Clean It Up
UK Window Cleaning Forum => Window Cleaning Forum => Topic started by: SherwoodCleaningSe on May 01, 2007, 10:36:00 pm
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I admit it I have twice in ten years, both times because the floor was slippery. Once I broke my arm and the other time I cracked my head open.
However I've been accident free over 6 years now.
How about the rest of you, come on tell about your war wounds.
Simon.
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same here told wife i was learning to sky dive both times in winter cleaned front on grass by time i went round back bottom of ladders iced up causing slip lucky no dam to me or prop
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the only time I fell off was with a small pointer. I was trying to get through a lot of work one morning and was in a real hurry. I landed on my backside, lucky I only dented my pride.
over the years I have done some silly things with ladders, but luckily never came unstuck. Probably the worst thing I did was to tie two old ladders together so I could reach one high window. At the top I promised myself that If I got down in one piece I would buy a new ladder. The next day I spent £200 on a smart tripple 15 alloy pro.
I changed to wfp this year and the ladder never seems to come off the van now.
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Nope, not even close.
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I admit it I have twice in ten years, both times because the floor was slippery. Once I broke my arm and the other time I cracked my head open.
However I've been accident free over 6 years now.
How about the rest of you, come on tell about your war wounds.
Simon.
Twice for me as well. Once I came off it low down, the other time I went down with it when it slid. Just minor scrapes both times but either time could have killed me if I had landed badly.
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When I was 20, I'd been wc-ning 4yrs part time 2 story only. Needing a little more income due to my upcomming wedding, I helped a friend out with his decorating business for one year working one day a week as well as my wc-ning. He hated heights. I had no problem as long as I had the right equipment, so I got all the 3rd floor work. So it wasn't long b4 yours truly, having completed painting a 3rd floor window climbs down one floor, as I was used to with my wc-ning round and looking up at my work, steps off the ladder and fell 8' to the floor. How I got away with it I'll never know. Probably partly due to having an ex-army man as a father who had taught me how to fall as a youngster.
However, 20 yrs on and priding myself on no further incident working from ladders 3-5 days a week wc-ning, I find myself stranded on a balcony over someone's front door. (Ladders blown down)
A late start and a little impatience causes me to think: "no problem, I've fallen from this height b4 and didn't hurt myself. I'll just hop down there into the grass."
Massive error of judgement!!!
I shattered my left ankle. Cost me 6 months off work and now, 7yrs later I've just had to have it fused.
When I saw the dammage that was done on the ex-rays from just dropping 7'6" in what I thought was a controlled manner I quit all my 3 storey work. (Fortunately I didn't have a lot)
I'm only thankful I didn't do both ankles or something more serious.
I can only hope my experience will help prevent someone else making a similar mistake.
If you work with ladders or at height don't ever allow yourself to become complacent or overconfident when it comes to safety.
I think that if you can make wfp work for you, then it's the way to go.
Regards to all,
Mark
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as most of you here know, last year I was cleaning on a hot summers morning, put my ladder up to do the 1st floor at the rear of a house without really checking the angle of the ladder, ran up the ladder and started to clean when all of a sudden the ladder slipped out at the bottom. I came flying down and landed feet first (luckily) onto some concrete steps. My left foot was caught between the ladder and one of the steps and my right one i think was still on one of the rungs of my ladder! basically broke my feet and was off work for weeks.............. I'm a tad more carefull now!! LOL
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yup, twice in 3 years, last time i said im going wfp...so i did ;D
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i thought everyone would have fallen, its like being a moter bike rider, you aint a real rider till you have came off. i came off once on decking, only to hold on to the sill and one foot on the sink waste outlet.
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Posted by: Biscute Posted on: Today at 07:38:34am
Insert Quote
i thought everyone would have fallen, its like being a moter bike rider, you aint a real rider till you have came off. i came off once on decking, only to hold on to the sill and one foot on the sink waste outlet.
Now thats clever
Simon
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I can't believe it's 18-13 in favour of falling off! :o
I thought it would be about 1 in 5!
User name..."Frank Spencer"
You clumsy sods. ;D
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Nope, not even close.
