Clean It Up

UK Window Cleaning Forum => Window Cleaning Forum => Topic started by: busydaffodil on August 31, 2006, 12:40:15 pm

Title: Health & safety issues!!
Post by: busydaffodil on August 31, 2006, 12:40:15 pm
This was sent from a friend from their place of work.  pics taken of their window cleaner at work. :o
Title: Re: Health & safety issues!!
Post by: busydaffodil on August 31, 2006, 12:41:12 pm
To make matters worse, here are pics of the inside of the windows.   Theyre rotten right through.
Title: Re: Health & safety issues!!
Post by: williamx on August 31, 2006, 01:35:30 pm
Send the pictures to your H & S office, this company should be prosecuted.  You will save a life if you do.
Title: Re: Health & safety issues!!
Post by: jeff1 on August 31, 2006, 02:13:36 pm
I totally agree with saving his life, and looking at the pictures one can only assume he does the next floor up in the same manner?

But give the guy a chance first by telling him what you are going to do if he does not change his methods?

One would also assume that the company that your friend works for would also be liable for employing him and allowing he to clean there windows in this manner.

your friend would not be to popular with there employer if they went the route of just reporting them, if no one listens to him/her then send in the pictures, I would have thought  HSE will act quickly in this case, So the window cleaner and your freinds company would have to act even quiker.
Title: Re: Health & safety issues!!
Post by: Moderator David@stives on August 31, 2006, 02:21:16 pm
Just the type of thing i would have done 7 or 8 years ago , thank god i got wise , at that mans age there really is no excuse and if the building owner is allowing this to happen they should be prosecuted under the health ansafety at work act , for failing to manage contractors on site.


Dave
Title: Re: Health & safety issues!!
Post by: busydaffodil on August 31, 2006, 02:41:24 pm
I'm not in the position to know the companies name but I have told my friend what your opinions are.   I can only leave the ball in their court.    Its up to them if they deal with this contractor or H & S.   
Title: Re: Health & safety issues!!
Post by: Pj on August 31, 2006, 03:02:06 pm
We used to do this sort of thing all the time!  We thought it was what was expected of windowcleaners, and it was, until we discovered H & S regs.
Title: Re: Health & safety issues!!
Post by: david68 on August 31, 2006, 07:37:56 pm
If a was going to do a silly thing like this, I would at least be wearing better foot ware.
If only he knew how important is live is

Dave
Title: Re: Health & safety issues!!
Post by: Pat Purcell on August 31, 2006, 07:39:24 pm
We also used to do this,not that crazy anymore but could someone tell me is the guy doing it in dress shoes? and you must admit whatever about H&S issues your friends window that she took the pictures thru looks pretty good
Title: Re: Health & safety issues!!
Post by: Pj on August 31, 2006, 07:46:11 pm
It's probably Squeaky!  I've heard he does a real good finish.....and he dyes his hair :o ;D
Title: Re: Health & safety issues!!
Post by: busydaffodil on August 31, 2006, 08:02:46 pm
It's probably Squeaky!  I've heard he does a real good finish.....and he dyes his hair :o ;D

Ha Ha!   Cute!!


Sorry Squeaks....shouldnt laugh at your expense but that was seriously funny.
Title: Re: Health & safety issues!!
Post by: Pat Purcell on August 31, 2006, 08:03:57 pm
Maybe someone told him that ladders were banned
Title: Re: Health & safety issues!!
Post by: thewindowcleaner1 on August 31, 2006, 08:33:26 pm
I also would be doing the same thing 7-8 years ago I would even have tried to get to the opposit window from the outside.. Not Now though.
Once picked up a lot of work after a windowcleaner had fallen, what got me thinking was the comments from his old customers "he was really good had him for years, but we need our windows cleaning now" Whats the point of killing yourself just to get to that one window the customer loves it if you do , but soon starts looking to replace you if it goes wrong...
Title: Re: Health & safety issues!!
Post by: windows_chepstow on October 20, 2006, 02:52:04 pm
I think I know this guy.  Busy, was this photo taken in the South East Wales area?
Title: Re: Health & safety issues!!
Post by: pjulk on October 20, 2006, 03:43:05 pm
That guy is like that song CRAZY.
And he's no spring chicken either.

I have done some crazy things when i was in my late teens like that but when you are a teenager you do stupid things like that and not think of the consequences.
But this chap is quite a bit older and should know better.

Paul
Title: Re: Health & safety issues!!
Post by: windows_chepstow on October 20, 2006, 03:48:29 pm
If it's who I think he is, he's a good bloke, hard working and has strong religous beliefs.

Title: Re: Health & safety issues!!
Post by: Trevor Knight on October 20, 2006, 03:48:58 pm
And you wonder why the WFP was invented??

Whether you are traditional or WFP you all have to agree its situations like this that encourage H&S to become more stringent with their laws!
Title: Re: Health & safety issues!!
Post by: Sunshine Cleaning on October 20, 2006, 04:38:40 pm
If it's who I think he is, he's a good bloke, hard working and has strong religous beliefs.



I hope he has as he may need them.

My advice would be to find out who he is, send him the pictures with a letter explaining your concerns.

If you get his address or phone number, i will do it.

