Harness Snap In Edinburgh, Scotland

Hospital: The cleaner was injured when he fell from the office block in Edinburgh.

Window cleaner plummeted from office block after harness snapped: A window cleaner has been taken to hospital after his harness snapped and he fell from an office block. Two men from a Perth-based company were cleaning the windows at Exchange Place Estate on Semple Street in Edinburgh on Friday when the man fell. It is understood his harness broke just after 4pm and he fell from the building. The worker was taken to Edinburgh Royal Infirmary with injuries to his wrists, ankles and back. A spokesman for Police Scotland said there were no suspicious circumstances around the fall and the Health and Safety Executive are investigating. A spokeswoman for the Health and Safety Executive said: "We are aware of the incident in Edinburgh and are investigating." 

Exchange Place Estate on Semple Street in Edinburgh.

The WaterFed Pole Wagtail Orbit

The Wagtail Orbit - it will become the new 'must-have' tool. Click to enlarge.

The latest offering from the Wagtail stable of tools - the Orbit: A swivel brush head that will fit all makes of wfp brush head. Why is this so important? Anyone with a water fed pole can instantly fit this swivel handle to any brush head they own to reach those difficult access areas. Not only that - any traditional window cleaning poles that you would normally use, now instantly become a waterfed pole by adding a brush. Aggressively priced to sell like hot cakes, this tool will become a "must-have" in your arsenal of window cleaning tools.

Side view: See how the collar will grip your brush stock handle. Click to enlarge.

How does it work? - The swivel handle that fits on the end of your traditional pole has a tightening ring that clamps to the brush stock on the top of the brush. With a waterfed pole you just need to add a cone so that the wagtail handle just pushes on. Very simple & works like a dream! If you are worried about the Orbit falling off, a simple screw can be screwed through into the cone with the pre-drilled hole already on the Wagtail handle. Testers so far have said this is not needed. It may be cautious to add this at much higher heights though (40+ feet) where the weight of the pole could twist the handle.

Head over view of the Wagtail Orbit. Click to enlarge.

This is another revolutionary piece of equipment from 'Down Under' -  the Orbit is the latest invention from Willie Erken that will take over the window cleaning World especially in the World of waterfed poles. Utilizing the same orbiting motion as the world famous Wagtail hand tools, the Orbit allows the water fed pole user to access windows where there is an obstacle below or side. Allowing the user to stand diagonal from a window and easily reach each corner of the glass high above and efficiently clean all surfaces with minimal strain. The Orbit easily pivots from side to side, getting the brush head into corners where previously a large area could be missed or cleaned poorly.

Where can I get the Orbit? Click links below:

USA - Window Cleaning Resource
Canada - The Window Cleaning Store
Australia - Window Cleaning World
UK - Contact Window Cleaning Magazine

 

Character Building - You Need To Clean Windows!

Fed up with poor grades, attendance and attitude problems, students were sent window cleaning.

High school football coach benches entire team for character issues: A Utah high school football coach suspended his entire team recently, and it had nothing to do with their performance on the field. Matt Labrum, the head coach at Union High School in Roosevelt, Utah, benched all 50 of his players last weekend because of character issues. Fed up with poor grades, attendance and attitude problems, in addition to learning that one or two players may have been involved in cyber-bullying another student, Labrum ordered all of his players to turn in their jerseys and equipment following a loss to Judge Memorial Catholic on Sept. 20.  “We felt like our respect level for our students and to the teachers and things weren’t what we wanted that to be,’’ Labrum told Joe Fryer Thursday.

The players were given a letter signed by the coaching staff with a list of requirements they needed to fulfill if they wanted to play again. They had to take part in two days of community service, from gardening to window-washing, and complete a character education class. They also had to attend all of their classes without being late to any of them, and those with poor grades had to show improvement in order to get their places back on the team.

The team also elected new captains at a meeting, with only two of the seven captains chosen in the preseason being re-elected. The players are now preparing for their homecoming game against Emery High School on Friday night. “We’ve cleaned up our act,’’ sophomore player Karter Rook said.  On Wednesday night, most of the players got their jerseys back during a team meeting, but 10 players did not because they failed to meet the requirements. The tough love was welcomed by the players’ parents.  “You’re held up to a higher standard, and your behavior better be up to snuff,’’ Jennifer Rook, Karter’s mother, said. “It really brought us back down to earth, and I think it got people to do what they needed to do,’’ Karter said.

