Clean It Up
UK Window Cleaning Forum => Window Cleaning Forum => Topic started by: Marc Stock on January 31, 2018, 04:35:19 pm
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https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/crime/scaffolder-faces-jail-after-picture-11941850 (https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/crime/scaffolder-faces-jail-after-picture-11941850)
Interesting read. I dont think i have heard of anyone facing jail for this yet?
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How times have changed (for the better in a lot of cases) I used to be a scaffolder and i can't think of any time where we were asked to wear a harness and often worked at those heights. Thinking about it now i suppose it was a stupid thing to do (that was the mid 90s) we even worked on large British Gas sites and was never asked to wear them .
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Crazy numpty, he should be locked up!
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Pretty stupid thing to do but jail is a bit harsh IMO. I think a fine would be more appropriate & prison should be reserved for those who are dangerous to society (ie: murderers, rapists, drug dealers etc..)
No wonder our prisons our so full. He'll probably be doing time with someone who's not paid their TV licence.
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When I read this earlier I was quite amased at how one sided this was.
He pleaded guilty so left himself open for punishment.
We clean windows for a lifting gear and safety harness supplier. He says that you only have a limited time to rescue a person dangling from a safety harness in a fall. Safety harnesses go around your shoulders at the top and between your legs at the bottom.
Dangling from a harness means your weight puts pressure on the safety harness straps which in turn stop blood flowing up and down the arteries in each leg.
The blood in your legs very quickly absorbs toxins. You have about 10 minutes max to rescue that person and release the pressure on those veins. If its any longer you need medical assistance and there will come a time when its too late. The tosins will kill that person. Its called "suspension trauma".
http://elcosh.org/document/1662/d000568/will-your-safety-harness-kill-you%3F.html
My son uses a safety harness on one job we do off a tower at 30' once a year. We have a backup plan for immediate rescue should the worst happen.
So yes, he broke the safety law and the safety regulations of his employer, but what rescue plans did his employer have in place to rescue him if he fell? He would have little chance of survival with a harness anyway. Falling 60' to his death may seem to be a better alternative. That jail sentence was probably the best thing that could happen to that scaffolder.
Once he gets out no one will employ him in that trade or similar trades again. He will have to do something else employment wise and hopefully it won't be up in the air.
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When I read this earlier I was quite amased at how one sided this was.
He pleaded guilty so left himself open for punishment.
We clean windows for a lifting gear and safety harness supplier. He says that you only have a limited time to rescue a person dangling from a safety harness in a fall. Safety harnesses go around your shoulders at the top and between your legs at the bottom.
Dangling from a harness means your weight puts pressure on the safety harness straps which in turn stop blood flowing up and down the arteries in each leg.
The blood in your legs very quickly absorbs toxins. You have about 10 minutes max to rescue that person and release the pressure on those veins. If its any longer you need medical assistance and there will come a time when its too late. The tosins will kill that person. Its called "suspension trauma".
http://elcosh.org/document/1662/d000568/will-your-safety-harness-kill-you%3F.html
My son uses a safety harness on one job we do off a tower at 30' once a year. We have a backup plan for immediate rescue should the worst happen.
So yes, he broke the safety law and the safety regulations of his employer, but what rescue plans did his employer have in place to rescue him if he fell? He would have little chance of survival with a harness anyway. Falling 60' to his death may seem to be a better alternative.
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Totally irrelevant all of that. The issue is the people on the ground he could kill if he fell.
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When I read this earlier I was quite amased at how one sided this was.
He pleaded guilty so left himself open for punishment.
We clean windows for a lifting gear and safety harness supplier. He says that you only have a limited time to rescue a person dangling from a safety harness in a fall. Safety harnesses go around your shoulders at the top and between your legs at the bottom.
Dangling from a harness means your weight puts pressure on the safety harness straps which in turn stop blood flowing up and down the arteries in each leg.
