[johnnyzooph]

H i all , this is my first post on here. Hope someone can help me out. I started w/cleaning in 1999 and did so for 4 years til I hurt my back in a car accident. After this I gradually phased out the w/cleaning and concentrated on  office cleaning. Last week a services manager at one of our sites asked if would start to clean their windows as their old w/cleaner had jacked saying that the temperary working at height directive was preventing him from working. The building is a new build office block on two storeys with flat ground all aroung. I''ve been out of the game that long that I've lost touch with all the regs. Can someone point me in the right direction to find th Twah rules in plain English. I've tried the hse but there's so much gobbildigook there. All I need to know is how high can I work without having to secure ladders or have a footer? Thanks in advance Johnny

[Trevor Knight]

Hi Jonny, welcome to the forum.

In answer to your question, more and more companies are becoming very stringent on the H&S at work, particularly in the use of ladders.

You will need a risk assessment, method statement and safety policy to show how you will complete the work in the safest manner possible.

You can use ladders provided you have a ladder stay, tie them off, or obtain footing. You will need to get this passed by the company H&S officer.

If they say no to ladders then you will need to WFP. If you don't want to spend out on the equipment then sub contract would be your answer.

Best of luck.

Please feel free to ask anything you need to know about.

We are all on here to help each other.

Trev

[Trevor Knight]

p.s. Please can you complete your profile with your location.

Its nice to know where you are in the country.

Many thanks again,

Trev

[ecowasher]

Many years ago when I was at BskyB  we had a device called a 'ladder mate',  which,  i must admit,  was as good as anyone footing your ladder.

Although not recommended,  as a demonstration of how effective the device was at footing you could free stand a 12 rung single section with a ladder mate and walk 3/4's of the way up,  ladder freestanding!

Don't know what the current legistlation makes of these devices tho,  and they were subject to having a level grounding.  also,  if they were used incorrectly you could end up with a triple section 30ft ladder freestanding from the elevation that you were looking to work from!  They were good for reducing ladder bounce tho. -- maybe for the trained ladder user methinks.  -  you can imagine the time that the correct setting of these adds to a job as well.

A sound risk assement and method statement sounds like it will indemnify your client sufficiently for you to work at your own liability.

Good luck!

Grant.