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UK Window Cleaning Forum => Window Cleaning Forum => Topic started by: clean on September 23, 2008, 10:18:51 pm

Title: window cleaning voted most dangerous job
Post by: clean on September 23, 2008, 10:18:51 pm
Watching The One Show on BBC1 earlier tonight and there was a topic about dangerous jobs and window cleaning came out at number 1  :o,
but the picture that was shown was a window cleaner on a ladder  ;)
Title: Re: window cleaning voted most dangerous job
Post by: peter holley on September 23, 2008, 10:42:10 pm
thats coz its true ;D
Title: Re: window cleaning voted most dangerous job
Post by: d s windowcleaning on September 23, 2008, 10:55:02 pm
Watching The One Show on BBC1 earlier tonight and there was a topic about dangerous jobs and window cleaning came out at number 1  :o,
but the picture that was shown was a window cleaner on a ladder  ;)

just wondered how dangerous wfp could be ?
Title: Re: window cleaning voted most dangerous job
Post by: windowwashers on September 23, 2008, 11:01:15 pm
Watching The One Show on BBC1 earlier tonight and there was a topic about dangerous jobs and window cleaning came out at number 1  :o,
but the picture that was shown was a window cleaner on a ladder  ;)

just wondered how dangerous wfp could be ?
hit a pilon(spelt wrong) with a Carbon pole and you will find out soon enough  ;)
Title: Re: window cleaning voted most dangerous job
Post by: Chris Galloway on September 23, 2008, 11:25:22 pm
Watching The One Show on BBC1 earlier tonight and there was a topic about dangerous jobs and window cleaning came out at number 1  :o,
but the picture that was shown was a window cleaner on a ladder  ;)

just wondered how dangerous wfp could be ?
hit a pilon(spelt wrong) with a Carbon pole and you will find out soon enough  ;)

dont even to to hit it, just go like within 4 foot i think it was  :o
Title: Re: window cleaning voted most dangerous job
Post by: gerard mcmanus on September 24, 2008, 05:35:35 am
they're just going on misinteprated figures, surely bear grills's job is far more dangerous!

gerard  ;D
Title: Re: window cleaning voted most dangerous job
Post by: Tom Mac on September 24, 2008, 08:46:39 am
WFP can be dangerous. I did a gutter clean yesterday, dirty water splashed everywhere. All over my glasses. Nearly crashed the van on the way home. Could'nt see a bloody thing.  Would'nt get that trad ;D
Title: Re: window cleaning voted most dangerous job
Post by: poleman on September 24, 2008, 08:53:39 am
And the 'winner' is...

Window cleaning is the most dangerous job in Britain, while being a vicar is one of the safest, according to a new report by Churchill Insurance.
The report found that window cleaners have more chance of being killed or injured than police, firemen or even soldiers.
Churchill spokesman Greg Dawson says: "Window cleaners were top of the pile as they are working at height, on ladders, with one or more implements, and need incredible balance and concentration. They could be described as circus performers without the safety net."
The table below shows the ten riskiest professions. Further down the rankings came jobs such as bailiffs and taxi drivers, followed by beer tasters, housewives and journalists.
Vicars, pharmacists and insurance brokers were rated as having the most sedate and secure professions.
Title: Re: window cleaning voted most dangerous job
Post by: poleman on September 24, 2008, 08:54:22 am
Britain's ten most dangerous professions
1. Window Cleaner 6. Police officer
2. Soldier 7. Roofer
3. Fireman 8. Scaffolder
4. Offshore fisherman 9. Tree surgeon
5. Pilot 10. Circus performer
Title: Re: window cleaning voted most dangerous job
Post by: Tom Mac on September 24, 2008, 09:07:55 am
Not one mention of eddie the eagle's job. Has he retired. Come on who wants to take his place. Its safer than doin windows
Title: Re: window cleaning voted most dangerous job
Post by: Ian Lancaster on September 24, 2008, 09:33:35 am
As always, the statistics can be manipulated to make them say whatever the author wants.

Anybody watch "Dangerous Catch" and the Scottish version?  Watching those men working in force 10 storms on an exposed trawler deck with ungarded machinery and tons of water sloshing round their legs has got to be far more dangerous than standing at the top of a 15' ladder.

The difference is that there are something like 80,000 window cleaners, and a few hundred deep sea fishermen.  If there were 80,000 trawlermen I guarantee there would be many more fatalities than there are window cleaning ones.

Another huge factor is professionalism.  Trawerlermen are trained professionals, with a very experienced and capable "hands on" supervisor - the skipper.  How many of the 80,000 do you suppose are idiots who buy a basic kit of tools, a cheapo DIY ladder and then think they know all they need about window cleaning?  With thousands of those included in the statistics, it's inevitable our trade rates as the most dangerous.  If we were all as trained, skilled and dedicated as the average trawlerman, we would rate well below the first 10 places.
Title: Re: window cleaning voted most dangerous job
Post by: Tosh on September 24, 2008, 04:22:29 pm
This is an old topic.

A few years ago Churchill Insurance came up with a list of the top ten most dangerous jobs, and they reckoned Window Cleaner was the most dodgy.

Now ask yourself a few questions about who did the survey, why they did the survey, and where they got their information, and couple that with a bit of common-sense.