The blood in your legs very quickly absorbs toxins. You have about 10 minutes max to rescue that person and release the pressure on those veins. If its any longer you need medical assistance and there will come a time when its too late. The tosins will kill that person. Its called "suspension trauma".
http://elcosh.org/document/1662/d000568/will-your-safety-harness-kill-you%3F.html
My son uses a safety harness on one job we do off a tower at 30' once a year. We have a backup plan for immediate rescue should the worst happen.
So yes, he broke the safety law and the safety regulations of his employer, but what rescue plans did his employer have in place to rescue him if he fell? He would have little chance of survival with a harness anyway. Falling 60' to his death may seem to be a better alternative.
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Totally irrelevant all of that. The issue is the people on the ground he could kill if he fell.
You have a valid point there
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When I read this earlier I was quite amased at how one sided this was.
He pleaded guilty so left himself open for punishment.
We clean windows for a lifting gear and safety harness supplier. He says that you only have a limited time to rescue a person dangling from a safety harness in a fall. Safety harnesses go around your shoulders at the top and between your legs at the bottom.
Dangling from a harness means your weight puts pressure on the safety harness straps which in turn stop blood flowing up and down the arteries in each leg.
The blood in your legs very quickly absorbs toxins. You have about 10 minutes max to rescue that person and release the pressure on those veins. If its any longer you need medical assistance and there will come a time when its too late. The tosins will kill that person. Its called "suspension trauma".
http://elcosh.org/document/1662/d000568/will-your-safety-harness-kill-you%3F.html
My son uses a safety harness on one job we do off a tower at 30' once a year. We have a backup plan for immediate rescue should the worst happen.
So yes, he broke the safety law and the safety regulations of his employer, but what rescue plans did his employer have in place to rescue him if he fell? He would have little chance of survival with a harness anyway. Falling 60' to his death may seem to be a better alternative.
.
Totally irrelevant all of that. The issue is the people on the ground he could kill if he fell.
You have a valid point there
I ought to have added - despite it being very informative.
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When I read this earlier I was quite amased at how one sided this was.
He pleaded guilty so left himself open for punishment.
We clean windows for a lifting gear and safety harness supplier. He says that you only have a limited time to rescue a person dangling from a safety harness in a fall. Safety harnesses go around your shoulders at the top and between your legs at the bottom.
Dangling from a harness means your weight puts pressure on the safety harness straps which in turn stop blood flowing up and down the arteries in each leg.
The blood in your legs very quickly absorbs toxins. You have about 10 minutes max to rescue that person and release the pressure on those veins. If its any longer you need medical assistance and there will come a time when its too late. The tosins will kill that person. Its called "suspension trauma".
http://elcosh.org/document/1662/d000568/will-your-safety-harness-kill-you%3F.html
My son uses a safety harness on one job we do off a tower at 30' once a year. We have a backup plan for immediate rescue should the worst happen.
So yes, he broke the safety law and the safety regulations of his employer, but what rescue plans did his employer have in place to rescue him if he fell? He would have little chance of survival with a harness anyway. Falling 60' to his death may seem to be a better alternative. That jail sentence was probably the best thing that could happen to that scaffolder.
Once he gets out no one will employ him in that trade or similar trades again. He will have to do something else employment wise and hopefully it won't be up in the air.
.
If you have a harness that’s sown into a body suit it shouldn’t cut the blood supply to your legs, thus ensuring you don’t die of blood poisoning once they’ve got you down and your circulation is flowing again.
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Suspension trauma is a very real issue. All rams should include a rescue plan.
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Suspension trauma is a very real issue.
Very true.
It happened to a mate of mine. A young father; just married; all of his life in front of him; first day on a new job.......
.......I'll tell you the rest tomorrow.
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Suspension trauma is a very real issue.
Very true.
It happened to a mate of mine. A young father; just married; all of his life in front of him; first day on a new job.......
.......I'll tell you the rest tomorrow.