Window Washer Rescue - Suspension Trauma

A window washer was rescued from a building on Second Street in Harrisburg. The unidentified man was stuck 80 feet up for about 25 minutes. He's now safely on the ground.

Window washer rescued after dangling from side of building in downtown Harrisburg: A man who slipped in his harness while washing the windows of a building downtown was rescued after dangling over the street for nearly 30 minutes, fire officials said. Newly promoted Harrisburg Deputy Fire Chief Michael Horst said the man was checked by emergency medical personnel at the scene at the Penn National Insurance building on North Second Street. The man was released shortly before 10 a.m., Horst said. Crews used a ladder truck to rescue the man, who was suspended about 70 to 80 feet above the street for roughly 20 minutes after he first slipped, the deputy chief said.

"He was getting ready to change his position on the side of the building and when he did, an automatic safety system kicked in and he was unable to get himself free," Horst said. While the safety harness kept the man from falling, it also put a strain on his legs and waist, meaning crews had to act fast to get him free before medical complications arose, Horst said. "At about 30 minutes his body condition starts to break down from being constrained like that," Horst told reporters.

In spite of Horst's claims that the man was not in any serious danger of falling, onlookers described a frantic scene in the first minutes of the incident. Robert Roth, who was managing the Joe on the Go coffee and snack stand next to the financial building said he first noticed a crowd of people forming a short time before fire crews arrived.

"People were screaming, that's when I came over," Roth said. "He was just sort of hanging there at first, but then he dropped about two stories before he caught himself again ... we all thought he was going to keep falling. It was terrifying." Fire crews had cleared the scene by 10 a.m., and North Second Street was reopened to traffic a short time later.

"He dropped about two stories before he caught himself ... we all thought he was going to keep falling. It was terrifying," - Robert Roth, witness.

Window washer rescued from Harrisburg office building: A window washer was rescued from a Downtown Harrisburg office building this morning. Fire officials said the man was stuck between the fourth and fifth floors of the Penn National Insurance building in the first block of N. 2nd Street. A deputy fire chief on the scene said the man was moving between windows when his safety mechanism became stuck in such a way that it was cutting off blood flow in his leg. The man was stuck for about 25 minutes before firefighters used a ladder to rescue him. The deputy chief said that in another five minutes, the incident could have become fatal due to the loss of blood flow. The window washer was taken to a hospital where he was treated and released

Also see Research on Suspension Trauma for High-Rise Window Cleaners

Suspension from Harness may Cause Death

R.I.P. Window Cleaner Lee Teske

Lee Teske, a recent start-up in window cleaning.

Man cleaning windows dies after 70-foot-fall at St. Cloud hotel: A man who was cleaning windows Sunday at the Kelly Inn in downtown St. Cloud fell 70 feet to his death in what police are saying was probably an accident. Firefighters responded to the scene at about 5:08 p.m. Sunday. Police were called about 15 minutes later and learned that the man had been cleaning windows and fell approximately 70 feet, said Assistant Police Chief Sue Stawarski.

Police were unable Monday to confirm the man’s identity, but family members identified him as Lee Teske, 56. He was self-employed and had experience working as a window washer in downtown Minneapolis and in St. Cloud, according to his sister, Dawn Witschen. He worked alone and didn’t have any employees, she said.

Teske had a safety harness on that rescue workers had to remove when they were treating him, said Greg Newinski, battalion chief at the St. Cloud Fire Department. Teske apparently fell onto the breezeway that connects the Kelly Inn to the River’s Edge Convention Center. He then fell from the breezeway to the ground, Newinski said.

Officials from the Minnesota Occupational Safety and Health Administration were in St. Cloud on Monday to review the details of the case, said James Honerman, communications director for the Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry.

He said that window washing has been a point of focus for OSHA. During the time period of 2009-2011, three Minnesota workers died on the job while washing windows, he said. That led to the creation of a program that started in March 2012 that focused on making window washing safer. Minnesota also was the first in the nation to have a window-washing safety standard, he said.

Future Trends - Adapt & Adopt

Biotechnology and nanotechnology are also exciting developments and he is certain more widespread use of both in the cleaning sector will happen. “For example self-cleaning windows already exist. So we ask, what happens to the traditional window cleaner? In the long term he could be more focused on façade cleaning, perhaps, and become more specialist. Adapt and adopt..

Future trends - take decisive action now:  Global facilities services provider ISS published its 2020 Vision study as an assessment of the trends that will shape the facilities management industry between now and 2020. Responsible for compiling this comprehensive document was Peter Ankerstjerne, group marketing director, who is based at the company’s headquarters in Copenhagen, Denmark. He speaks exclusively to ECJ about the background to the study and its key findings.