Do you reckon it's a survey to be trusted?
Title: Re: window cleaning voted most dangerous job
Post by: tomy jackson on September 24, 2008, 05:25:03 pm
over the years window cleaners have had the most serius acsedents and fataletys . and this is worked out in % , so any body who dont like the odds trys to kid them selfes its not so danderes  ??? ??? ??? ??? ???
Title: Re: window cleaning voted most dangerous job
Post by: tomy jackson on September 24, 2008, 05:42:48 pm
theat may well be true but its not onley numtys who fall of laders its time to dich ladders ,
Title: Re: window cleaning voted most dangerous job
Post by: wightsurf on September 24, 2008, 05:45:04 pm
Well in my younger days i  used to be a scaffolder and i consider being a window cleaner alot bl**dy safer.I fell two floors through a trap (when the boards are'nt fitted properly) and was lucky i stopped there as this bit was boarded for some reason.I was six floors up :o I know window cleaning can and is a doggy job but you are in control of the factors,Scaffolding you have these other bad factors known as brickeys who have there own spanner!!!!
Title: Re: window cleaning voted most dangerous job
Post by: scrimit2 on September 24, 2008, 06:46:29 pm
Britain's ten most dangerous professions
1. Window Cleaner 6. Police officer
2. Soldier 7. Roofer
3. Fireman 8. Scaffolder
4. Offshore fisherman 9. Tree surgeon
5. Pilot 10. Circus performer


most of those jobs must be better paid than window cleaning, so maybe whether its true or not, it might be worth quoting the survey when it comes to price increase time  ::)
Title: Re: window cleaning voted most dangerous job
Post by: DaveG on September 24, 2008, 10:05:57 pm
Watching The One Show on BBC1 earlier tonight and there was a topic about dangerous jobs and window cleaning came out at number 1  :o,
but the picture that was shown was a window cleaner on a ladder  ;)

just wondered how dangerous wfp could be ?

Errrrrr...tripping over things while your looking up?? ;)
Title: Re: window cleaning voted most dangerous job
Post by: spark1 on September 25, 2008, 05:57:56 pm
Well in my younger days i  used to be a scaffolder and i consider being a window cleaner alot bl**dy safer.I fell two floors through a trap (when the boards are'nt fitted properly) and was lucky i stopped there as this bit was boarded for some reason.I was six floors up :o I know window cleaning can and is a doggy job but you are in control of the factors,Scaffolding you have these other bad factors known as brickeys who have there own spanner!!!!
I also was a scaffolder(hard job) . Dont you think that we might be a little more aware  and perhaps more confident(not better just aware) due to working at very high levels and being citb trained to advanced ticket.and also pumping up21 ft tubes standing on a transom with arm burn. ;).Dosnt make us any better or bounce when we land just aware.
Title: Re: window cleaning voted most dangerous job
Post by: dai on September 25, 2008, 07:51:56 pm
The fact is that trad window cleaners are artistes, think about it, not even a tight rope walker practices his act for as long as window cleaners.
Did these stats include people that had accidents cleaning their own windows?
An experienced shiner makes a risk assessment every time he goes up a ladder, and the more experienced he is, the more risks he is aware of.
I came off once in 11 years trad and that was because some idiot had fitted a tilt and turn window upside down, I put weight on the bottom to clean the top, and the top swung out and pushed me off the ladder.
The unexpected can happen, but I never assumed anything after that.

My son has been a trawler man since 1986, he's lost the top of one finger, and his mate suffered a badly broken leg 3 years ago, and his ship is a hell of a lot bigger than the ones you see on the trawler programme. 12,000 tons of mackerel to catch before the end of the season in March.
I know which job I would rather be doing, he's welcome to his 50k for 4 months work.
Title: Re: window cleaning voted most dangerous job
Post by: seandyer2003 on September 25, 2008, 07:56:51 pm
50 k thats some going eh!!! wow.
Title: Re: window cleaning voted most dangerous job
Post by: wightsurf on September 25, 2008, 08:04:06 pm
spark1
Aware yes as for the ladder issues i think its how and where you put the ladder and how you use it when your up there.After all you don't just fall off it's allways a fault somewhere.
Title: Re: window cleaning voted most dangerous job
Post by: spark1 on September 25, 2008, 09:13:41 pm
wightsurf


Ive had a couple of blokes work for me in the past.
one stepped of a flat roof , he forgot  where he was and the window edge was past edge of roof.he just stepped off,luckely his fall was broken by a plant pot.one broken arm.As for ladders, woods the best they give you warning before snapping.As for slipping common sence works quite well.
Although i use mostley wfp now.
Title: Re: window cleaning voted most dangerous job
Post by: wightsurf on September 25, 2008, 09:35:06 pm
Most of my work is wfp about 85% ,i did like scaffolding but i would not do it again but 200ft on a hanger it was hell of a job!
Title: Re: window cleaning voted most dangerous job
Post by: spark1 on September 25, 2008, 09:45:27 pm
why did you stop.
I stopped because of rugby injury.Got into window cleaning as stop gap but never loocked back.16 yrs ago .
Title: Re: window cleaning voted most dangerous job
Post by: wightsurf on September 25, 2008, 10:04:41 pm
I stoppped in the last collapse  of the building trade about 1989 then worked through a number of jobs !
Title: Re: window cleaning voted most dangerous job
Post by: spark1 on September 25, 2008, 10:21:06 pm
Better go to bed soon got to be up 5 am,big golf and health club to do.
But i will be back home to go and play squash at noon :)