safety device for your ladder,think it was you who was asking couple of weeks ago,iv got spikes fitted but gave up tuesday ice is bad enough but with a layer of snow over that it just really aint worth it on your own
no mate i still havnt decided whats the best saftey device to get, theres too many to choose from :-\ im w.f.p but with the temp not getting above freezing laterly w.f.p is as much use as a paper fire guard! ;D
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iwots give the best advice; for me havent had ladders out lately.
would do up stairs if cold and no snow or ice but if you use ladders in this weather
you must be short up stairs.
lots come on here and spout on about h a s but if they use ladders or spray water all over the place
and its below freezing what good is their advice ;) forgot to add lol
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I'm 100% trad, and have been reading some posts regarding ladder spikes and other safety devices with interest.
Round my way, the pavements are still so slippery where the snow has frozen, that I need spikes on my boots. I couldn't get to my van, parked across the road without nearly going butt over elbow, so it's another day inside for me!
John.
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iwitot, out of interst was you up 1st floor when you fell or higher?
Sorry GB havent been on here since last night.
Fell from your average 3 bed semi, roughly 12-13 feet high. I remember pushing the ladders a little further in towards the house, hoping they wouldnt slip, and the next thing I knew I was being carried by the owner of the house to his car and straight to hospital.
Signed a form then they cut me jeans off and I fell asleep.
Sorry if its a bit detailed, as long as it stops some other windy taking a risk!
Laters :o ;D
PS
I think I counted 87 bricks on the way down. :P
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@ iwitot
Thanks for the info mate, its opened my eyes a bit to ladder saftey! i think because were up and down them soo much we get over confident and thats when accidents happen.
Have a great xmas mate
G.B
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Agreed.
All the best mate. ;D
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Reading this with interest. We have had snow and/ or ice for a month now, so we have been working whenever possible. Apart from the obvious of wanting to earn, I try to show loyalty to the customers. That's not to say I'm stupid about it. I speak to them where possible. Some say leave it, some get downs only, some are delighted to see us. I have a mate with me so I have a foot on the ladder if I need it and I also swear by the Ladderm8 - excellent piece of kit. We worked this morning in heavy snow to do those customers who had expressly asked us if they could get a pre-Xmas clean. They were delighted to see us. Total tips?? £0. Don't know whether to laugh or cry :)
Happy Xmas all
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@ feen
I know what you mean about tips mate, suppose the way to look at it is dont expect any, then if you do get some its a bonus.
Although to think like this at the time can be difficult, suppose im not nothered about tips as long as i get paid for the work i do. which is hard enough for some custys to remember! ::)
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it would be Great to see somebody do a video of testing these different safety gadgets ,in the real world. different angles,different surfaces etc
who knows how many? guys have been maimed or even killed when trusting a safety device,because how can you prove after the fall
Im thinking the only true test is to put a ladder up (with safety gadget) and then open a window and load 10-15 stone onto the upper rungs .
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it would be Great to see somebody do a video of testing these different safety gadgets ,in the real world. different angles,different surfaces etc
who knows how many? guys have been maimed or even killed when trusting a safety device,because how can you prove after the fall
Im thinking the only true test is to put a ladder up (with safety gadget) and then open a window and load 10-15 stone onto the upper rungs .
That sir is an exellent idea, i might have to look into making some vids next year myself! i hope others will consider doing the same
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Might look at that too, although I'd need to get my kids to upload any vid ;D
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We do trad pole or do downstairs only. Any ice about, no ladders. We charge 70% normal price for downstairs. Nearly all custies understand we are full time and all year service. The trad pole idea was Dazmonds and that nonce Bateman.
Not perfect, but no complaints from custies. We don't do first cleans when the weather is this bad though.
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i saw what i thought was a good idea the other day reguarding ladder spikes, i saw on some other windys ladder while i was walking across a carpark,that he had positioned his spikes at an angle (not straight down as you normally would) so that when you put your ladder in position on the house the spikes are facing almost vertically instead of at the same angle the ladder is if that isnt to complicated to understand,i did want to take a photo to post but no camera at the time
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@ cozy
When you say you do trad pole upstairs or ground floor only, what would stop you doing trad pole 1st floor? the custy ? or just the leaded windows, imposible to reach? and the extremely hard to do with trad pole windows?
I dont think i want to try doing trad pole for 1st floor work as to risk making a mess, missing frames and sills and potentially losing custys! :-\
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I've been doing bottoms only this week.Still earning and plenty of tips.
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i thought about trad pole and just doing bottoms but because ive not got a full round yet i thought id leave them till the temp picks up! cos my thoughts on it are if i just do bottoms only and earn half the money it will be another 4 weeks (8 weeks for some) untill i do them again, but if i book them in when the weather picks up i can earn the full money an the jobs sooner!
but its a tough call really cos if these temps stay around too much longer i'll have no choice but to trad pole and bottoms only and maybe even better ladder safety divices! :-\ :-\ :-\
What do others think to my strategy? i need all the moral support i can get at the moment ;D
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well i did what i thought was best at the time soo... ::)
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If i have to use them a have a bag of sand (like the ones they put over road work signs to stop them blowing away) and wedge it up against the feet, never had my ladder move since, although youve still got to go with you're experience, sometimes when its like this youve just got to tell the customer "sorry bottom windows only" or get a harris decorating pole from B & Q.
Just be carefull!