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Posted By MICHAEL CRAWFORD
Hi everyone , my company employs a window cleaner on a once a month basis. I am concerned about the equipment(variety of ladders , bucket etc) he uses and his general approach. I have expressed my concerns to him and he is very negative towards them and feels that he wouldn't claim even if he is unfortunate enough to have a fall - probably cause he might not be around to do so in my opinion!
Has anyone any similar experience when dealing with contract window cleaners and I would be very grateful for any advice ,
Thanks and Happy New Year.
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Posted By MS
The key word in you post is employs.
Get a window cleaner that doesn't have to work at height. I've got one, there are lots of new equpments on the market to avoid working at height.
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Posted By alan brotherton
Window cleaners are no different to any other contractor you may engage and you have a duty to ensure their safety standards are acceptable and approved. Your chap seems to only be aware of insurance liability issues so obviously seems to know or care little about his (and your) legal obligations towards safe systems of work. My advice would be to sack him if you are obviousy concerned and to find a window cleaner who can provide suitable and sufficient risk assessments and demonstrate a safe system of work.
A previous comment regarding window cleaning techniques which avoid work at height (if reasonably practicable)is obviously noteworthy and that aproach complies with the first requirement of the work at height regulations.
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Posted By Martin Forbes
I had to do a risk assessment for this quite recently, and i suggest you do the same. The building i did a RA for was a 2 story building with traffic movement around it.
We looked at every eventuality from ladders to mobile tower scaffold, before realising you get extendable brushes that remove the need to work at heights. We decided to use a non chemical based cleaning fluid, an extendable brush and restrict traffic on the day of cleaning.
Thereby removing all risks to the very minimum and complying fully with the HASAWA and MHSW.
Anyway, don't accept the "i wont file a claim" from him. Claim or not your responsible for his safety, even if he doesnt file a claim after an accident, you still have to report it. HSE might not be too impressed that you allowed him to work on-site with inadequate tools and no risk assessment.
I suggest you perform a RA, and if the risk is high find ways to reduce the risk. If he refuses to comply get a replacement.
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Posted By Ron Hunter
Better still, have prospective window cleaning conttractors submit their risk assessment to you at a tender evalaution process - appoint accordingly!
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