There is no doubt that in Bristol, window cleaning at height is an exhilarating job; what thrill-loving person wouldn’t enjoy the mechanics of balancing on ladders or being hauled up by ropes to clean windows at the very tops of buildings? Who among them wouldn’t love the idea of looking down over the city from on high as they wipe the windows of tall office buildings to gleaming?
Where there are such rewards, however, there are risks; the cleaning industry can provide all too plentiful examples of accidents that happened while working at height. Common issues include over-reaching and stretching too far while on stepladders cleaning windows, or standing on chairs or benches while trying to clean windows at height. All of these accidents, some of which can be quite severe in nature, can be avoided with a bit of knowledge, planning, and the use of competent, trained window cleaning professionals.
Bristol Window Cleaning Laws
Bristol window cleaning professionals must abide by British laws concerning the safety measures that should be taken by those cleaning windows at height. Notably, they must adhere to the Work at Height Regulations 2005 (as amended), which states that it is the duty of employers, the self-employed, and any other individual in a position of power directing the work of others (e.g. facilities managers, building owners, or other persons likely to contract out window cleaning) to create a safe working environment. More info is available at www.choicecleaning.co.uk/window-cleaning-bristol
The Work at Height Regulations state that those who fall under these duties must ensure:
- The proper planning and organisation of all work to be conducted at height;
- The competent nature of all those who will be working at height;
- The proper assessment of risks before work is begun and the proper selection and maintenance of equipment;
- The proper control of risk as a result of fragile surfaces.
It’s also the responsibility of duty holders to:
- Avoid work at height where possible;
- Make sure equipment and planning are used to prevent falls when work at height must occur;
- If falls cannot be fully prevented, it is the duty holder’s responsibility to use planning and equipment to reduce the distance and impact of the possible fall(s).
Tips for Safely Cleaning Windows at Height
- Have an emergency plan in place detailing what to do if someone falls.
- Ensure that everyone on the job has the right skills, experience, and training needed to clean windows at height, including which equipment to use and how to use the equipment safely.
- Remember the importance of breaks, especially when working on ladders; no one should be on a ladder for more than a half hour at a time.
- Never over-reach and stretch while trying to reach a window from a ladder; reposition the ladder instead.
- When using a ladder, always keep three points of contact.
- Anyone using access equipment must know how to install and dismantle it safely. If you are hiring such equipment, be sure to ask the hirer for instructions or assistance rather than guess at it yourself.