[Mark Sadler]

I was cleaning a regular custy's house today that ive cleaned for 14 month now, i used my ladders to climb over the garage, and stand on the front as it is built of brick. just as I was lifting my ladders over a gust of wind got me and I had to step back onto the asbestos roof and my foot went staight through it. Luckily for me there was a cupboard directly below which stopped me going any further.

How much did I crap myself!! That was me done for the day straight to the pub for a stiff one.

The custy doesnt no ive done it yet but I put a note through the door asking him to ring me tonight.

This is going to be a very expensive window clean. Luckily I have Public Liability but a £250 excess.

Anybody who cleans houses with this type of garage roof do not stand on them.

[Tosh]

Mark,

Just a thought...

There's another angle you could take when this happens that I've read on this forum.

I remember this happening to another window cleaner and he was quite cross because he thought it wasn't his fault.

He said/reckoned that if you climb on a flat roof to clean a window, and the customer KNOWS you do it, then it's implied that you're okay to do it.

So if something goes wrong, then it's not your fault; and if you hurt yourself, then the customer could be to blame.

But I'm only regurgitating stuff I've read here; I'm not sure if I believe the above. 

But from my point of view, I know the type of roof you're talking about (I've got one on my shed), it's that corrogated stuff; I wouldn't stand on it.

[seandyer2003]

I have a few jobs with that stuff and told them i wont do it...

[Roy Harding]

Of course on a more cheerful note, you could have breathed in a fiber of asbestos.

It only takes a small fiber to get in to the lung, and then it start’s foaming and is a very slow painful horrific death.


But I’m sure you might be able to claim compensation from them. So the money you spend to get it fixed now, you will get back a hundred fold later.

Roy

[Roy Harding]

Forgot to post the link.

www.mesotheliomatreatmentcenters.org/asbestos/poisoning.html

Symptoms of Asbestos Poisoning
The asbestos poisoning symptoms usually don't appear until years after the asbestos fibers are inhaled. It's generally 10 to 40 years later that the victims of asbestos poisoning start exhibiting symptoms such as (but not limited to):

A mass in the abdomen
Abdominal pain or swelling
Chest wall pain / pain under the rib cage
Coughing
Fatigue, anemia
Hoarseness, wheezing
Pleural effusion (fluid around a lung)
Shortness of breath
Weight loss



Roy

[Mark Sadler]

Of course on a more cheerful note, you could have breathed in a fiber of asbestos.

It only takes a small fiber to get in to the lung, and then it start’s foaming and is a very slow painful horrific death.


But I’m sure you might be able to claim compensation from them. So the money you spend to get it fixed now, you will get back a hundred fold later.

Roy

lolololol Did you get out of the wrong side of the bed Roy,

Remind me not to invite you to my funeral you horrible man.

[RSWindows]

pretty sure you would be cheaper NOT putting it through your insurance.

get a quote! not just the £250 excess but next years premium will be much higher than this years....just a thaught

[matt]

Of course on a more cheerful note, you could have breathed in a fiber of asbestos.

It only takes a small fiber to get in to the lung, and then it start’s foaming and is a very slow painful horrific death.


But I’m sure you might be able to claim compensation from them. So the money you spend to get it fixed now, you will get back a hundred fold later.

Roy

a very low chance of it with the type of sheet it most prob was though, so thats a good thing

[Tosh]

So the money you spend to get it fixed now.

But that's another issue; those corrugated asbestos roofs must've been the really cheap option at the time it was built; they're not exactly the 'Welsh Slate' option are they?

If you do pay to get it re-roofed (which I'm not sure I would), I'd make sure it was re-roofed with equally cheap plastic corrugated stuff, and I wouldn't fork out for any 'special handing services' because it's made of asbestos either.

Personally, I think I would take the 'it's not my fault' stance.

[Roy Harding]

Of course there is a cheaper option.

We had a dirty great rocket the other night smash the roof of our green house.

Look for an old rocket stick and drop it through the hole.


Roy

[David Slater]

It IS going to cost you more than £250 You WILL have to use specialists to remove it. Now the asbestos has been disturbed the garage should be covered with plastic sheeting and should NOT be used until all asbestos has been removed.

If you do not use specialist (licensed) asbestos removers you could be looking at hefty fines and imprisonment! (depending where you intend to dispose of it).

There is a very good chance that anything stored in the garage may have to be thrown away too! (bedding, materials and anything that could potentially hold asbestos fibers).

HSE - Asbestos: www.hse.gov.uk/asbestos/regulations.htm

As to who's fault is...well, that should be clearly laid out in your Risk Assessment and Method Statement as to how the work would be carried out  - I'm going to stand on your asbestos roof to clean windows.

