No, Trevor and Stan - I'm not refusing to do the backs, I offer to do the backs when they are in by running my hose through their garage or house. I do this for dozens of custies. Are you really advocating (especially you Trevor with your website talking about IPAF and risk assessments) laddering up and taking wfp over a garage using those ladders? Would you expect your employees to do this?
If that was me working for you and you told me it was a condition of my employment that I had to do that you'd have an industrial tribunal suit on your hands for unfair dismissal.
My custy's understand the need for a sensible attitude to risk and don't want an injury suit against them if a w/c should fall.
Frankly if you feel you want to take these risks then that's your neck on the line but please don't encourage others to do the same.
yes i would expect employees to do this they always work in twos so ladders are held whilst one climbs up then other hands them equipment to be lowered at other side, it is perfectly safe.
ladders are not dangerous if used correctly and men are trained to use them and i dont mean one of these poxy i day ladder courses that dont cover half the issues needed and often teach some bad practices, for instance loughborough university have done a book on ladder safety and recomend ladders should be footed by a man standing on bottom rung [these are meant to be clever people].
a lot of the little tricks the old window cleaners used to make ladder use safe have been forgotten and sneered at because they are so simple and dont need to buy some expensive gadget to work.
you mention trainining such as I.P.A.F etc and yes we do have them and in fairness they do give you a bit of knowledge on how to use equipment and avoid certain practices that only a nutter would try.but in my opinion these are just money making schemes that generate jobs and make firms that have the certificates appear superior to others.
you cannot beat training that takes place on the job by someone who has years of experience and these training courses are just short cuts to achieving a minimum standard of safety as the first option is very rarel y available to most.
well thats my grumpy old man rant over and i accept your view on what your stand is on using ladders but mine are different, we have used ladders since 1960 and in early days ladders 66ft when extended wher used without a lost time accident, Wfp is safer and we use them wherever possible but the ladder is not redundant and i am paid to clean windows and not miss them for some lame excuse.
as for running a dirty hose through someons house
