[rosskesava]

the squeegie or him would land on the balcony on the first floor, and if he did it correctly with harness etc he could still drop a squeegie

The squeegee and mop have holes in the handles. That's so as they can be secured to your body harness. When doing roped access or working using a harness, every item of equipment, except cloths, must be securely attached to the harness or body belt.

[stuart mc]

aye I know ross

[trevor perry]

 

Lots of comments recently on how to clean this job, MEWPS, water fed pole etc, unless I am over looking the obvious these windows can be cleaned quite easily from inside the building as they are Sash design.

Not sure how you could effectively create a safety exclusion zone around your work area on that junction when using water fed pole anyway.


 

 you are right andrew these are sash windows but in most circumstances the windows usually have desks and computers in front of them so doing them from inside makes it impossible or just as unsafe, you also mention creating a safety exclusion zone when using WFP i know this is something you think should be done but is this in legislation yet as i dont know any who follow this practice or as discussed before any known injuries from a pole dropping on someone

[sunshine windows]

So, what would be the most cost effective, legal and safe way to clean these windows?

[Nick Wareham]

We've just had BBC News on the phone asking to interview Andy for the 6 o'clock news tonight!

But you weren't on

[Andrew Willis]

We've just had BBC News on the phone asking to interview Andy for the 6 o'clock news tonight!

But you weren't on

Good point Nick,

On the day the team in the office got a call from the BBC, they wanted to send out a crew to film an interview, I was in Leeds training and my phone is always off when in a workshop delivering the QCF training for window cleaners. The Impact43 team did not want to commit to the BBC before I agreed and by the time I picked up my messages it was to late.

We have all talked about this and if an opportunity like this comes along again I have said agree and I will work around them. I don’t feel I would have said anything more than Mark at Gleeming Insurance, perhaps I would have quoted that Training could play a big part in giving the window cleaner information and sound knowledge of the laws so he could make sensible decisions in the future     

[sunshine windows]

Andrew, would you care to answer my question from 3 posts above ^^^^.

I realise it may not be an accurate assessment of the job, because you cannot see all the risks involved from a picture/video. Just curious as to the best method for carrying out such a job.

Regards,
Lance

[Andrew Willis]

Andrew, would you care to answer my question from 3 posts above ^^^^.

I realise it may not be an accurate assessment of the job, because you cannot see all the risks involved from a picture/video. Just curious as to the best method for carrying out such a job.

Regards,
Lance

Hi Lance, was just working on it 

There is a lot of legislation that will control the way this building is cleaned and how all parties can protect themselves and others including from prosecution.

To answer your post

 I would clean these from inside

Sash windows are designed so that you can position the units so that all areas of external glass can be cleaned, it can be time consuming.

The first floor windows may need the window cleaner to position themselves outside on the balcony to external glass easily, if so the property owner will need to fit safety anchors on the inside of the property, and the window cleaner to operate correct PPE (restraint fall protection)

The duty holder will need to make sure the windows are correctly maintained and that they are not painted and any units sticking, (common fault,) windows will need to be clear from furniture or an arrangement to move items.

When cleaning external glass they need to tether tools.

That’s it as I see it, 

The following legislation makes it hard for us to use poles and equipment on this building, and with it being on a junction

For the benefit of others

These are the main laws that then govern activity

The duty holder (property owner) legally "must provide me with the ability to clean windows safely"
http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/1992/3004/regulation/16/made

The key legislation Health and Safety at Work Act 1974
http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1974/37
Employers to employees, others basically have a legal duty to proctect one and other, included in this is the most basic right of safe access and egress,

RE PUWER everyone needs to be trained in the use of a pole
http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/1998/2306/regulation/9/made

Including sole trader, self-employed
http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/1998/2306/regulation/3/made

http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/1998/2306/regulation/7/made
(2) The employer shall ensure that the persons designated for the purposes of sub-paragraph (b) of paragraph (1) have received adequate training related to any operations in respect of which they have been so designated.

Application
3.—(1) These Regulations shall apply—
(3) The requirements imposed by these Regulations on an employer shall also apply—
(a) to a self-employed person, in respect of work equipment he uses at work;

Controls when using work equipment
http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/1998/2306/regulation/17/made

90% of window cleaners I work with don’t have previous training or certification
I am pleased that over the last year a majority get trained and certificated.

Working at Height Regulation 2005
Dropping a water fed pole
http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2005/735/regulation/10/made

Falling objects
10.—(1) Every employer shall, where necessary to prevent injury to any person, take suitable and sufficient steps to prevent, so far as is reasonably practicable, the fall of any material or object.

(2) Where it is not reasonably practicable to comply with the requirements of paragraph (1), every employer shall take suitable and sufficient steps to prevent any person being struck by any falling material or object, which is liable to cause personal injury.

The window cleaner therefore is going to have to look at what controls he puts in place, a couple of cones is not going to prevent, you would be looking at cones tape, etc a clear safety demarcation zone.

