Clean It Up

UK Window Cleaning Forum => Window Cleaning Forum => Topic started by: neil100 on August 06, 2006, 09:45:08 am

Title: Health and Safety Ban Poles.
Post by: neil100 on August 06, 2006, 09:45:08 am
First off, They are not Banning wfp.

They have decided to Ban Firemen from sliding down their fixed poles in firestations as their is too much of a risk to their safety. They want them to use the stairs instead according to Saturdays paper the SUN.

I think its more dangerours to use the stairs with potential accidents, plus your increasing their response times to accidents which put peoples lives at risk.

Health and safety gone mad. They could ban ladders for w/c and then ban wfp cos of safety issues then we would be all out of a job.

Nel.
Title: Re: Health and Safety Ban Poles.
Post by: Pat Purcell on August 06, 2006, 12:46:50 pm
the proposed ban on ladders I believe says that a ladder may be used if all other viable ways to do the job have been explored . In whose opinion is an option viable or not the professional w/c or the h&s officer. Im sure most wfp folks with a little experience can look at a job and know immediately that it is not suited for wfp If they then do it by trad method can they get in trouble for not attempting to wfp first or is there professional opinion accepted as im guessing most h&s officers would know little about actual window cleaning,secondly if wfp does a fair job on a building/house etc but the quality of the finish is not acceptable to the customer is that a good enough reason to pull out your ladders ???
Title: Re: Health and Safety Ban Poles.
Post by: JohnL on August 06, 2006, 04:26:42 pm
secondly if wfp does a fair job on a building/house etc but the quality of the finish is not acceptable to the customer is that a good enough reason to pull out your ladders

apparently not because I read in an H&S paper that customers may have to accept that some windows may not be cleaned in the future and will have to stay uncleaned.

and how long before WFPers will not be able to get insurance because of the number of poles being lost in highish winds with the resulting damage to property or persons becoming  unacceptable and what about all those back and neck problems which will arise?

I only raise this because this country is becoming more and more a nanny state being driven by idiotic reasoning and regulations.

food for thought

JohnL

Title: Re: Health and Safety Ban Poles.
Post by: squeaky-clean 1 on August 06, 2006, 06:21:09 pm
How would you loose you pole in high winds?

use your comon sence if its too windy for poles then its too windy to be up a ladder

and you lot take the p*** out of blondes ???

Belinda
Title: Re: Health and Safety Ban Poles.
Post by: Sir Squeaky on August 06, 2006, 06:36:20 pm
First off, They are not Banning wfp.
Yet.....it's only time.
A few more old people breaking bones tripping over hoses or skidding in wet doorways on an otherwise dry day, and it'll be all over.

About the firemen...
My next door neighbour's boyfriend is a fireman and he was telling me how they all have to run down the stairs now, and regularly fall over each other.
One bloke sprained his wrist the other day!

Progress? ???
Title: Re: Health and Safety Ban Poles.
Post by: macc on August 06, 2006, 06:51:06 pm

Yet.....it's only time.
A few more old people breaking bones tripping over hoses or skidding in wet doorways on an otherwise dry day, and it'll be all over.



Good old Squeaky, cant resist it. How are you mate?

So there going to ban wfp because of the pipe  ::), ok. But they will ban ladders first cause we live in a nanny state & there are a load more accidents because of them, mainly because of improper use. Accidents happen, thats why they are called accidents. May be what this government & its departments ie HS need to make people awhere of is common sense & put all this pink fluffy stuff in the bin.

Macc
Title: Re: Health and Safety Ban Poles.
Post by: JohnL on August 06, 2006, 07:39:11 pm
How would you loose you pole in high winds?

use your comon sence if its too windy for poles then its too windy to be up a ladder

absolute codwallop!  I'm not talking domestic. I'm not talking one against the other.  Just look at stuff on here about 30 to 50 feet and more up, thats not for me on a ladder to start with, but I've seen people struggle to keep control and hold a pole steady at that height in medium to high winds. Someone will lose it one day! Thats the point I am making.

JohnL
Title: Re: Health and Safety Ban Poles.
Post by: macc on August 06, 2006, 07:44:01 pm
Exactly my point JohnL, it comes down to common sense
Title: Re: Health and Safety Ban Poles.
Post by: EasyClean on August 06, 2006, 11:41:08 pm
Re:Pole use in high winds.

Most window cleaners use their common sense with regards to using a WF pole in strong winds.
I wouldn't dream of WFP 4storey or 5storey in strong winds or on gusty days when freak winds catch you out by surprise for safety reasons which I've explained to my commercial customers who have their windows cleaned on a set day of the month.
The stronger the wind, the lower I go.
I know I'm one of the few window cleaners around where I live who will clean a bungalow with a WF Pole in gale force winds because many other local window cleaners have been forced to take the day off because it's too unsafe to even go up a 6 ft 'A' Ladder, because they come up to me and ask if they can have a play with my WF pole as it's new to them. I let them clean the whole bungalow with my WF pole, then leave a SAE and wait for a cheque in the post. It's better than employing cheap foreign workers as it's free help.