“The next decade is likely to be as turbulent and unpredictable as this one, presenting new challenges and opportunities for our society, our industry, our customers and our company. Maintaining a competitive edge in the future marketplace will require vigilance, imagination and the willingness to take decisive action.” Those are the words of Jeff Gravenhorst, ceo of the ISS Group in his introduction to the 2020 Vision report.

Peter Ankerstjerne, group marketing director, was responsible for the project which was carried out in conjunction with the Copenhagen Institute for Futures Studies. 2020 Vision set out to develop a number of global scenarios for the future of the facility management (FM) and services industry. The key drivers were defined as sustainability and technology. ECJ spoke to Ankerstjerne about each of these elements.

“Sustainability is still a moving target,” he explains. “In the macro economy sustainability is something companies are forced to do but it’s not as deeply rooted yet as it will be in 2020. It will become more deeply rooted because it has to.

“The technology trend is key to helping us to support the sustainability trend because development is so much better and more affordable. Of course it still has to be competitive and productive.”

From ISS’ point of view, Ankerstjerne continues, sustainability is just as much about corporate social responsibility (CSR) as it is ‘green’ cleaning. “It’s about health and safety, taking care of people, developing the workforce, etc. One of the greatest challenges is the elderly burden, ie, how do we keep people in the job longer as retirement ages change and people retire older?

“The people management challenge is significant – giving our employees the right ways of working, ergonomic equipment, good chemicals etc. We must also give people a good reason to work in the cleaning industry, by raising its image and perception. And that’s about continuous development.”

In this regard Ankerstjerne believes cleaning service companies may have to take more action in developing skills like language, mathematics, integration into society. “We will start to see more development-oriented employment, whereby providing education to our employees will become part of our responsibility as employers.

“Employees will become a more scarce resource so we will have to work harder to recruit and keep them. This challenge brings with it exciting potential and opportunities. Training will become even more important. It offers organisations a real chance to grow and foster the talent they have within their business.”

In the field of technology too Ankerstjerne feels there are great opportunities. “IT developments are of course important because they affect how we report to clients, manage contracts, etc. “We also see robotics as being a crucial development, a chance to free cleaners up to do other tasks – they could become more multi-tasked service assistants for example.”

So far, however, robotic technology has not been widely adopted by the cleaning sector – which Ankerstjerne attributes largely to the maturity of the technology. “The price does have to come down in order to be more competitive but that will certainly happen,” he points out. “Cleaning service providers must also be a little more innovative and collaborative with the systems manufacturers in order for them to become more widely accepted.”

For Ankerstjerne biotechnology and nanotechnology are also exciting developments and he is certain more widespread use of both in the cleaning sector will happen. “For example self-cleaning windows already exist. So we ask, what happens to the traditional window cleaner? In the long term he could be more focused on façade cleaning, perhaps, and become more specialist.

Adapt and adopt

“In general technology must be adapted and adopted, and then used by cleaning businesses to upskill their people to other areas perhaps. The larger companies like ISS can do that of course – for smaller companies focusing purely on cleaning it is more of a challenge.”

Ankerstjerne goes on: “New technology will also give us better reporting standards – buildings are becoming much more intelligent for example. Real-time information online, GPS systems, will become the norm and that gives us enormous potential.

“This level of reporting means the service provider can become an adviser to the client – which enables us to offer them better services, help them analyse their data and how it can be used. Intelligence means more effective and productive cleaning schedules. For example, if nobody is occupying a room for a period of time why clean it every day? We foresee the job becoming more output-focused, whereby service levels are more in line directly with customer needs.

“Communications technology is very exciting and can certainly be integrated more extensively into the cleaning business. For cleaners working alone at night, for example, GPS systems could be more effectively employed.”

As a service industry cleaning is so vital to its clients because it creates a better environment. Ankerstjerne points out: “A healthier building means a healthier workforce and less absenteeism. This makes our proposition more interesting for a client – we are improving their hygiene levels to make their workforce more effective and more productive.

“We are in a vicious circle of cutting costs – that’s true – but if we add real value we believe that becomes less of a focus. And technology will also help that approach thanks to better equipment, better cleaning chemicals, etc. Because through those technological developments we can deliver savings in water and energy usage, for example. We are demonstrating to clients that we can deliver green solutions and other sustainable systems – and we have a greater ability to document what we do.”

