[geefree]

Got my new pole , it came with yellow hose up the pole....

i dont know if its the weather but i find it shocking , coils up ,wraps itself around the base of the pole when i open the pole up.....

it certainly feels better quality , tho a little stiff

i think i prefer the clear soft stuff.

Anyone tried it?

[bobplum]

i find its the other way round and the clear stuff is not cheap,i think £1.35 in bq a metre

[Smudger]

where did it come from ?

Gardiners stuff is horrid,  Aquadaptors wasn't much better

they supplied me with some pink  red - that was excellent

some H&S issues using clear - so i'm told

Darran

[Klean07]

I had same problem when I first had my slx from Gardiners. But after posting on here I got some positive feedback. So now I loop it up into massive hoops then hang in my van ready for next job. Sorted!!

[richard jagger]

 ???I do not believe the H S story I feel its just a marketing story to make us accept the cheap  bad quality junk. I cannot see H/ s dictating a hose that end up a pole. 

[steven jones]

If the hose twists, untwist it by rotating the pole, job done!

[Steven Shoreditch]

Don't twist it in the first place maybe?

[Paul Coleman]

???I do not believe the H S story I feel its just a marketing story to make us accept the cheap  bad quality junk. I cannot see H/ s dictating a hose that end up a pole. 

It would be hard to verify because I remember Alex saying it was settled out of court.
However, I believe Alex to be an honest person and I'm prepared to take him at his word.
Apart from that, if there were a financial advantage in supplying poles with yellow hose, I reckon we would be talking about pennies at most (if at all).  I just can't see a supplier risking their reputation over such an issue.

[Smudger]

I agree Paul,  even if the yellow hose was cheaper it would only be fractions of a penny, and why not continue
to make profit on products you are already selling.

my understanding is that some w/c's use 30m of pole hose, so it does trail over the ground

all mini/microbore is high viz

Darran

[Gardiner Admin]

We took the decision to switch to yellow hose from clear/black hose well over a year ago now.  This was following a legal situation with one of our clients, interestingly there have been several more since then and one that we specifically know of currently. The FED were also interested and contacted us to find out more - they have since been in communication with the client involved.

It is not strictly speaking a H&S issue as the HSE have not specifically 'come down' on this issue - however using clear or black hose would go against their standard advice as it is in itself a hazard that has been placed in the way and is difficult to see for those not looking and those of restricted vision. On the grounds of a client's private property there really would not be an issue as the client has requested the work done and would share the responsibility for any hazard subsequently introduced to their property - unless it was over the front path as the public has a legal right to call at a homes front door. However wherever work is carried out over public highways, pavement and communal access areas/grounds then it would become a matter involving the general public.

 In H&S terms you should try and remove/reduce the risk first. The first step should be to try and avoid running unnecessary hose across public areas -perhaps by parking in a different place etc. The second step if you cannot remove/reduce the risk is to help identify the hazard to others - using yellow hose helps to fulfil this H&S responsibility. Yellow hose will not remove or reduce the risk at all, but it will help identify the hazard to those around.

This is really either a 'caring' issue or a 'litigation' issue:

1.Either you as an operator 'care' about reducing the risk to people around you. Seeing an old lady's face completely smashed up is apparently not nice for a window cleaner (or the old lady).
2. Or you as an operator do not want to be 'litigated' against - this could be expensive and very stressful, your insurance of £1,000,000 may well not cover it.

Yellow hose is actually much harder & expensive to source, as we have to have it made to order whereas clear hose is available from almost all hose suppliers and at more competitive prices. We are happy now that we are not supplying equipment that would put a window cleaner in a position of unknowingly placing others in greater danger. Of course if a window cleaner wants to replace the hose with clear etc that is their decision that they knowingly are taking and as such we leave that with them - it's a free world after all.

[steven jones]

I agree with gardiner, the hose if its the same as i use from Aqua-dapter which is made from ether-based polyurethane, believe me its about 80% more expensive to produce!

But you will see the advantage in different weather, cheap pvc goes stiff in winter yet like chewing gum in summer.

Also pvc hose is not waterproof thats why over time it weakens.

Just like i said rotate the pole to untwist its that simple.

[SPE]

an added expense but change the pole hose to lite 5, its so much better

[Alex Allen]

PVC hose  not waterproof   

tecbuk red hose colour is the most visable

less than £8 from the website
bit more if you buy from ebay

[Gardiner Admin]

PVC hose  not waterproof   

tecbuk red hose colour is the most visable

less than £8 from the website
bit more if you buy from ebay

We also looked at supplying red pole hose as it is more readily available and the colour seems to stand-out well. However it was pointed out to us that those suffering from colour blindness (protanopia & deuteranopia) would not be able to easily see a red hose when lying on green grass.

In fact about 5% of the male population suffer from 'deuteranopia' which is the most common form of red-green colour blindness. Those suffering from this condition usually see red and green as much the same colour as 'mustard'.

Red would be better than clear though - Yellow in these circumstances would be more easily visible to everyone.

[Steven Shoreditch]

Surely the grass would look red with a green hose on it?  Anyway, most of the 'grass' around here is mud-coloured and speckled with turd.  Enough to keep everyone lifting their feet up for fear of stamping on it.

[Paul Coleman]

We took the decision to switch to yellow hose from clear/black hose well over a year ago now.  This was following a legal situation with one of our clients, interestingly there have been several more since then and one that we specifically know of currently. The FED were also interested and contacted us to find out more - they have since been in communication with the client involved.

