[Andrew Willis]

OK how about some views on this

You have a cleaner on a step ladder
Cleaning in a public house
Ten feet from the ground
Dry dusting some areas using a mop

Should the cleaning company hire in something safer for him to use, protect him should he fall
Or would that be safety gone mad

Your thoughts please

 

http://www.thisisbristol.co.uk/story-17425164-detail/story.html#axzz2Yq9Yx1Bw

[bobplum]

yes, a step ladder is acceptable,within the range it is to be used

The ladder in question was unsuitable,"not fit for purpose"

As much has the company is too blame so is the deceased all he had to say was "no"

[Ian Lancaster]

My personal opinion is that step ladders have no place in cleaning at height situations.

A step ladder is 'free standing' in a very real sense of the words and the temptation to reach sideways while standing on one is ever present.  It only takes a short reach to shift the body weight beyond the balance point.  Similarly if an operative is standing on a step ladder and turns his body sideways to clean a surface at right angles to the ladder, it only takes a small amount of pressure to cause the step ladder to fall in the opposite direction.

I would only ever use a proper window cleaners ladder and if there was a surface that required cleaning which was out of reach of such a ladder then I would use a pole or simply not attempt the job.

[trevor perry]

Last week I was talking to one of my domestic customers who has been an health and safety advisor for 35 years and he made a real valid point which was "when the safety at work act first came out in 1974 it was there to protect employees and public from unscrupulous employers who made them work in unsafe situations but now it has been turned on its head to try and protect employers from unscrupulous employees and public who try and claim for every misfortune hence all the need for training certificates etc which are only there to cover the employers ass and very little to do with safety"

Actually your right the main reason is to protect you and others, like this its simple.

Re cases of action taken against, you are very unlikely to loos a case if you have done what various law requires, re cases for compensation this is through Civil courts once you have been found guilty of not complying, what I am against is cases settled out of court to save money. Also I would stop no win no fee.

 Andrew I have just been out and cracked open the champagne, we at last agree on something lets build from here

[Dave Willis]

A lawnmower is an incredibly dangerous piece of equipment so is a chainsaw and yet if used correctly they must be deemed save, after all anyone can buy one over the counter and chop themselves to bits.
The poor guy who died should have assessed the risk and refused if he had any concerns over the state of the equipment provided.
The pub owner probably thought the ladders were fine too. Very unfortunate for all that blame had to be found.