1. Did the homeowner agree to this work practice?
2. Did you approve this method of work in your Risk Assessment?
3. Who performed the Risk Assessment? - were they competent?
4. Standing on asbestos panels suggests the person wasnt 'competent' to perform a risk assesment if this method was approved.

I'd hate to go to court and try and argue it was the homeowner who owed me a duty of care when I should have performed a suitable and sufficient risk assessment!!

I'm not saying its your fault Mark, its an accident and they do happen. But when those bloody lawyers start circling then it all gets very ugly.

[Mark Sadler]

It IS going to cost you more than £250 You WILL have to use specialists to remove it. Now the asbestos has been disturbed the garage should be covered with plastic sheeting and should NOT be used until all asbestos has been removed.

If you do not use specialist (licensed) asbestos removers you could be looking at hefty fines and imprisonment! (depending where you intend to dispose of it).

There is a very good chance that anything stored in the garage may have to be thrown away too! (bedding, materials and anything that could potentially hold asbestos fibers).

HSE - Asbestos: www.hse.gov.uk/asbestos/regulations.htm

As to who's fault is...well, that should be clearly laid out in your Risk Assessment and Method Statement as to how the work would be carried out  - I'm going to stand on your asbestos roof to clean windows.

1. Did the homeowner agree to this work practice?
2. Did you approve this method of work in your Risk Assessment?
3. Who performed the Risk Assessment? - were they competent?
4. Standing on asbestos panels suggests the person wasnt 'competent' to perform a risk assesment if this method was approved.

I'd hate to go to court and try and argue it was the homeowner who owed me a duty of care when I should have performed a suitable and sufficient risk assessment!!

I'm not saying its your fault Mark, its an accident and they do happen. But when those bloody lawyers start circling then it all gets very ugly.

Yip well at the end of the day whats the worst that can happen? I goto prison then i'll be asking to clean the governers windows for a couple of fAgs. How many window cleaners on here complete a risk assesment for all of there domestic custys, I would say none.

The guy i clean the windows for is ok so if i bite the bullet and take it on the chin then I doubt very much he will want to persue it in court. He should be calling me tonight and I will post the outcome later.

[David Slater]

Mark, I totally agree.

Suggesting every single domestic customer gets a full-on whizz bang 10 page Method and Risk is a bit much to ask.

But if you dont, then they've got you by the danglies....you're in a catch 22 situation!

My first post was addressing some of the earlier posts suggesting you could remove it or that it could be done for a few quid. Sadly, I just dont think this is possible. You could I suppose but you could also end up in even deeper water!

As you say, whats the worst that can happen? they cant shoot you for falling through a panel 

Its just another one of things that life throws at us all from time to time.

Chin up fella....worse things happen at sea 

[Mark Sadler]

Aaahha Ive found a company that repairs asbestos roofs without removing or replacing it.

www.asbestosafe.co.uk/asbestosafe.htm

Well I will jst have to see what the custy says.

[David Slater]

I think you'll find they only encapsulate the asbestos roof if its sound.

If its broken (disturbed) I dont think they can encapsulate it....no harm giving them a ring though.

[s.hughes]

This happened to a mate years ago and he went straight through the roof. The custie had removed a wall without telling him and of course the roof wouldnt hold. He went to the solicitor and found out that if you walk over someones roof and they know then its really down to them to warn you if theres danger of falling through. This custie of his tried to put the blame on him, she went through her insurance and when they were informed they paid out straight away they didnt try & fight it. So he must have been in the right.


Steve

[Mark Sadler]

Well custy called me and agreed to have it patched. Phew... midnight express sprung to mind.

I called a mate of mine in the roofing trade hes going to do it tommorrow. Thank the lord for small mercys.

[pjulk]

This is going to be a very expensive window clean. Luckily I have Public Liability but a £250 excess

If i were you i would check your P/L insurance as a lot don't cover you for going on a roof or over a roof.

So you may find you are not covered

[Tosh]

just got back from cuba

Show off!  I hope you had a good time; any chance of some pics on the off-topic area and what did you think about the 'ladies of the night'?

Did you meet any?  I've read they're the best in the world.

[Mark Sadler]

This is going to be a very expensive window clean. Luckily I have Public Liability but a £250 excess

If i were you i would check your P/L insurance as a lot don't cover you for going on a roof or over a roof.

So you may find you are not covered

I did check it covers me for every eventuallity upto 3 floors high, its a really good policy with Zurich.