[Matthew Speakman]

how do you trad guys reach the Second floor (i.e. ground, first then second) of those town houses?? or do you just leave them.

[davey c]

a large set of ladders with a stopper or someone to stand at the bottom............. or if you have any sense wfp.. (must start saving to get one )

[JM123]

Didn't think trad boys were allowed to do anything so high up :

[rosskesava]

I've got a 20ft double A frame. If it don't reach, I don't do it.

Over 18ft (6m) in terms of the regulations you could be on sticky ground, so to speak.

Over 27ft (9m) you are definately breaking the law.

Cheers

[AuRavelling79]

I've got a 20ft double A frame. If it don't reach, I don't do it.

Over 18ft (6m) in terms of the regulations you could be on sticky ground, so to speak.

Over 27ft (9m) you are definately breaking the law.

Cheers

Oh, I'm so glad those days are over - 13stones and nearing 50 don't bounce!

[rosskesava]

Malc

Oh, I'm so glad those days are over

That was not the question. 

Those Welsh hills or is it the Malverns?. I swear one day I will go there either way.

I'm also approaching 50 and 13 stone. Scary isn't it? At 16 I weighed 9st.

Matthew asked about 2nd floor. My advise still is - don't.

[Ian_Giles]

I completely agree with Ross.....but I agree even more with Malc! 

If you need to go as high as  second floor then you really do need to consider WFP.


Ian

[s.hughes]

I got a 4m that extends to 7m and that is as high as you should go. I have some town houses that you simply cant use wfp on (and I have a wfp system so I would use it if I could) I use a ladder stopper and take the mrs with me to steady the ladder. The ladder has to come right out beyond a porch so it cant be done on my own, that would be stupid.

Steve

[Paul Coleman]

Be aware that even with WFP, many public liability insurances wll only cover working up to 40 feet.  I used to think that the 40 feet referred how hgigh up  the operator was working but it's the height of the work being carried out.

[ac_cleaning]

You should really invest in a wfp working at that height of a ladder for a few quid is not worth risking your life over.
al

[SherwoodCleaningSe]

HSE now say that you can go up to 9m absolutely no higher,but anything over 6m and you need to be footed.  I used to do the 1st story window on the way down from the second but now just wfp.  It does take the fun out of the bouncing ladders though (not).

Simon

[Paul Coleman]

HSE now say that you can go up to 9m absolutely no higher,but anything over 6m and you need to be footed.  I used to do the 1st story window on the way down from the second but now just wfp.  It does take the fun out of the bouncing ladders though (not).

Simon

Surely the ladder angle would have been very steep to reach the first floor windows while the ladder was positioned for second floor?

[Ian_Giles]

HSE now say that you can go up to 9m absolutely no higher,but anything over 6m and you need to be footed.  I used to do the 1st story window on the way down from the second but now just wfp.  It does take the fun out of the bouncing ladders though (not).

Simon

Surely the ladder angle would have been very steep to reach the first floor windows while the ladder was positioned for second floor?

Not if you've got a nice bendy one

A couple of three tier ladders ago I had one that bent like a banana, though it was a good quality one, we did a few like that ourselves, stepping off the ladder half way down and climbing onto the large window sill of the 1st floor office windows....until one lad was doing it in that fashion and a gust of wind caught the ladder and blew all fully extended 35ft of it crashing down into the road to the one side of the window!!
fortunately it fell between two cars instead of on top of one of them, or worse still on top of a pedestrian!!!

Ahhh, those were the days

Ian

[Sir Squeaky]

A couple of three tier ladders ago I had one that bent like a banana, though it was a good quality one, we did a few like that ourselves, stepping off the ladder half way down and climbing onto the large window sill of the 1st floor office windows....until one lad was doing it in that fashion and a gust of wind caught the ladder and blew all fully extended 35ft of it crashing down into the road to the one side of the window!!
fortunately it fell between two cars instead of on top of one of them, or worse still on top of a pedestrian!!!

Ahhh, those were the days

Ian

Scared the hell out me that did.
I was working on the side of the building and heard my mate shout "look out!"
Followed by an almighty crash.

[SherwoodCleaningSe]

The ladder angle was a little steeper as I remember but not very steep.  The practice did save a lot of time, I got the idea from another window cleaner who reckoned it would save him at least 2hrs on an 8hr day.  Yes the ladders do bend a bit, I've a triple 12/30 foot pointer and that is like a trampoline  , a killer to carry though.  I doubt that HSE would approve of doing windows halfway down now though.  Seeing as most second story windows are between 6 and 9 meters, you should cost the job for someone footing you, which means that if you do do them with wfp you'll make a killing and not get killed yourself.

Simon

[Paul Coleman]

HSE now say that you can go up to 9m absolutely no higher,but anything over 6m and you need to be footed.  I used to do the 1st story window on the way down from the second but now just wfp.  It does take the fun out of the bouncing ladders though (not).

Simon

Surely the ladder angle would have been very steep to reach the first floor windows while the ladder was positioned for second floor?

Not if you've got a nice bendy one

A couple of three tier ladders ago I had one that bent like a banana, though it was a good quality one, we did a few like that ourselves, stepping off the ladder half way down and climbing onto the large window sill of the 1st floor office windows....until one lad was doing it in that fashion and a gust of wind caught the ladder and blew all fully extended 35ft of it crashing down into the road to the one side of the window!!
fortunately it fell between two cars instead of on top of one of them, or worse still on top of a pedestrian!!!

Ahhh, those were the days

Ian

Perhaps this is why H & S like ladders to be tied off.  What you can do is rest the ladder on the second floor sill (or wall) and tie it at first floor level so that it bends in.  That way you haven't got too far too reach when you try to do the first floor windows because tieing the ladder off lower down makes sure it bends enough   

[brett walker]

I know of 2 window cleaners that do 3rd storey windows from ladders, they take no safety equipment or have anyone to foot the ladder   :

regards

Brett

[AuRavelling79]

Malc

Oh, I'm so glad those days are over

That was not the question. 

Those Welsh hills or is it the Malverns?. I swear one day I will go there either way.

I'm also approaching 50 and 13 stone. Scary isn't it? At 16 I weighed 9st.

Matthew asked about 2nd floor. My advise still is - don't.

The hill is a 3000ft plus mountain called crib goch and is in snowdonia

[TennetClean]

I used to use 3 section ladders, they will reach that height no problem. If you're going to get some, you want the ones that will seperate so you can just use them as a double ladder when needed.

To be honest mate, i never felt safe over 1 storey, if i were you i'd just leave them out, or canvass work that you can get to from a double ladder.

[Tim Morton]

Before I got wfp we used to do some 3rd floor (ground, 1st and 2nd story) work that meant using a double 16ft wooden ladder, boy was that heavy. I would never go up in anything more than a whisper of a wind, but on calm days it was fine.

We just used to price the work accordingly so as to discourage people from asking us to do 3rd floor work, used to charge £6-8 per climb, and then add the vat on to that, that made it a bit easier to do.

Now I'm wfp and I would never go back to ladders for anything over 14-16 feet, and even then I'd rather keep my feet on the ground.

Tim