Clean It Up
UK Window Cleaning Forum => Window Cleaning Forum => Topic started by: Moderator David@stives on August 29, 2006, 07:18:32 pm
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Today whilst wfping a school i fell down a 3 foot hole.
I arrived at this school and noticed big pieces of polystyrene on the ground with a couple of bricks on each piece, my first thoughts were that the bricks were just there to stop the pieces from blowing away, little did i Know each piece was covering a 3' hole. The holes were there for a new pergola, no warning signs about at all.
As i was wfping some first floor windows, concentrating on the job in hand, I had forgot about the polystyrene blocks on the ground, as i was walking sideways looking up, my foot brushed the block away as it was so light and i promptly fell down the hole with a right thump, It was a real shock to my body, I have no real injuries but the shock waves which went up my arms didnt half hurt my shoulders, anyway i was lucky it could of been a lot worse, this is my first accident of this type with wfp, i have been wfping for 1 year now and i reckon there are a few more accidents to come.
The law of averages says if you work constantly looking up you are bound to have a few trips or falls, I just hope i dont have any worse than that one.
Dave
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If that is how much it hurts falling 3', be glad you're not up the ladder anymore, Dave.
Talking of looking up......Today I was looking down as I shifted to the next window cold waterjet straight into the open window, woman sitting reading, enjoying the sunshine. I soaked her! :-[
Better than falling down a hole though ;D
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Sorry to hear that happened to you David but it's a timely reminder.
Drainholes and potholes and the like are broken or sprained ankles just waiting to happen to the unwary WFP user. I constantly drum it into my guys always to look down whenever thay move around while using a pole yet 2 of them this year have had long absences because of this very thing. Thankfully just bad sprains but they can take a good while to mend.
Look before you leap is our motto where this is concerned.
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I tripped on my own pole hose and put my brush straight through a window, which was unortuantly closed at the time.
Marc
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A while ago, one of the others I work with stepped sideways as he was wfp'ing and forgot the rose bushes in the customers garden.
He fell sideways into a well etablished rose bush.
18 of those funny paper stitches later...... could have been worse, he also had a nasty cut on his cheek just under his eye.
I think sometimes these injuries don't get mentioned when companies press the safety issues of wfp.
I also have a friend who done his back in so badly when cleaning windows with wfp that he will not use a wfp again. In fact, he won't ever work again.
I still think wfp is safer than ladders though.
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If it wasn't signed & guarded then make a claim for your injuries, tell your insurance company, tell the person responsible for the building and ask for the contractors details & report them to HSE.
steve@freshwatersystems.co.uk
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Hi Freshwater
It is that simple.
Thanks for that advise.
Gee....
I never knew that.
Wow. It is that simple.
Sorry to sound sarcastic but in the world where I work things are a little different.
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ross,
Yes it is that simple, I work in the real world word as well, the sites we go on we have to wear hard hats & reflective jackets, sign in & sign out and is pain but its there to protecr us. You know who your are working for, you know the name and address of your insurers, and you can look in the phone book or on the web for the HSE. Every one has a duty of care towards others. Its this sort of attitude that gets the industry a bad name. Ever wondered why the working at height rules were adopted?
steve@freshwatersystems.co.uk
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I may be wrong, but I think you'll find that because this site is a school which is officially closed at the moment and probably has some kind of fencing, gates etc around it, then it is not even classed as "a common work area" so safety regulations would not need to be strictly enforced. they'll get round it easy.
Anyway, Dave is ok, just shaken. He's from Manchester! "Mad for it!"
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PJ
you got it
Dave
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Yipes. Hope your OK Dave?
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I may be wrong, but I think you'll find that because this site is a school which is officially closed at the moment and probably has some kind of fencing, gates etc around it, then it is not even classed as "a common work area" so safety regulations would not need to be strictly enforced. they'll get round it easy.
Anyway, Dave is ok, just shaken. He's from Manchester! "Mad for it!"
Dont think you are right, if you read The Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations which the school must adhere to, they have a duty of care when contractors are on site, that is why they ask for a RA from window cleaners for many commercial sites, as they have to make a judgment that they are happy with what they are doing is safe, that is why WFP is so popular (safer)
Andy
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Yes, maybe. I bet they'd get out of it though as specific times were not agreed. If they were, and written into the contract, maybe.
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The guy I occasionally work with (on big jobs) was showing me how to clean trad. when I started about ten years ago. Do you ever have any accidents I asked - nah never - he replied. He was carrying his ladder on his shoulder and I was carrying the bucket and cloths and he's looking at me and walks straight down a manhole which had it's cover missing!
He's stood there up to his waist still with the ladder on his shoulder. He got away with scratches and bruises tho'.
How we laughed.......
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Pj,
It don’t matter, even you broke into the school to kill all the staff & kids and you fell down a hole you could still claim from the school or the persons who dug the hole, if the hole was not guarded and/or marked with warnings. Staff, employee, child, member of the nazi party, killer or window cleaner it doesn’t matter who you are, you all have the rights to not be injured by someone else’s negligence.
steve@freshwatersystems.co.uk
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I suppose suing a customer has to be weighed against losing that customer so if I hadn't lost time off work I'd probably let it ride. (Although I'd let the customer know it happened - warning/brownie points)
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I think talking generaly freshwater there is something called due care and diligence - by the potential claimant that is.
You would not stand a chance in an insurance claim on the examples you give although I do grant you the fact that I believe a trespasser is not actually breaking any law but if he breaks a leg while burglaring your house he could sue you - so wheres the justice?
JohnL
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Liz
Thanks for your concern , Yes i am ok apart from a sore wrist and a bruised ego.
On the day there was only the headmaster and a teacher on site, I had spoken to them just as i had started, you would of thought he would of told me.
If i would of badly injured myself i would not of hesitated to sue.
Dave
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Hi Dave
I'm also glad you're ok. It still made me smile though. Good job there weren't more people watching. ;D
Hi Freshwater
The whole thing about negligence is that it has to be proved first and 'proving' negligence is a whole world away from 'claiming' negligence was the cause. One guiding factor is a history of similar accidents and was the accident preventable or predictable. If the contractor or whoever left the site with all the proper tape, cones, warnings etc then if someone has an accident because an unknown third party removed them, it is not always 'negligence' and run to the nearest court.
The person who I work with who stepped sideways into a rose bush was the one who was negligent. In a garden it is not unusual to find a rose bush and the home owner can hardly be accused of negligence because the rose bush was not clearly marked.
Today one of the other I worked with while using wfp stepped sideways and fell down some steps. He wasn't hurt but accidents happen so easily and quickly.