[M & C Window Cleaning]

What bugged me when I used to use ladders were the customers that would get bolshie with me for refusing to clean a window for safety reasons.
There's always one somewhere where the only way to reach it is too risky.

I had that, he said 'Well! Youre a window cleaner arent you?' I said 'Yea, Im a safe one as well'

Sounds like your custie had been talking to one of mine. That was almost verbatim for what one of mine said.
I actually had another one say that he didn't care about my safety, just wanted his windows cleaned. made my blood boil.

[peter holley]

I fell off 17 yrs ago. and broke my rist.....however a window cleaner inmy town fell off a couple of yeas ago... and broke his ancle... it never healed  and now he is having his leg amputated

[Llaaww]

many years ago I had two two section ladders, needing to get a high window I lashed the two together with my climbing rope. I got up to the window, about 30 feet up, while I was up yhere I promised myself a new ladder. Next day I picked up a brand new trade box alloy tripple. I used it for years, though mostly only two sections.

I have a pole now. 

[John Walker]

There's a 'trad' guy (well - bucket, ladder and cloth anyway) in Canterbury who works one of the main roads into the City.

Many of the houses have a flat topped porch.  He puts his ladder in the middle of the busy pavement and leans it on the porch. He then climbs to the top of the ladder (which is in mid air!) to do the tops which is around 6ft above the point of contact on the porch.  It's bloody frightening watching him.

So many accident possibilities waiting to happen.  I would have a word with him but he doesn't look the kind of guy who would listen.  Might even reply with his fist!

When I first saw him, I though he wouldn't keep it up as he looked a bit of a cowboy type but 3 months later and he's still at it.  I wouldn't want to try and take on the work as nowhere to park in the area and pavement far too busy.  Plenty of easier and safer work elsewhere anyway.

[jeff1]

Many years ago I was doing a pub and the ladder wasn't very safe so I had the boss (wife) footing it for me, then all of a sudden my ladder started to slide down the wall and the boss jumped out of the way  : the ladder continued to slide down the wall and I didn't have time to react until it came to a sudden stop on the oak door lintel above the door the ladder stopped and my legs went through the ladder and squashed the corgies conkers and I was stuck 6' up in the air in agony  and all the boss could do was roll around the floor laughing  :

[kenaltobelli]

ive had two moments both times this is gona hurt went thru my head but
  if your fat you  bounce well

[RK Cleaning Services]

In 2005 i was doing a window above a shop door when my ladder with non slip feet sliped backwards and i ended up surffing it down and though the shop door way luckly the was no damage but i had to have a couple of days off as my next job was 4th floor on ladders unfooted. 

[ftp]

I have a combination ladder I used to use for conservatory roofs. Had it in step ladder mode one day - got to the top when the ladder opened out and collapsed with me on top. Forgot to engage the locking clips.  :

[Nathanael Jones]

I have a combination ladder I used to use for conservatory roofs. Had it in step ladder mode one day - got to the top when the ladder opened out and collapsed with me on top. Forgot to engage the locking clips.  :

Like this:   

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6ZhMfzc9RbU

[petemg]

afternoon all :)about ten years ago iwas cleaning the top of a three storey town house i leand out to clean the left hand side of the window,the ladder rolled with me hanging on uder neeth, the ladder bounced down the wall about 6ft which seemed more like 20ft then i came down the ladder under neeth swinging like a monkey till i was on the ground,i tell you what i have never s..t my self as when that happend,carried on doing three storeys up untill 5 yrs ago

[kenaltobelli]

wfp is safe as long as you remmember when you walk up steps to a house
  thats on a hill remmember theres steps there to come down.
  i forgot one time missed the step and went a o t

[barry80]

There was this one time I took a young apprentice with me he was 16 and I was 25 at the time, he would not go up the ladder as he was frighted of heights. So I tried to  by reassuring him  showing him how it was done and not to be silly, I was working on a 3 storey building  at the time  , I got to about 17ft high and crack the ladder broke and as the ladder tumbled down and let me tell you it felt like it was in slow motion!  I hit into the bottom window but the leather jacket I had on at the time  saved the impact, but my leg some how was trapped in the aluminium ladder and let me tell you it was painfull  so up the hospital was the end of this and the ladders was only 1 week old. But after that I could never ever  get the apprentice to go up ladders. {I wonder why ?}  barry

[martinsadie]

dont know where people get this slow motion from,i thought it was bloody quick and once spoke to a builder who fell of a roof and broke his back and he said it was fast