Look I could list and list, its a mine field,

What I can say is that within the City and Guilds level1 & level 2 over the Four workshops we try and cover all this, give window cleaners good information so they can go away and make sound decisions.

It’s not for everyone, you can see by some of the posts we get on clean it up,

Regards

Andy

[LWC]

Sorry but havent you got anything better to do

[♠Winp®oClean♠]

probably 80% of my whole work is sash windows & almost NONE of them are designed to be cleaned from the inside.

The only ones that can be done this way are either VERY modern or have been hinged professionally.

I would say your suggestion to clean from the inside is a none starter, or are sash windows different down south?

[LWC]

probably 80% of my whole work is sash windows & almost NONE of them are designed to be cleaned from the inside.

The only ones that can be done this way are either VERY modern or have been hinged professionally.

I would say your suggestion to clean from the inside is a none starter, or are sash windows different down south?

Your right there, one slide up, one down, so your basically saying hang out of the window to clean it?

Youd have to put yourself in a right awkward and dangerous position to clean then from inside...your safer outside on the ledge!

[Andrew Willis]

probably 80% of my whole work is sash windows & almost NONE of them are designed to be cleaned from the inside.

The only ones that can be done this way are either VERY modern or have been hinged professionally.

I would say your suggestion to clean from the inside is a none starter, or are sash windows different down south?

Live in Lincolnshire,    Where are you based, as I am happy if we have a workshop in your area to come out and show you how to clean a Sash window
thats not me being funny   

[Andrew Willis]

probably 80% of my whole work is sash windows & almost NONE of them are designed to be cleaned from the inside.

The only ones that can be done this way are either VERY modern or have been hinged professionally.

I would say your suggestion to clean from the inside is a none starter, or are sash windows different down south?

Your right there, one slide up, one down, so your basically saying hang out of the window to clean it?

Youd have to put yourself in a right awkward and dangerous position to clean then from inside...your safer outside on the ledge!

Covered in my post

[Andrew Willis]

Sorry but havent you got anything better to do

Yes, forgot the clocks went back and waiting for Mrs Willis, so putting a little bit into Clean It Up 

[robertphil]

the guy looked about 38? certainly was well experienced and not a novice

[LWC]

Sorry but havent you got anything better to do

Yes, forgot the clocks went back and waiting for Mrs Willis, so putting a little bit into Clean It Up 

Im sorry Andy, im not picking on you, if this is what you do then this is what you do. I just think health and safety is a joke, yes it does implement some good, but most of it is just nonsense, i cant help but think you (all h and s) havent got anything better to do.

That man has probably been cleaning those windows like that for years, he looked like he'd done it before...he wasnt harming anyone, no one got hurt, yeh ok maybe a harness would of helped but how long would that of taken him clipping on and un clipping, those ledges look pretty big to me to. I can see no harm in what hes done, id still clean like that today no problem. Yeh if he was barely gripping onto a ledge and not much for him to stand on id think fair enough thats dangerous. But not this chap.

Hes out, not bothering anyone, working earning a living and now because certain people have nothing better to do hes probably in a whole heap of trouble! Seriously take a step back for a minute and think about it. More time should be spent on the people who are sat at home doing sod all taking our money that WE work for.

[Andrew Willis]

Sorry but havent you got anything better to do

Yes, forgot the clocks went back and waiting for Mrs Willis, so putting a little bit into Clean It Up 

Im sorry Andy, im not picking on you, if this is what you do then this is what you do. I just think health and safety is a joke, yes it does implement some good, but most of it is just nonsense, i cant help but think you (all h and s) havent got anything better to do.

That man has probably been cleaning those windows like that for years, he looked like he'd done it before...he wasnt harming anyone, no one got hurt, yeh ok maybe a harness would of helped but how long would that of taken him clipping on and un clipping, those ledges look pretty big to me to. I can see no harm in what hes done, id still clean like that today no problem. Yeh if he was barely gripping onto a ledge and not much for him to stand on id think fair enough thats dangerous. But not this chap.

Hes out, not bothering anyone, working earning a living and now because certain people have nothing better to do hes probably in a whole heap of trouble! Seriously take a step back for a minute and think about it. More time should be spent on the people who are sat at home doing sod all taking our money that WE work for.

Sorry don't agree with your post

Put the name of the person you love the most in your next post
Then imagine this guy had fallen off that building and killed them

Would you shrug it off and quote what you have put on here? : 

[LWC]

...yeh but he didnt

[Andrew Willis]

...yeh but he didnt

Just a point in the last couple of minutes have you changed your profile tag "Three times

My name is clear, who I am, what I do, how about you,
its easy on Clean It Up to make comments 
I would question if you had to put your real name on here, company, website, etc some people comments would be different

However as always I respect everybody's personal views, its just some I don't share, over and out, thats me done for the day

[robertphil]

surprised it keeps being mentioned what if he fell onto a loved one

odds of him falling square onto somebody who was passing by must be millions to 1 .