Title: Re: Health & safety issues!!
Post by: mark dew on October 20, 2006, 04:44:45 pm
no wonder he's got grey hair... how old is he Tosh? 25??  ;D

Title: Re: Health & safety issues!!
Post by: Paul Coleman on October 20, 2006, 06:52:06 pm
If it's who I think he is, he's a good bloke, hard working and has strong religous beliefs.



Well maybe he believes in a resurrection then.  He needs to if he's working like that.
Title: Re: Health & safety issues!!
Post by: WavieDavie on October 20, 2006, 07:07:30 pm
What's the metal assembly on the window sill in the second shot of the state of the windows?

Title: Re: Health & safety issues!!
Post by: mark f on October 21, 2006, 11:55:26 am
I dont care what anyone says i would never ever go to the hse to grass anyone up . I think this country is going down the pan because of the e.u and such legislation, but i would talk to him and let him know that what he is doing is wrong and suggest he needs to a get a wfp user in for the day to help him.

  When we all start taking pictures of one another and getting the hse involved it will be near enough impossible to work and  working will no longer be enjoyable.

  But on the flip side if when i go wfp i lose work to a ladder user who i see is not using ladders legally i would take a photo on my mobile and send it to his phone just to let him know i know!!! ;D ;D ;D
Title: Re: Health & safety issues!!
Post by: busydaffodil on October 21, 2006, 01:09:24 pm
Sorry Tosh, only just saw this.     My contact who took the pics lives in South Wales, not sure where they work though....didnt ask....didnt want to know cos then I dont have to do anything about it.  (I know.....yellow belly, scared, whatever you want to call it)   

So, could have been.

Up to you whether you print off pics & tell him his "methods" are being discussed on a forum on the www.   No pressure off me to do that though.    I would not grass him to H & S.  If I knew him I would show him the pics &  hope they make him realise how risky his practice is.
Title: Re: Health & safety issues!!
Post by: williamx on October 22, 2006, 12:52:20 pm
I dont care what anyone says i would never ever go to the hse to grass anyone up . I think this country is going down the pan because of the e.u and such legislation, but i would talk to him and let him know that what he is doing is wrong and suggest he needs to a get a wfp user in for the day to help him.

  When we all start taking pictures of one another and getting the hse involved it will be near enough impossible to work and  working will no longer be enjoyable.

  But on the flip side if when i go wfp i lose work to a ladder user who i see is not using ladders legally i would take a photo on my mobile and send it to his phone just to let him know i know!!! ;D ;D ;D

Whats more important being seen as a grass or someone who saved someones life, you say you would never be a grass, so if you saw someone mugging a old lady or someone who has broken into your best friends home or any other multiple crimes that are committed each day who would turn a blind eye and hope it goes away.
Title: Re: Health & safety issues!!
Post by: mark f on October 22, 2006, 03:39:46 pm
err slight twist on what i was saying but point taken.

 I would take action by talking to him and telling him to get wfp in else he would find himself in trouble or dead. But i wouldnt go to hse.

  That is a far better approach i feel that would help him get sorted with regard to his work practices that he has probably been doing for years and would help adjust his methods without filling  the coffers of the government aswell with more fine money.

 If he ignored that advice which he probably wouldnt then he would end up in trouble anyhow. If someone will ignore advice then they will ignore hse.

 As regards the comment r.e the mugging of an old lady etc do i really have to warrant that with an answer???
Title: Re: Health & safety issues!!
Post by: Sir Squeaky on October 22, 2006, 04:00:18 pm
Whats more important being seen as a grass or someone who saved someones life, you say you would never be a grass, so if you saw someone mugging a old lady or someone who has broken into your best friends home or any other multiple crimes that are committed each day who would turn a blind eye and hope it goes away.
Hardly the same thing!

He's not exactly a criminal for cleaning a window. ;D
Title: Re: Health & safety issues!!
Post by: DASERVICES on October 23, 2006, 10:07:23 am
If it's who I think he is, he's a good bloke, hard working and has strong religous beliefs.



If he has strong religous beliefs then he is not seriously thinking about his sacred
life, which he has a scriptual obligation not to risk his life. Someone just needs to
have a quiet word with him and I'm sure it will click into place that what he is doing is wrong.

He will probably even thank you, as the WAHR regulations are not known to everyone.

Doug
Title: Re: Health & safety issues!!
Post by: RO-Sheen on October 23, 2006, 10:41:37 am
One thing I noticed....The photographs taken of the 'rotten wood' is not the same window that the window cleaner was doing! The 'rotten wood' photo has a metal railing outside.

Not that Im making any excuses for that idiot!
Title: Re: Health & safety issues!!
Post by: gerrystyles on October 23, 2006, 10:33:48 pm
Idiots like him that get window cleaners a bad reputation. Does the company he cleans for not have any moral responsibility? What is their FM person doing? have they not heard of Control of Contractors?. No wonder HSE are pushing all this regulation on us it seems that we can not regulate ourselves!!!!!!
Title: Re: Health & safety issues!!
Post by: S_RICHARDSON on October 28, 2006, 01:24:04 pm
Idiot or what!!!! Some people these days they let our trade down.  Why don't spend a little and get sme ladders.  Yes, What a total Idiot!