[clean]

Watching The One Show on BBC1 earlier tonight and there was a topic about dangerous jobs and window cleaning came out at number 1  ,
but the picture that was shown was a window cleaner on a ladder 

[peter holley]

thats coz its true

[d s windowcleaning]

Watching The One Show on BBC1 earlier tonight and there was a topic about dangerous jobs and window cleaning came out at number 1  ,
but the picture that was shown was a window cleaner on a ladder 

just wondered how dangerous wfp could be ?

[windowwashers]

Watching The One Show on BBC1 earlier tonight and there was a topic about dangerous jobs and window cleaning came out at number 1  ,
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 

[Chris Galloway]

Watching The One Show on BBC1 earlier tonight and there was a topic about dangerous jobs and window cleaning came out at number 1  ,
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 

[gerard mcmanus]

they're just going on misinteprated figures, surely bear grills's job is far more dangerous!

gerard 

[Tom Mac]

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

[poleman]

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.

[poleman]

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

[Tom Mac]

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

[Ian Lancaster]

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.

[Tosh]

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?

[tomy jackson]

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 

[tomy jackson]

theat may well be true but its not onley numtys who fall of laders its time to dich ladders ,

[wightsurf]

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 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!!!!

[scrimit2]

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  :

[DaveG]

Watching The One Show on BBC1 earlier tonight and there was a topic about dangerous jobs and window cleaning came out at number 1  ,
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??

[spark1]

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 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.

[dai]

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.

[seandyer2003]

50 k thats some going eh!!! wow.