There is still a widespread perception that sustainable systems are more expensive than traditional ones but Ankerstjerne argues this is not the case. “It’s vital to look at the bigger picture and the indirect savings that can result. Less use of energy at night due to daytime cleaning for example. This makes it fundamentally important that we really understand our customers’ operations so that we can carry out full calculations about convenience, water/energy use etc and put our case forward professionally.”

Central to every cleaning operation of course, is the staff, and must be a key area of focus for the FM industry worldwide says Ankerstjerne. “Employees are now not such a scarce resource because of the economic crisis. But this will change so it’s important to achieve better standards of professionalism, cross-border cooperation, training, continuous development. We must encourage cleaners to take pride in what they do and see the bigger picture of the importance of their job as a cleaner.

“This is really one of our biggest challenges and service companies, along with industry organisations, need to stand together more on this. We must protect our employees’ health and safety while also making our operations more efficient, more profitable and more productive.

“There is a real business case for doing this. More motivated and well-rewarded staff give better service and do a much better job for our clients.”

Fun Friday - Scary Window Cleaning Clown

Bizarre: Appearances of the clown, who was seen waving and holding balloons and a teddy bear, had left residents of the Northamptonshire town baffled. He knocked on a woman's door while dressed as a clown and offered to clean her windows.

AND SPEAKING OF CLOWNS - So, a bloke has started dressing up as a clown in Nottingham and wandering the streets at night. Observers have said that he looks suspiciously like Pennywise from It, and some residents have said that they are completely freaked out by the sight of a clown at midnight. Interestingly, the man responsible says he is just bringing a bit of colour to the town but the locals have branded him as a sick, twisted weirdo, which seems a bit harsh.

Although he did knock on a woman's door while dressed as a clown and offered to clean her windows. But he had no window cleaning equipment. And it was night time. So far, he seems harmless enough, but I was rather taken aback by one Facebook user's response to the new addition to Nottingham's streets who said: "Nothing personal, mate. But if I see you I'm going to fuck you up bad, real bad." Was he afraid of clowns? No, as he repeats in the threat: "It really is nothing personal. I've just always really, really wanted to badly hurt a clown." There's a first – the boy the circus ran away from.

The so-called Northampton Clown has attracted more than 124,000 "likes" on Facebook

Creepy clown just 'harmless fun' - A "creepy" clown who conjured up a worldwide online following simply by standing motionless in the street has denied intending to scare anyone. The so-called Northampton Clown has attracted more than 124,000 "likes" on Facebook despite facing accusations that his act leaves onlookers feeling frightened and intimidated. In an interview with the Northampton Chronicle and Echo, the entertainer described his impromptu appearances at various locations around the town in recent days as "a bit of harmless fun". The clown, who was not named by the newspaper, said: "I just wanted to amuse people. Most people enjoy being a bit freaked out and then they can laugh about it afterwards. "It's like watching a horror movie. When people get scared, they usually start laughing." The clown, wearing an all-in-one suit and an outsize bow tie, has reportedly left some local residents terrified by standing around on street corners and staring at passers-by.

Clowning around: The clown has vowed to continue appearing in the town even though he says it is difficult to keep his identity a secret.

'Just harmless fun': The creepy clown of Northampton speaks out...Beep, beep!

The mysterious Northampton Clown has spoken out for the first time to reveal the truth about his appearances in the town. People across the world have been gripped by the story of the clown since pictures emerged online of him standing in various locations around the town, looking similar to the Pennywise character from the cult Stephen King film, It. In an exclusive interview with the Northampton Chronicle & Echo, the Clown said he could understand why people had been “extremely frightened” by him but he insisted his exploits were intended in good humour.

Not trying to be sinister: The clown was threatened with violence by some Facebook users after he started appearing on Friday 13.

The clown, who wants to keep his real identity anonymous, said: “I just wanted to amuse people. “Most people enjoy being a bit freaked out and then they can laugh about it afterwards. “It’s like watching a horror movie, when people get scared they usually start laughing. “Naturally, some people would have been extremely frightened by what they saw, but I hope many are starting to see it as a bit of harmless fun.”

The Northampton Clown said he was “absolutely amazed” by the reaction to his appearances in the town and was pleased that he had got so many people talking about Northampton. As many people have suspected, due to the fact his clown costume resembles Pennywise from the film It, the Northampton Clown has admitted to being a Stephen King fan. During conversations he regularly made references to the 1990 horror movie. He also said it was proving to be “more difficult to keep his identity a secret” as people were working out where he lived. However, the clown said he intended to keep appearing in the town “for as long as people are interested” and he may even start holding a particular “clown” day every week.