It is not strictly speaking a H&S issue as the HSE have not specifically 'come down' on this issue - however using clear or black hose would go against their standard advice as it is in itself a hazard that has been placed in the way and is difficult to see for those not looking and those of restricted vision. On the grounds of a client's private property there really would not be an issue as the client has requested the work done and would share the responsibility for any hazard subsequently introduced to their property - unless it was over the front path as the public has a legal right to call at a homes front door. However wherever work is carried out over public highways, pavement and communal access areas/grounds then it would become a matter involving the general public.

 In H&S terms you should try and remove/reduce the risk first. The first step should be to try and avoid running unnecessary hose across public areas -perhaps by parking in a different place etc. The second step if you cannot remove/reduce the risk is to help identify the hazard to others - using yellow hose helps to fulfil this H&S responsibility. Yellow hose will not remove or reduce the risk at all, but it will help identify the hazard to those around.

This is really either a 'caring' issue or a 'litigation' issue:

1.Either you as an operator 'care' about reducing the risk to people around you. Seeing an old lady's face completely smashed up is apparently not nice for a window cleaner (or the old lady).
2. Or you as an operator do not want to be 'litigated' against - this could be expensive and very stressful, your insurance of £1,000,000 may well not cover it.

Yellow hose is actually much harder & expensive to source, as we have to have it made to order whereas clear hose is available from almost all hose suppliers and at more competitive prices. We are happy now that we are not supplying equipment that would put a window cleaner in a position of unknowingly placing others in greater danger. Of course if a window cleaner wants to replace the hose with clear etc that is their decision that they knowingly are taking and as such we leave that with them - it's a free world after all.

As ever a comprehensive reply.  Thanks Alex (if it was you that posted this).  I do actually use blue microbore with clear hose on the pole.  The bit that crosses pathways is yellow though - not that it would matter much because I cover it with a rubber mat and use a sign.  It's a patch piece of hose that I use as a link between van and reel.   I regard the greater risk to actually be on the property.  Although the hose is blue, I do sign it if I feel it's necessary.  I reckon I will go for yellow when it wears out though.  I don't feel that the clear pole hose is such an issue because I keep it close by anyway.  I use an SLX with the pole hose external (saves grit build-up within the pole) and tend to have the clear hose beside me.  It only get extended when I am maybe going around the unused side of a house - i.e.very low risk areas.  Indeed, I often have the end of the microbore in my hand.  As the way I work seems pretty low risk, I feel I can safely defer replacing with yellow hose until the current stuff wears.

[Klean07]

I think everyone that is wfp should also take a course in How to work with a hose. Some days I feel like Lee Evans trying to stop myself from tripping over the stuff.

[Alex Allen]

We took the decision to switch to yellow hose from clear/black hose well over a year ago now.  This was following a legal situation with one of our clients, interestingly there have been several more since then and one that we specifically know of currently. The FED were also interested and contacted us to find out more - they have since been in communication with the client involved.

It is not strictly speaking a H&S issue as the HSE have not specifically 'come down' on this issue - however using clear or black hose would go against their standard advice as it is in itself a hazard that has been placed in the way and is difficult to see for those not looking and those of restricted vision. On the grounds of a client's private property there really would not be an issue as the client has requested the work done and would share the responsibility for any hazard subsequently introduced to their property - unless it was over the front path as the public has a legal right to call at a homes front door. However wherever work is carried out over public highways, pavement and communal access areas/grounds then it would become a matter involving the general public.

 In H&S terms you should try and remove/reduce the risk first. The first step should be to try and avoid running unnecessary hose across public areas -perhaps by parking in a different place etc. The second step if you cannot remove/reduce the risk is to help identify the hazard to others - using yellow hose helps to fulfil this H&S responsibility. Yellow hose will not remove or reduce the risk at all, but it will help identify the hazard to those around.

This is really either a 'caring' issue or a 'litigation' issue:

1.Either you as an operator 'care' about reducing the risk to people around you. Seeing an old lady's face completely smashed up is apparently not nice for a window cleaner (or the old lady).
2. Or you as an operator do not want to be 'litigated' against - this could be expensive and very stressful, your insurance of £1,000,000 may well not cover it.

Yellow hose is actually much harder & expensive to source, as we have to have it made to order whereas clear hose is available from almost all hose suppliers and at more competitive prices. We are happy now that we are not supplying equipment that would put a window cleaner in a position of unknowingly placing others in greater danger. Of course if a window cleaner wants to replace the hose with clear etc that is their decision that they knowingly are taking and as such we leave that with them - it's a free world after all.

As ever a comprehensive reply.  Thanks Alex (if it was you that posted this).  I do actually use blue microbore with clear hose on the pole.  The bit that crosses pathways is yellow though - not that it would matter much because I cover it with a rubber mat and use a sign.  It's a patch piece of hose that I use as a link between van and reel.   I regard the greater risk to actually be on the property.  Although the hose is blue, I do sign it if I feel it's necessary.  I reckon I will go for yellow when it wears out though.  I don't feel that the clear pole hose is such an issue because I keep it close by anyway.  I use an SLX with the pole hose external (saves grit build-up within the pole) and tend to have the clear hose beside me.  It only get extended when I am maybe going around the unused side of a house - i.e.very low risk areas.  Indeed, I often have the end of the microbore in my hand.  As the way I work seems pretty low risk, I feel I can safely defer replacing with yellow hose until the current stuff wears.

comprehensive yes
its not entirely accurate
red maintains a strong contrast what ever the colur blindness
thats one of the reasons why red is the universal warning colour

as he said, red & green can be seen as a mustard colour or yellow!!!!
work it out for yourself 

[Craig Trevain]

we were selling the same yellow hose, however had lots of complaints, so now only sell the yellow flexi5, far better.

[steven jones]

PVC hose  not waterproof   

tecbuk red hose colour is the most visable

less than £8 from the website
bit more if you buy from ebay

  What i mean is that its water degradable & after a while it can split.