New Window Cleaning High-Rise Guide Lines & Peeping Tom

New Zealand's rope access industry is growing quickly.

New safety guidelines for rope workers: A run of accidents in the rope industry over the past year has prompted officials to set out a new set of safety guidelines. The Department of Labour and the Industrial Rope Access Association of New Zealand (IRAANZ) have today released new Best Practice Guidelines for industry rope access in New Zealand. The guidelines come in response to three non-fatal incidents in the last 12 months. In February this year, 18-year old Louisa Kuypers fell about 30m to the ground while suspended from a building in Newmarket, Auckland, cleaning windows. This followed an accident in December, when acrobatic abseiler Mikaela Blayney plunged 20m to the ground while performing above Aotea Square. An abseiling window cleaner was seriously injured after falling at least five stories in central Wellington last June. Today's guidelines will give both rope access operators and building managers a shared understanding of what acceptable standard practice is within the industry, said IRAANZ President David Karam.

"This document will set a benchmark for rope access operations and promote a safer and more professional service throughout New Zealand," he said. Department of Labour's Brett Murray said any work involving rope access carried a level of risk but correct procedures needed to be followed to minimise that risk as much as possible.  "It is essential that the correct design and installation procedures are carried out where rope access is required," Murray said. "Everyone working in the industry needs to understand the dangers and these new guidelines provide the advice they need to operate safely." 

-----------------------------------

A Filipina told Dubai Court how she thought a window cleaner was watching her while she showered at her flat in Bur Dubai.

Window cleaner accused of watching woman shower: A cleaner is accused of watching a woman take a shower while he was cleaning her bathroom window. The woman, a 38-year-old Filipina, told Dubai Court of First Instance the incident happened at her flat in Bur Dubai last month. She said: “I noticed the window was open so I closed it and then took off my clothes and started having my shower. I then noticed the window was open again and realised someone watching me.” She added: “I closed the window again and covered my body. I then watched the window until I saw the suspect open it again and I yelled at him and called Dubai Police.” Police arrested the 28-year-old Bangladeshi defendant, who denied the accusation. “He claimed that he wasn’t looking at her and was only cleaning the window from outside,” a policeman said in official records. The defendant has pleaded not guilty to molestation and trial has been adjourned to next month to prepare the defence.

Window cleaner 'peeped at showering woman' - A woman who was taking a shower looked up to see a window cleaner peeking at her, the Dubai Criminal Court heard today. Prosecutors said that JJ, a 38-year-old Filipina interior designer, had shut the bathroom window before getting into the shower on April 16. But halfway through her shower she noticed the window was open again. "I realised that someone was looking at me," said the woman. She then crossed the bathroom to shut the window once more before returning to her shower. She said she kept an eye on the window and after a short while noticed MJ, a 28-year-old window cleaner from Bangladesh, trying to open it. "I screamed at him and then called police," she said. The window cleaner denied a charge of sexual assault. "No this did not happen, I was just cleaning the glass windows of the building at Dubai Sports City," he said. A verdict was scheduled for June 11.

Cleaner peeps through bathroom window to see bathing Filipina: A Bangladeshi cleaner, MJM, 28, allegedly peeped into the window of a bathroom while a Filipina, JJ, 38, designer, was taking a bath, the Dubai Criminal Court heard. JJ testified that she went into the bathroom of her house to take a bath. “I noticed that the window was slightly open so I closed it… I took off my dress and got into the tub. While taking a bath I noticed that the window was re-opened. I suspected that there was someone peeping through the window. I covered myself with the towel and closed the window. I left the bathroom shouting and called the police,” she testified. Corporal Khalid Salem testified that he was rushed to the Sports City following the woman’s complaint. Checking with the building’s watchman, police found that MJM was assigned to clean the building’s glass. MJM denied peeping at the woman and claimed that he was only busy cleaning the window. The court adjourned the case for verdict till June 11.