FULL TRANSCRIPT OF INTERVIEW:

When did you start dressing up as a clown? In 1715, when i first realised many people in the world were afraid of clowns.

What was your intention when you first started being pictured in the clown suit? I just wanted to amuse people. Most people enjoy being a bit freaked out which they can then laugh about after. It’s like watching a horror movie, when people get scared they usually start laughing. Naturally some people would have been extremely frightened by what they saw but i hope many are starting to see it as a bit of harmless fun.

Are you scared to go out in Northampton now? No, but it’s proving more difficult to keep my identity a secret.

How old are you? 298, and I awake every 30 years.

Which part of Northampton are you from? A few people have already worked this out.

What do you think of the reaction the story? Absolutely amazing and unexpected. “IT”’s making people talk about Northampton for sure.

How long do you intend to make appearances in Northampton? For as long as people are interested in it. I might perhaps do one day a week thing, a clown day, i.e a Wednesday and that’s the day to spot me. We will see. Beep Beep!

Do you think you will ever reveal your true identity? Perhaps, we’ll see how ‘IT’ goes.

And finally also in Nottingham...

Nottingham Movie Theater Shows Paranormal Activity Instead Of Madagascar, Scares Hell Out Of Kids:  A group of children expecting to see a new animated movie fled in terror on Saturday when the theater accidentally played one of the goriest horror films of the season. "They started playing the movie and I thought - this doesn't look right," Natasha Lewis, who took her 8-year-old son Dylan to the screening on Saturday, told The Sun. "It's enough to make grown men jump, so you can imagine the terror in these young faces." Employees at the Cineworld cinema in Nottingham, England claim a "technical error" caused the the theater to show Paranormal Activity 4 instead of the more kid-friendly Madagascar 3, according to Yahoo Movies. The roughly 25 families attending the screening immediately grabbed their children and bolted for the exits. "It was only about two minutes worth of the film but it was enough to scar them for life," Lewis, 32, told The Sun.

A Double Helping Of Super

A Squeegee Cleaning Services of Chelsea window washer dressed as Superman flexes for Reginae Bush, 5, Tuesday, Sept. 17, 2013, at Children’s of Alabama in Birmingham, Ala. Window washers dressed as Superman, Spider-man, Batman and Captain America scaled down the 15-story hospital building stopping at every floor to see the kids.

Alabama hospital patients greeted by comic heroes (Birmingham, Ala.) - Patients at Children’s of Alabama waved and fist-bumped a few comic book heroes through the hospital’s windowpanes as the characters rappelled down the side of the 15-story building. Employees from Squeegee Cleaning Services of Chelsea dressed up as Superman, Batman, Spiderman and Captain America Tuesday and rappelled down the building to greet children on each floor. The visits were part of the hospital’s “Celebrating Our Heroes” week, which is part of an event at the hospital aimed at raising awareness of childhood cancer and sickle cell.

Some of the patients were dressed up in superhero costumes themselves, donning capes and masked that matched the heroes on the other side of the glass. Squeegee Cleaning Services partnered with Children's of Alabama to do the bi-annual window cleaning for the building, and made it more exciting for the young patients by wearing superhero costumes on the job. 

Superheroes Wash Windows at Geisinger (PLAINS TOWNSHIP) — Some might say that a hospital is full of superheroes, people who save lives and prevent illness. But a few real superheroes visited the children at Geisinger Wyoming Valley near Wilkes-Barre on Tuesday. It’s a bird! It’s a plane! It’s Superman! He’s working side by side with Spiderman, leaping the side of Geisinger Wyoming Valley near Wilkes-Barre in a single bound. “Today, we have our annual window washing, but with a special twist,” said Geisinger Chief Administrative Officer John Buckley.

The twist is the window washers are actually employees of a window washing company in Harrisburg. But on this day, they are dressed up as superheroes for the kids’ enjoyment. To the youngsters watching from inside, like little Kaylee Law of Jenkins Township, these are real superheroes. “It means the world to me because she gets to see something that she’s never saw up close like that before, so she was really in shock,” said Kaylee’s dad Michael Law.