Same as squeaks 9 years on ladders and no accidents, ladders are as safe as you want them to be, i have no problems in working of them ;)
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Personally I find decking to be highly unstable in that it is different one day to the next. As soon as a customer puts deckng down I get them to purchase a coconut hair mat and stand my ladder on that. they seem to grip no matter what.
On the accident issue, I worked with a pal some years ago who had a couple of falls. He was always a bit carefree which worried me. Once he fell off an extension roof after rain had wet it and the algae on it became slippery. He landed in a bush and thought it was funny. He moved away shortly after that and a couple of years later he came off a ladder, landed flat on a small step and broke his back. He was paralised for a week but miraculously made a full recovery and was back at work a few months later. Although to my knowledge I believe he's given up window cleaning now.
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I can't believe it's 18-13 in favour of falling off! :o
I thought it would be about 1 in 5!
User name..."Frank Spencer"
You clumsy sods. ;D
I suppose that someone who hasn't had a fall is less likely to post on this thread though.
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Once while i was topping my trees at home my ladder slipped by luck I had hold of the tree at the time.
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I put no but I was very lucky once - my ladder slipped and fortunately the transom window was open and so I gripped that and the ladder caught on the drainpipe so i was able to kick it back into place.
WFP NOW - YIPPPPPPPEEEEEEEEEEE! ;D
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confucus said leave ladder work on wet decking for dry day
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An old window cleaner working traditional was killed a couple of weeks ago working an old patch I use to clean with WFP because I classed it as too dangerous for taditional work and very sad to say i was right!
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An elderly nieghbour to one of my customers was cleaning his sills upstairs whilst I was working next door. He'd leaned his ladders on his front porch and then promply climbed beyond the fulcrum point. You can guess what happened. The whole lot slid down with him on it and dropped off the end of the porch. He landed flat on his face on the ladder. He broke his elbow.
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Some of these stories just make me wince.
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Who needs TV
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I've fell off twice in twenty years. First time I used a stone as a wedge and it crumpled as I got to the top rung OUCH. Second time there was a built up of ice at the base of the ladders and they slid away as i got to the top again.
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Fell off a ladder 2 years ago havent been up one since ( broken jaw & very sore arm /shoulder , 3 days in hospital ),looking at starting window cleaning again this time single storey houses
george
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They say you learn from experience. In my early days I seemed to need to experience every conceivable way to fall, but I learned. I never fell the same way twice ;D.
All these falls were minor incidents, resulting in bruises and damaged ego, and only once slightly serious (broken wrist).
Then in 1977 came the big one. I put my trust in a window ledge which had been damaged and repaired by skimming over with cement. The repair wasn't obvious and I wasn't looking for it. I leaned on it and it gave way, throwing me off balance. I parted company with my ladder and fell 18 feet on to a concrete footpath, landing upright.
I broke both heel bones and destroyed both sub-talar (part of the ankle) joints.
Eighteen months off work. Two operations. Steel pins still in me holding the bones together. Permanently disabled (completely flat footed and no sideways movement in my ankles)
Even now, thirty years later I still ache at the end of the day.
But I survived :) And I learned the ultimate lesson: There is only one person responsible for your safety, and that's you. I always use proper window cleaners ladders and I always do a "mini" risk assessment (although I've only recently found out they're called that!!) before I climb the ladder.
From that day on I've never had another fall, and I believe that provided I always take the few seconds to ensure the ladder is safe before I climb it I never will, but I'll never become complacent - a moments inattention could be the last slip I'll ever make. My achy feet and lopsided walk are a constant reminder to double check every time.
Cheers,
Ian
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They say you learn from experience. In my early days I seemed to need to experience every conceivable way to fall, but I learned. I never fell the same way twice ;D.
All these falls were minor incidents, resulting in bruises and damaged ego, and only once slightly serious (broken wrist).
Then in 1977 came the big one. I put my trust in a window ledge which had been damaged and repaired by skimming over with cement. The repair wasn't obvious and I wasn't looking for it. I leaned on it and it gave way, throwing me off balance. I parted company with my ladder and fell 18 feet on to a concrete footpath, landing upright.
I broke both heel bones and destroyed both sub-talar (part of the ankle) joints.
Eighteen months off work. Two operations. Steel pins still in me holding the bones together. Permanently disabled (completely flat footed and no sideways movement in my ankles)
Even now, thirty years later I still ache at the end of the day.
