[simon knight]

Got a call from some woman who wants me to clean her windows while the scaffolding is there...I know the houses in her road and they are 3 floors so the scaffolding makes life much easier.

But am I allowed to do this?

[Nathanael Jones]

climbing up the scaff itself is a big no-no from the H&S guys. I worked in construction for years & there was a huge fuss made over scaffolding safety.

Scaff should have ladder access points (its a legal requirement), and ladders should be secured to the scaff top & bottom,.. unless that is in place I wouldn't even go near it personally.

[mci services]

I don't think thats what he meant nat, as long as the scaffold has the fixed ladders in place and all the other stuff like kick boards and railings fitted it should be ok,

[simon knight]

I'm assuming that the scaffolding is all secured in the way it should be, I'm just wondering what the "legal" ramifications are...in that:

Do I need the scaffolding companies approval before I climb/use their property? Or can the householder give permission on the basis they are paying the hire charge so it's up to them who can use it?

[NJWindowCleaning]

Would you be insured to climb up scaffolding or would you need to up your insurance to go up scaffolding and I would imagine you need to do a risk ass for H&S etc??

If the customer has ask for the scaffolding up then they might be the ones to get the say so to use it but if they are not then would find out first.

[e newlands]

if its a scaffold erected on a domestic property as long as you have the owners permission and it is fully erected get up there and earn a few bob

[simon knight]

if its a scaffold erected on a domestic property as long as you have the owners permission and it is fully erected get up there and earn a few bob

Ok, I'll take your advice. Thanks.

Would you be insured to climb up scaffolding or would you need to up your insurance to go up scaffolding and I would imagine you need to do a risk ass for H&S etc??

If the customer has ask for the scaffolding up then they might be the ones to get the say so to use it but if they are not then would find out first.

TBH I imagine my insurance wouldn't cover me but as it's a one-off and I can't be bothered with the hassle of calling them I'll chance it!

It's a domestic house and I'm a sole trader so H&S don't come into it.

Anyway cheers all. 

[dazmond]

WHY ON EARTH WOULD YOU CLEAN A HOUSE WITH SCAFFOLDING ROUND IT??!!

i would politely say to the the lady ill come and clean the windows when all scaffolding has gone!

are you short of work?if your not id give it a miss.

ive usually got plenty of other work to be getting on with without messing about climbing up scaffolding!!

[[GQC] Tim]

WHY ON EARTH WOULD YOU CLEAN A HOUSE WITH SCAFFOLDING ROUND IT??!!

i would politely say to the the lady ill come and clean the windows when all scaffolding has gone!

are you short of work?if your not id give it a miss.

ive usually got plenty of other work to be getting on with without messing about climbing up scaffolding!!

Why not? It's trad with (almost) the speed of wfp. You just go from window to window cleaning it. Windows will probably be dirty again when they take it down, but hey, money is money.

ps. scaffolding is kind of scary to begin with. Just one plank seperating you from death. 

[G Griffin]

WHY ON EARTH WOULD YOU CLEAN A HOUSE WITH SCAFFOLDING ROUND IT??!!

  Because the windows are dirty?

[Tom White]

WHY ON EARTH WOULD YOU CLEAN A HOUSE WITH SCAFFOLDING ROUND IT??!!

i would politely say to the the lady ill come and clean the windows when all scaffolding has gone!

are you short of work?if your not id give it a miss.

ive usually got plenty of other work to be getting on with without messing about climbing up scaffolding!!

I've had a job like this and the scaffolding was ideal.  The windows were covered in render and needed scraping; WFP would've been ineffective and given the position of these windows over pitched roofs (it was a big property too).

[Richy L]

WHY ON EARTH WOULD YOU CLEAN A HOUSE WITH SCAFFOLDING ROUND IT??!!

  Because the windows are dirty?

Ive just been on a job for a few weeks cleaning from scaffolding 6 scaffolding levels high. Cherry picker not an option. They wanted the crud to be cleaned from the windows, but when the scaffolding comes down they will definatly need it all cleaned again. might be worth mentioned that before you do the job.

[Ian Lancaster]

It's a domestic house and I'm a sole trader so H&S don't come into it.

Errrrm........Haven't you heard of the Temporary Working at Height Directive?

I'm surprised no-one else has picked you up on it.

They do apply to you.

The H&S could fine you (and the householder who is deemed to be your employer) very heavily for flouting the rules.

[simon knight]

It's a domestic house and I'm a sole trader so H&S don't come into it.

Errrrm........Haven't you heard of the Temporary Working at Height Directive?

No I haven't and frankly don't want to.  In the extremely unlikely event some little jobs-worth with a clip-board stands at the foot of my ladder and starts gobbing off when I come down I'll politely agree with him, tell him I'll amend my ways and when he effs-off just carry on the way I've been working for years.

Anyway I did use the scaffolding and must say it really made life much easier...in fact I'm thinking of insisting that all my regulars have scaffolding erected permanently around their houses 

[Ian Lancaster]

It's a domestic house and I'm a sole trader so H&S don't come into it.

Errrrm........Haven't you heard of the Temporary Working at Height Directive?

No I haven't and frankly don't want to.  In the extremely unlikely event some little jobs-worth with a clip-board stands at the foot of my ladder and starts gobbing off when I come down I'll politely agree with him, tell him I'll amend my ways and when he effs-off just carry on the way I've been working for years.

You and 99.9% of all self employed window cleaners, including me and my lads

I believe there have been a couple of prosecutions for contravening the Directive, but those were against employers for allowing their employees to ignore the rules.  As you say, the odds are very much in our favour and I wouldn't mind betting it hasn't occurred to most H&S inspectors that the rules don't just apply to the building trade.

[simon knight]

It's a domestic house and I'm a sole trader so H&S don't come into it.

Errrrm........Haven't you heard of the Temporary Working at Height Directive?

No I haven't and frankly don't want to.  In the extremely unlikely event some little jobs-worth with a clip-board stands at the foot of my ladder and starts gobbing off when I come down I'll politely agree with him, tell him I'll amend my ways and when he effs-off just carry on the way I've been working for years.

You and 99.9% of all self employed window cleaners, including me and my lads

I believe there have been a couple of prosecutions for contravening the Directive, but those were against employers for allowing their employees to ignore the rules.  As you say, the odds are very much in our favour and I wouldn't mind betting it hasn't occurred to most H&S inspectors that the rules don't just apply to the building trade.

I think the HSE do have a valuable function to fulfill but there's too many of the buggers and too may unenforceable rules and sometimes they get a bit carried away with the safety bit...I mean kids not being able to play conkers, for Gods sake! I think a prerequisite for being a HSE officer is to live in the "real" world for a few years.

Rant over