Clean It Up
UK Window Cleaning Forum => Window Cleaning Forum => Topic started by: [GQC] Tim on November 23, 2006, 06:21:06 pm
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Oh man, if I think back it still gets my heart going like crazy.
They had a courtyard, with almost slate smooth bricks, covered in algae or whatever the green grime is....VERY slippery, now I took my precautions, put the ladder mats under it, and I have a ladder with an extended stability bar as well. Along with Ladder mitts, should be okay I thought, especially with the ladder mats having always worked very well. Assessed the surface, thought it would be okay enough.
Well......got to the top, ladder slid down two to three foot ....and stopped, just before it would really get me flying. Scared the living hell out of me...I could feel my whole body thumping with every heartbeat. Took a while to chill me down, acted like nothing happened.
I thought it would be o k, but it wasn't....finished it by pole.
wow...scary, I don't even wanna tell it to my GF, told it my mum, she almost had a heart attack. :-[ :o
Never ever had an accident or thing like this, been going for over half a year now, I'm mr. Safety first. gah, horrible. :'(
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Nasty! But rather that than tottling backwards because the ladder was too vertical....had a near-call a few weeks back (only saved myself by grabbing the window ledge)...scared the be-jesus out of me!
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There was this 30cm skid mark on the grime, the two ladder mats just slid 30cm backwards, now that is nuts if you have ever seen them up close, very slip fast!
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Sounds like you were a very lucky chap!!!
My mate had the exact scenario as you except his ladder didn't stop, he was found around 1/2 hour later and was air lifted to hospital, he had to have his spleen taken out :'(
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...and people have the cheek to haggle over what we charge...Blimey!
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Very glad you are safe, and can tell the tale.
So you took more than the necessary precautions, but there is always room for error.
This is why I do not climb ladders any more! Is it worth it?
You've only been going 6 months! Some would boast and say, like I used to, " I've been going 19 years, never had a fall, not even a serious slip!" But you only have to slip once, and at the very least it could change your life permanently. And all the customer thinks is, "Shame, what a nice man he was....Now where am I going to get another windowcleaner from? Because I know I'm not going to risk my neck just to clean my windows!"
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Yeah my motto is: "If I don't feel safe up here I probably ain't"...and down I come.
Not gonna get crippled-up/dead for £20 thank-you-very-much!
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thank god for wfp
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get yourself a ladder m8 ladder stopper. It aint going nowhere then well worth £60 mate
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£60 ??
I have Rojak Stoppers that sell on ebay £21.99 plus £10 delivery
to UK Mainland address.
or just p.m. me :)
Russ
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There was this 30cm skid mark on the grime, the two ladder mats just slid 30cm backwards, now that is nuts if you have ever seen them up close, very slip fast!
Scrim or oven cloth works better than those mat things. It looks less professional but works a whole lot better.
I just wouldn't do a job like that now. I had a couple of near misses too down the years and it's just not worth it.
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where was the 30cm skid mark?
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A Rojak Ladder Stopper is good, but I also wouldn't use it on a slime covered surface without something else stopping the Rojak from slipping too.
I've nearly had a close call while using a Rojak on a smooth-shiny path, with my ladders at a dodgy angle to get to a window above a porch.
The Rojak slipped backwards, only a few inches before stopping; but it still frightened me.
I've also had a full blown fall; but luckily enough I'm a Geordie and was unhurt bar a few scrapes and bruises.
I reckon you should get a backpack and if you don't want to go WFP fully, just keep it for your 'dodgy windows'; or tell the customer which windows you can't do, due to safety reasons; or as you did, do a best effort with a squeegie on a pole.
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scrim or cloth better than a ladder m8 NEVER. Ive used mine on moss frost decking cant beat it grips the ground. Mind you bloody sharp cut my hand on the spikes!!!!!!!!! :o
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thank god for wfp
::)
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thank god for wfp
::)
::)
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I went to do a gutter job last week and put my ladder up and only put my foot on the 1st rung and it slipped.
The patio was a bit green so that was it packed stuff away and said to the owner sorry but your patio is to slippery to use a ladder on so i won't be able to do the job.
Im actually thinking of stopping the gutter cleaning altogther as i hate going up a ladder since changing to wfp and im not happy using a pressure washer with extendible lance, and im certainly not going to pay the rip off prices of a gutter vac that i doubt would work well anyway.
I think i will just do windows with my wfp so much safer.
Paul
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scrim or cloth better than a ladder m8 NEVER. Ive used mine on moss frost decking cant beat it grips the ground. Mind you bloody sharp cut my hand on the spikes!!!!!!!!! :o
Ever tried them in order to make the comparison? I have - with someone there to foot the ladder if it started slipping. The Rojak started to slip. The oven cloth didn't. Not sure what you mean about spikes. I've not seen them designed like that. Maybe we are talking about different things.
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Yes Shiner, there is the Rojak which claims to be at least equal to a man footing the ladder, and is recognised as such by H&S.
Laddermate is a different product, not sure what H&S comments are on it.
I know one thing, on slimy wet winter yorkstone I used to bring a scrubbing brush, scrub the area first. Nothing else worked.
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A Rojak Ladder Stopper is good, but I also wouldn't use it on a slime covered surface without something else stopping the Rojak from slipping too.
I've nearly had a close call while using a Rojak on a smooth-shiny path, with my ladders at a dodgy angle to get to a window above a porch.
The Rojak slipped backwards, only a few inches before stopping; but it still frightened me.
I've also had a full blown fall; but luckily enough I'm a Geordie and was unhurt bar a few scrapes and bruises.
I reckon you should get a backpack and if you don't want to go WFP fully, just keep it for your 'dodgy windows'; or tell the customer which windows you can't do, due to safety reasons; or as you did, do a best effort with a squeegie on a pole.
Hm, I'm really new to wfp, could you give me one or two links to backpacks to get me started finding out things about it? :)
Thanks
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I had exactly the same thing happen yesterday, as I was climbing onto a flat roof, the ladder, and Ladder Mats too, all slid right back about ten feet on a wet path , and only stopped because they hit a raised paving slab. That's the last time I trust crappy Ladder Mats! Has anyone tried those stabilising arms that fit to the bottom of the ladder? I definitely need something safer...
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Your lucky you yoor safe down here we've had a really high gale force and the ladder's have been nearly blowing over themselves! Never mind with us on them!
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I carry a spray bottle of patio clear it cleans and kills the slime for 12 months or more.
Be safe no sorry.
Roy
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Been using ladders for nearly 16 years on and off (pardon the pun), last 6 as a w/c, never had a full blown fall, and thank god for wfp not much chance of it happening now!