But I survived :) And I learned the ultimate lesson: There is only one person responsible for your safety, and that's you. I always use proper window cleaners ladders and I always do a "mini" risk assessment (although I've only recently found out they're called that!!) before I climb the ladder.
From that day on I've never had another fall, and I believe that provided I always take the few seconds to ensure the ladder is safe before I climb it I never will, but I'll never become complacent - a moments inattention could be the last slip I'll ever make. My achy feet and lopsided walk are a constant reminder to double check every time.
Cheers,
Ian
:o
I'm speechless
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you cant beat the rubber feet on the bottom of the wooden ladders
wouldn't trust anything else up at that height, i can do things most people cant with them rubber feet
IM INVINCIBLE
*flys off with cape between legs
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not gonna vote might tempt fate
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After a post like ians, dont really understand yours alex, maybe youy need to re-read??
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Another lucky escape,
I've never fallen but I once got lazy and instead of moving an obstacle (a table) I put the ladders out wider to accomodate the distance from the wall.
Once I got to the top, I just felt the ladders go from under my feet. They slipped backwards about three feet along the path but fortunately they slipped off the path into the gargen soil and jammed, stopping the slide any further.
I had one hand on the sill at the time and managed to keep my balance. Heart was in my mouth though!
Another time, I was a bit higher doing a box shaped bay window. I put the ladders near the left end of the window and attempted doing one half of the front whilst reaching round to do the left side of the box bay window.
Anyway, I over reached and the ladder slipped sideways and twisted round onto the corner of the sill.
Again I had one hand on the sill and managed to use my body weight to pull the ladders back round balancing on one rung. Phew!
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Another lucky escape,
I've never fallen but I once got lazy and to instead of moving an obstacle (a table) I put the ladders out wider to go accomodate the distance from the wall.
Once I got to the top, I just felt the ladders go from under my feet. They slipped backwards about three feet along the path but fortunately they slipped off the path into the gargen soil and jammed, stopping the slide any further.
I had one hand on the sill at the time and managed to keep my balance. Heart was in my mouth though!
Another time, I was a bit higher doing a box shaped bay window. I put the ladders near the left end of the window and attempted doing one half of the front whilst reaching round to do the left side of the box bay window.
Anyway, I over reached and the ladder slipped sideways and twisted round onto the corner of the sill.
Again I had one hand on the sill and managed to use my body weight to pull them back round balancing on one rung. Phew!
brown pants time :O
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Well thanks for voting, interesting results. Not trying to be biased here but I guess it means that ladders are officially dangerous which is why we should be charging a good amount of money. No doubt most if not all of those who have fallen were safety conscious but it just goes to show that time and unforeseen occurrence can befall (no pun) us all.
I'm well impressed with those that had bad falls and continued being shiners hats off to them.
Simon.
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Amazes me the number of times over the years that customers have tried to get me to do downright dangerous things to clean their windows with no regard for my safety. I'm a fairly tollerent chap and in my time I've taken a bit of messin' around from some of my customers but one thing I won't stand for is a customer who wants me to do a job he or she can't be bothered to do and risk my health/life doing it. Have any of you guys/gals had similar problems with customers?
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Amazes me the number of times over the years that customers have tried to get me to do downright dangerous things to clean their windows with no regard for my safety. I'm a fairly tollerent chap and in my time I've taken a bit of messin' around from some of my customers but one thing I won't stand for is a customer who wants me to do a job he or she can't be bothered to do and risk my health/life doing it. Have any of you guys/gals had similar problems with customers?
Generally if I've told a customer I won't be doing a part of the job as it would feel unsafe for me they've happily accepted it. However, there was one who had a window above a ground floor gabled roof who was amazed that I would not walk along the ridge to clean a bedroom window (it was inaccessible by pole and squeegee and remembering it now, I think it would be hard to get to it with WFP as well). The funny thing was that she was a student - in law.
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Had a couple of falls but touch wood have never broken anything!
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Hey Sherwood
most of these stories make me laugh.
Yes twice from roofs once from ladders.
Now no ladders WFP all the way
if clients dont like it they find another w/c you know, the the daft ones.
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Nothing daft about ladders.
I've never "fallen off" one. ::)
But then my name isn't Frank Spencer.
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OOO BETTY..