[Chris A]

I've put a few posts on here and 90% of the time have got no decent responce from window cleaners using rope access (pat get in touch mate)  Rope access techs in general think that window cleaning is beneath them (not me), they think that window cleaning is is a job that any scrote can do. Window cleaners seem to ask questions on here that are going to attract really obvious answers, I can't remember the latest one and I know that this site is invaluable to those setting out in the window cleaning world but for f%£^ sake have a bit of bottle and make the investment in some decent equipment.

[Pat Purcell]

  Hi Chris                          Having read a few post on the rope access technician forum i came to the realisation that Im not a RAT doing window cleaning im a windowcleaner doing rope access,I dont thinkI would have any useful information to add to this forum on rope access as the rules vary so greatly and would not like to misinform somebody.We do hve IRATA over here but most of us who train our own workers were in the game before they were. WE adhere to our own rules and use the H&S regs hereas a giudeline and stay within them as much as possible but mostly we use our years of experience and will at times not do something that is allowable but not wise and visa versa,one thing I will say is that rope access is not for everybody,its easy for some and impossible for others, I have never had a problem with heights so it was easy for me but the last thing you want to do is try to learn not to be afraid at the same time a healthy respect for where you are and what you are doing is also a nessecity so its a goldilocks kinda thing Chris has been kind enough to give me alot of details on the way things operate over there and pointed me to websites with even more good information and from the few corrospndances we have had i can say he definetly knows his stuff( even if he does support the wrong team in manchester)so if its something you are interested in i would ask him for advice, lastly rope work may seem like a cool way to make a living and on a nice summers day its better than most but it is a job like any other may be a few more ups and downs (pun intended) but we aare no acrobats there is no applause and there is no safety net if you get into the game your work mates and your equipment are your life(melodramatic pause)make sure you take care of both...................that last bit is part of the newbie speech i give when im training somebody its a bit corny but it has the desired effect

[Chris A]

Pat, there is only one team in Manchester, when you move to Ireland maybe you can get across to watch a proper game of football live instead of watching it on telly like all the other united fans . Getting back to the point though I have only been window cleaning a couple of years and am still learning, but what I've found out is that you will have to fork out a few quid to progress.
                                         Chris

[Pat Purcell]

Chris , i dont mind forking out some money for equipment and insurance and even the $500 training course its the hours it would take working for someone else to get myself to a stage where I could go it alone thats the hard part for me, If you are still learning the window cleaning side of things then one tip is make yourself completely proficient at washing a window with either hand it save a lot of wear and tear on the body not stretching across yourself and using a bosuns chair on all your drops will take the weight of the bucket and tools off your body and place it on the rope. Is there any link you could provide where i could see a short video of somebody over there washing windows off a rope as i would like to see for my self just whats different and whats the same thanks again    PAT

[geefree]

but for f%£^ sake have a bit of bottle and make the investment in some decent equipment.


Hi Chris,

Have to see if its what i want to do before investing in expensive gear, so cheap gear, test out my new career etc,
then onward and upwards

[Chris A]

Fair enough GAZZA, good luck mate. Maybe I  rushed in and bought the best and most expensive system and pole etc(in my opinion anyway), time will tell, the way I see it is to jump right in there and get on the nerves of all the big companies like Mitie and ocs who are doing a crap job for peanuts. Instead we charge a lot more but provide a better standard of service, some management companies realise and pay up but you still get ones who will only look at the price and employ the cheaper company. After being at it for a couple of years and investing heavily this year the complete system we bought is now making a lot more money than we thought would be possible . It was a big gamble, but it's starting to pay off, Debt is the way forward .
Pat , thanks for the advice, I've not seen any video footage of anyone using rope access for window cleaning yet but i'll have a look, if I can't find anything I'll take a short video of us in action and e mail you with it, or post it on here if you can do that?? I'm sure I'll get a bit of stick off people on here about my window cleaning techniques

[Peter Fogwill]

Chris , i dont mind forking out some money for equipment and insurance and even the $500 training course its the hours it would take working for someone else to get myself to a stage where I could go it alone thats the hard part for me,

That’s a farce, I know for a fact that one of the leading IRATA companies employed a window cleaning contractor and encouraged them to have a level 3 rope access technician working on a building himself.  I was into rope access a while ago and knew the guy personally who carried out the work for the IRATA company .  The rules are only to generate money for themselves.

Peter Fogwill

[Pat Purcell]

I may be misunderstanding your answer Peter buy i think you are saying that a level3 can work on a building by himself, my problem is when i move to Ireland all I have behind me is 20yrs experience im not a level anything as its not necessary over here to be certified and even if it was I started doing rope access before IRATA were in existance , IF you have any light to shed on a way around this i would greatly appreciate your insight  thanks PAT

[Chris A]

Peter , what do you mean? If it was a leading irata company or indeed any irata company they should of insisted a level 3 was present at all times not encouraged, if a member irata company does not have a level 3 on site at all times they are throwing themselves wide open to dismissal from irata which would surely hurt them. I'm off to the pub now so if I happen to post on here later please do not take offence

[Peter Fogwill]

Peter , what do you mean? If it was a leading irata company or indeed any irata company they should of insisted a level 3 was present at all times not encouraged, if a member irata company does not have a level 3 on site at all times they are throwing themselves wide open to dismissal from irata which would surely hurt them. I'm off to the pub now so if I happen to post on here later please do not take offence

Sorry Chris I meant a level 1 not a level 3.  I was a level 1 and always got it the wrong way round.  It was one of the main IRATA companies, and the company owner in question was one of the IRATA directors.

The window cleaner was a level 1 and was encouraged and allowed to work on his own by an IRATA director.

Peter Fogwill

[Peter Fogwill]

I may be misunderstanding your answer Peter buy i think you are saying that a level3 can work on a building by himself, my problem is when i move to Ireland all I have behind me is 20yrs experience im not a level anything as its not necessary over here to be certified and even if it was I started doing rope access before IRATA were in existance , IF you have any light to shed on a way around this i would greatly appreciate your insight  thanks PAT

Hi Pat you don't need IRATA.  It is not law.

A level 1 can only work with a level 3 supervising, but this is just an IRATA ruling.

Peter Fogwill

[Pat Purcell]

Even if its not a law would it be possible to get insurance?

[Peter Fogwill]

I got public liability insurance no problem.  I don't know about employers liability though.

Peter Fogwill

[Pat Purcell]

Thank you appreciate the info