;D
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He tell us rest of story oh no that's gonna be a 100 page biography 😁
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I started my working life as a hod carrier before forklifts abs all this health and safety
We were like ants running up and down ladders
Running across party walls
Jumping off scaffold instead of climbing down
Most of us were ok worst I got was a broken hand off a mixer but I did see some horrific accidents
Health and safety is a good thing in most instances but it does go too far sometimes
It's all about common sense really
Almost evert scaffolder I've spoken too hates the harnesses they say there a hindrance
No doubt they have saved lives but on 1 job I was on 1 of the guys fell from a factory roof
He was wearing a harness it ruptured his insides and killed him
That said the fall would have killed him anyway
I'm just starting out window cleaning I'm getting my new van today
After a lot of consideration it's going to be pole fed all the way
After 30 years in the building trade I'm done with taking risks.
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Well said start safe and stay safe.
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Suspension trauma is a very real issue. All rams should include a rescue plan.
Very true but how are you going to effect a rescue ??? You won’t have the man power or resources needed to do it have you ever tried to get someone down with suspension injuries ? Unless you are properly trained this isn’t something anyone should try themselves as you can do more harm than good , Ime in the fire service and we regularly train for such scenarios it’s unusual to go to shouts involving this but it does happen : it’s also very unlikely you will get the person down in 10 muinets it’s usualy 45 + toxic shock is an issue but generally the ambulance crew and Hospital are able to deal with this issue without it being life threatening—- food for thought how we go about work just goes to show Evan safety equipment can cause serious injury
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Water on! Number one delivery! 4 bar pressure! Branch working in the drill tower!
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I once knew a hod carrier who would sometimes slide down the (metal) ladder. He didn't do it with wooden ones for obvious reasons.
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Suspension trauma is a very real issue. All rams should include a rescue plan.
Very true but how are you going to effect a rescue ??? You won’t have the man power or resources needed to do it have you ever tried to get someone down with suspension injuries ? Unless you are properly trained this isn’t something anyone should try themselves as you can do more harm than good , Ime in the fire service and we regularly train for such scenarios it’s unusual to go to shouts involving this but it does happen : it’s also very unlikely you will get the person down in 10 muinets it’s usualy 45 + toxic shock is an issue but generally the ambulance crew and Hospital are able to deal with this issue without it being life threatening—- food for thought how we go about work just goes to show Evan safety equipment can cause serious injury
Yeah, I tripped over a yellow warning cone the other week.
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Jail seems harsh if it were to come to that. The whistleblower was a retired old busy body with nothing better to do. Yes what he was doing was dangerous but surely he could have had a word with the guy direct or the company and warned of the consequences if he were to shop him. That's what I'd have done .... by all means if he'd been told to do one and mind his own business , then report it.
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Jail seems harsh if it were to come to that. The whistleblower was a retired old busy body with nothing better to do. Yes what he was doing was dangerous but surely he could have had a word with the guy direct or the company and warned of the consequences if he were to shop him. That's what I'd have done .... by all means if he'd been told to do one and mind his own business , then report it.
I doubt if he'll go to jail, but if as a result of all the publicity a couple of lives are saved and awareness raised, that will be a good thing, no?
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Absolutely 8 weekly I agree, awareness is a good thing.
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Having a rescue plan is a difficult thing with suspension. If you think about the reality, I can't think of many instances at all when you can get to them in 10 minutes.
I find it interesting how there are many opinions on this. How many have had formal H&S training of any description? IOSH, NEBOSH, even manual handling, slips, trips and falls and working at height training is essential for window cleaning. Maybe not NEBOSH, but EVERYONE should have done the rest.
Maybe the employer is not being dragged into this episode because he can prove he had done all he could to train his staff, but if they disregard it, it's not his fault.
Is clink the right option? I don't think so. That affects your family, future employment, insurances etc. If he was my employee, who I'd had for a period of time, I knew was a good worker and it was his first offence, he'd be in for a disciplinary and given a final written warning. If I'd spoken to him about his lack of H&S practice in the past, he'd be dismissed for gross misconduct, without notice.
From that, hopefully he'd have learned his lesson and could go on to get a job elsewhere.