Window Cleaners Death Due to Over Reaching

Inquiry held into Dunfermline window cleaner's fatal fall: The father-of-four (52) fell more than 20 feet from his ladder while cleaning a second-storey window on his regular round on 4th May and died in Queen Margaret Hospital the same morning. The inquiry at Dunfermline Sheriff Court on Thursday heard that Mr Ferrier's ladder and footwear were found to be in good condition. However, the ladder was not secured by any form of fixture which could have been used as a precaution to prevent the accident.

There were no eye witnesses but the circumstantial evidence pointed to Mr Ferrier over-reaching to clean a bathroom window and the ladder moving, causing him to fall. Mr Ferrier, of Wilson Street, Dunfermline, had been a window cleaner for around 20 years. Away from work, he was a committed member of the Church of the Nazarene in Headwell Avenue where he had recently conducted a service.

The first to be called to give evidence was the deceased's brother, Ronald Ferrier (51), of Lindsay Wynd, Oakley, who was a partner in the business. Mr Ferrier broke down as he told how he was window cleaning at nearby houses when the tragedy occurred at 252 Townhill Road. Mr Ferrier told the inquiry his brother was safety conscious. He said, "He was good on the ladder, quite confident. The height didn't bother him. "He always made sure the ladders were safe and steady. "He wouldn't go up if they were tilting, it's just common sense."

Mr Ferrier said window cleaning "was not rocket science" and if his brother had concerns about the ladder moving he would "ask him to hold it". Mr Ferrier said the first he knew about the accident was when a woman came and told him and when he got to the scene he could not see his brother for paramedics. The next witness was Robert Thomson (71), the home owner at 252 Townhill Road, who was in his bathroom having a shower and a shave when the accident occurred. He said he had seen Mr Ferrier at a front window before going to the bathroom. Once in the bathroom he had seen Mr Ferrier's hand at the frosted glass, suggesting he was leaning over. Mr Thomson said, "I saw the arm then I heard the noise. "The ladder must have moved along the wall. "I realised Mr Ferrier must have fallen. "I went downstairs and Mr Ferrier was lying at the bottom of the ladder. "I phoned for an ambulance."

Asked about the position Mr Ferrier was in, Mr Thomson said, "His back was on the step unfortunately. "The ladder was at a bit of an angle." Mr Thomson had told Mr Ferrier to lie still.
The injured man then asked him to take off his tool bag because it felt tight around him, which he did. Mr Thomson said he knew his wife and Mr Ferrier had discussed the cleaning of the high windows and that the extended poles had been used at one time. "It was entirely up to his discretion how to do the windows. "I think my wife said the poles didn't do a good job and said if it was going to be a problem not to do them," said Mr Thomson.

He said Ronald Ferrier still cleaned their windows but not the high ones. "They fold in and my wife cleans them now," said Mr Thomson. Kerry Cringan, an inspector with the Health and Safety Executive, carried out investigations following the accident. She said the ladder was in good condition and that Mr Ferrier's slip-on shoes had a good grip on the sole so were suitable.
"I think it is likely that there was over-reaching. "That may or may not have been the cause of the incident," she told the inquiry. She said to avoid the ladder moving stability devices could have been used such as an eye-bolt to tie the top to the wall or outriggers at the bottom. The inspector said she had spoken to Mr Thomson following the accident. He had told her that Mr Ferrier had used poles on the windows but the finish had been unsatisfactory.

Ms Cringan outlined various safety advice from the HSE for working at height and was asked if it was basically common sense. "No, I think it's good to a have a reminder. The problem is complacency can set in," she said. Sheriff Craig McSherry found that Mr Ferrier died from blunt force trauma injuries as a result of the fall and that the deceased could have taken precautions such as securing the ladder or fitting stabilisers which may have prevented the accident.

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