Clean It Up
UK Window Cleaning Forum => Window Cleaning Forum => Topic started by: Sunshine Cleaning on March 29, 2007, 08:14:10 am
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A local window cleaner to me has fallen whlie working.
His ladder slipped, he fell and broke his arm in 2 placed. There was a gap of 5" because of dislodged bone. The doctors forght to save his arm. He was lying on the ground for 6 hours untill someone found him. It is unlikley that he will work again.
One of his customers told me this while I was WFPing on Tuesday.
She didn't know me from Adam, but begged me to continue with this method and avoid ladders.
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When I started out a good friend of mine who has been cleaning for over 20 years told me that there are two types of window cleaner who use ladders.
Type 1: those that have fallen off.
Type 2: those who will eventually fall off.
I had so many near misses while I was on ladders, every day I worried, thats why I went for WFP. It costs to get set up but if it avoids one fall it's already paid for itself.
Colin
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Thing is about this indusrty, if you have not fallen off a ladder, then you know someone that has, thats a very sad fact :(
Andy
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That accident sounds terrible.
I fell off my ladder for the first time at the beginning of March and if I am honest it was me own stupid fault and it has left me a bit worried. I am thinking of getting a wfp backpack to avoid the 'difficult' ladder work. The other option is to drop the jobs concerned. When I thought about having a wfp option mind I was then thinking it would be a relief if I tackled all high windows with it and avoided ladders as much as possible. There have been a few times when working when i have sort of felt myself 'go' if you know what i mean when your balance sort of slips and you have to stop yourself dropping off the ladder. Heart in the mouth moments.
I was lucky when i did fall as I had time to pick a spot to drop and very lucky that it was onto a soft rain sodden lawn . I was coming down from a very high bay window as the ladder slipped so wasnt perched at the top but a third of the way down.
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Although we all hate and loathe being told by H & S not to work off ladders (the, 'It's my life, my choice kind of thing)
It is accidents such as these that become the driving force for stronger regulations.
I've had a couple of falls, Tosh has had a couple of near miss's, there is another local window cleaner that doesn't use the forum who has had 2 bad falls, squeaks hasn't had an accident, but over time the likes of Roger are the exception not the rule.
As has been said, if we haven't had a fall ourselves, we know of plenty of others who have.
I must ask Roy and Tomo (2 other local guys on the forum) if they have had or know of others who have had accidents on ladders....
They happen an awful lot more than like, and I've lost count of those heart in the mouth moments....
It only takes 1 single moment of inattention, and no matter how careful we all are, those moments happen to us all....hopefully no motre than a hreart in the mouth moment!
Ian
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I have worked at some silly heights with ladders, and so far have not had a serious fall. I did once fall off my short point, thet was because I was in a hurry.( it hurt)
Over the years I have found that using high ladders makes people more attentive and less likely to fall, the danger comes once you move from high work down to first floor stuff. the tendency is to feel safe and to up the work pace, this is where problems creep in like bad setting, etc.
I have always felt safe on a good ladder but then I also get involved in rock climbing, so I am always aware of the dangers of falling from height. My golden rule is 3 points of contact at all times.
I like my ladders, they have been good for me.
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we probably all know people who have had car accidents but do we stop driving . in life you canot take away all risks and there will always be accidents i personally use wfp but if it didnt exist then i would still use a ladder .
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we probably all know people who have had car accidents but do we stop driving . in life you canot take away all risks and there will always be accidents i personally use wfp but if it didnt exist then i would still use a ladder .
A good point, mind you, I bet the people who had car accidents as a result of their own fault don't drive as crazy or take as many risks??
Its the same with ladders, we have all experienced or know of people who have slipped, now they and myself included use the ladder with more caution and take less risks, hence one of the reasons I went WFP?
Agreed if no WFP, I would use a ladder to, but approach with caution!
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Although we all hate and loathe being told by H & S not to work off ladders (the, 'It's my life, my choice kind of thing)
It is accidents such as these that become the driving force for stronger regulations.
