Here are some safety tips from West Midlands Window Cleaning Services. We recognise the importance of Health and Safety at work and so have a first aid provider for every one of our vans.
Our greatest asset is our staff and our priority is to protect their well being as well as that of our customers and the general public.
We are enrolled with the Health and Safety Executive. The HSE sends out regular advice and guidance on safety issues which include:
- Latest work at height news
- Initiatives and events run by HSE and our partners
- Future HSE plans involving work at height
- Supporting guidance and tips
Your Safety Drill before any work
Remember each job must be risk assessed prior to its commencement. Accidents happen when complacency steps in.
Precautionary Safety Tips
- Properly assess the job to determine what equipment should be used. People often use ladders for tasks where it would safer and quicker with equipment such as a cherry picker or a scaffold. Only use ladders for low risk, short duration tasks or where the existing features of the site cannot be altered.
- If you must use a ladder, make sure it is secure and cannot slip. Tie it at the top, have someone hold it at the base, so that it is secure. Alternatively use a suitable stability device to prevent it from slipping. If the ladder is more than 5 m long, a person at the base is unlikely to be able to stop it from slipping.
- Place the ladder on a firm, stable surface which is of suitable strength to keep the rungs horizontal.
- Consider using attachments such as an adjustable ladder leveller, or a 'stand' spreader bar.
- Set the ladder at the correct angle. Ladders are best at an angle of out one measure for every four up (75 degrees).
- Use a ladder of the correct length. Don't work from the top three rungs of the ladder. Make sure the ladder protrudes sufficiently above the place of landing to which it provides access - three rungs or 1 m should be enough.
- Check the ladder for defects. Make sure that it is only used by people who knows how to use it correctly.