I've had a couple of falls, Tosh has had a couple of near miss's, there is another local window cleaner that doesn't use the forum who has had 2 bad falls, squeaks hasn't had an accident, but over time the likes of Roger are the exception not the rule.
As has been said, if we haven't had a fall ourselves, we know of plenty of others who have.
I must ask Roy and Tomo (2 other local guys on the forum) if they have had or know of others who have had accidents on ladders....
They happen an awful lot more than like, and I've lost count of those heart in the mouth moments....
It only takes 1 single moment of inattention, and no matter how careful we all are, those moments happen to us all....hopefully no motre than a hreart in the mouth moment!
Ian
I have been window cleaning 23yrs and 20yrs off a ladder and have never fallen. But I know 5 window cleanners who have one had bad cuts and brusing,4 smashed there heals and need surgery to correct them,and one of these fell for the second time and got brain damage and was in a coma for a week.
Roy
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Roy What was you using to clean window a telescopic pole or WFP??
Shaun R.
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I had a ladder slip from under me in my first year of window cleaning. It was due to inexperience and fatigue; compounded by some really hot weather.
I put my ladders at a silly angle above a porch roof; the grass the feet were on was as 'ard as concrete and when I reached the first floor window the cheap B & Q ladders slipped from behind me.
My ladders and I crashed onto the porch roof, then crashed to the ground with me tangled round them.
Wor Lass was cleaning a ground-floor window and looked really shocked.
Luckily enough I'm a Geordie, so wasn't seriously hurt.
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Saying that, I only climbed a 'proper' ladder once today, to gain access to some high windows above a flat roof, and nearly fell off it; lack of practice I think. I wouldn't care, but I was thinking about 'falls from height' at the time too, and was comming down a set of ladders carrying an A-Frame in one hand.
My boot slipped and I nearly went.
It made me laugh.
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I had a ladder slip from under me in my first year of window cleaning. It was due to inexperience and fatigue; compounded by some really hot weather.
I put my ladders at a silly angle above a porch roof; the grass the feet were on was as 'ard as concrete and when I reached the first floor window the cheap B & Q ladders slipped from behind me.
My ladders and I crashed onto the porch roof, then crashed to the ground with me tangled round them.
Wor Lass was cleaning a ground-floor window and looked really shocked.
Luckily enough I'm a Geordie, so wasn't seriously hurt.
Landed on your head then?
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Squeaks,
I'll ignore your cheeky comment.
How's that van set up of yours going?
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I KNOW a window cleaner 26yrs not fallen he was telling me one week next thing ai heard he had shattered his pelvis and thigh bone ,not of a ladder fall but standing on top of his wheelie bin jumping up and down squashing down some rubbish .,still walking with a limp some 18 months or so later.
gaza
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hey ::) guys it happens full stop.do you hear of it maybe you will :-\
have I done it,has it happen to me.
yes just once,
does it wake you up.
hell yes
y do we do it,
pride we can do it and just trying to do our best
is it worth it?
possibly not
bottom line
do not risk it..............
its you thats got to live with it and your family..
just be safe... think again...
night night.................
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Strewth Terry I wish you would talk in English mate. ;D ;D
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I had a couiple of very lucky near misses a few years into window cleaning. Both times I got lucky because the patio ended and the grass stopped the ladder going any further. On one of those occasions, I had the ladder leaning against ground floor guttering and I was trying to pole the windows above it (I had an Unger trad pole that was too short for the job). Anyway, the ladder seesawed and slid so fast I didn't have a chance. When the ladder stopped due to the grass, the top of the ladder was resting on the bottom course of tiles. If the grass had been back a further 6 inches, the whole of the ladder would have ended up horizontal on the patio and I probably would have at least broken some fingers as I instinctively held it tighter. I may have broken and/or jarred a few other bits too. The only thing that got broken was the tile it came to rest on. I bought a longer pole after that.