It’s not just the children who get excited. “The caregiving team really gets a kick out of it themselves. We have a little bit of the debate about whose favorite superhero there is,” said Buckley. Making people happy is a lot to live up to, but not difficult for Spiderman or Superman. After all, with great power, comes great responsibility. “I never even turned around and seen what everyone else looking at us. She had my attention as much as I had her attention I bet,” said window washer Aaron “Superman” Jones. “She seemed so happy. She feels so much better. Since yesterday, she was really sick, and now today she’s more energetic, more active, more happy,” said Law. No doubt thanks to these heroes, who put smiles on faces faster than a speeding bullet.

Sydney Window Cleaners Rescued

A window cleaner hangs precariously from a gurney outside the AON building on George St, Parramatta.

Window cleaners rescued from gurney on George Street, Parramatta: Two window cleaners were rescued from a 12-storey building in George St Parramatta this morning after their gurney became stuck seven storeys up. Fire and Rescue teams were called at about 8.30am when the gurney became stuck outside the Aon building at 130 George St under a ledge at the seventh level as the window cleaners were doing their job. But, as the men were in good spirits and uninjured, the gurney manufacturer BMU was called in to pull the men up to safety at the top of the building.

Chopper-cam: The men were reached by 10am and the rescue is going smoothly. The men are uninjured.

The men were finally pulled to safety at about 11.30am but shied away from the media. Parramatta Fire and Rescue station commander Bob Callow told the media that BMU had the equipment to pull the gurney away from the building and back up to the top. Fire and Rescue crews from Parramatta, Eastwood and Merrylands were there to assist and had taken a ladder up to monitor the rescue operation and check on the men's welfare. "They were in good spirits but wanted to stay together until they could be hauled to safety," Mr Callow said. "At one stage, the wind picked up which was a bit of a worry. We would have stepped in if the wind had reached higher levels." The men were reached by 10am and the rescue is going smoothly. The men are uninjured.

Parramatta window cleaners safe after broken platform left them seven storeys above ground: Two men left dangling from a stricken cleaning platform seven storeys above the ground have manually pulled themselves to safety in Sydney's west. The pair in blue cleaning jump suits were stranded on the platform 25 metres above George Street in Parramatta. The two-metre-long structure lost power shortly after 9am (AEST) and the right side dropped against the office building. Rescue crews were called to the scene about 10am but the cleaners declined a quick rescue. A large crane pulled up alongside to assist the men if needed. But they worked for over two hours to manually winch themselves upright and to the top of the building. Dozens of office workers gathered to watch the operation as they took their lunch breaks. The two men have no injuries but are shaken by the incident.

A rescue crane pulls alongside the platform to help if needed.

Watchman pulls building cleaners to safety (Abu Dhabi) - Two Bangladeshi workers cleaning a high-rise building had a miraculous escape on Tuesday when the building watchman pulled them to safety through an apartment window after ropes connecting to their scaffolding came loose. The accident occurred on Tuesday at around 10am at the Salam Bombay restaurant building behind Electra Street. Cleaners Sabikur Rahman and Jaman Mandal, both 25, told XPRESS they lost balance when the rope came loose on one side, tilting their platform to the right. “We held on to the rope. Otherwise we would have fallen down,” said Mandal who is married with a one year old baby in Bangladesh. Rahman said they called out for the watchman who came to their rescue within minutes.

Mohammed Jaffer, the building watchman said, “As soon as I heard them screaming for help, I rushed to the fifth floor where the scaffolding was stuck. They were outside the bathroom of a vacant apartment. I forced open the glass window with the help of two other people and pulled them in,”
Another watchman called the police rescue team that arrived at the spot with three fire trucks. The rescue team brought down the scaffolding with a crane. A managerial staff from cleaning company Super Bright General Contracting, said the cleaning apparatus was recently checked by a safety management company. “We have got a six-month approval from the company that checked our apparatus at the beginning of this month,” said the staff. There was no immediate comment from the safety management company.

84 Year Old Window Washer Cleans Up

Niemisto washes windows for 80 businesses located in the downtown area.

84-year-old man making downtown Marquette "Someplace Special" one window at a time -  Through out the year, TV6 highlights members of the community who are making a difference. This week's "Someplace Special" report highlights a man who has been taking care of downtown Marquette for the past 30 years. As tourists and locals move in and out of the shops on Washington Street, there is a man who spends his time traveling from window to window, making sure they are squeaky clean.

His name is Philip Niemisto, and for the past 30 years, he has made it his mission to keep downtown Marquette, and a part of the city he calls home, a beautiful place for everyone to enjoy. "I had to figure out some way to get some money in, so I went into the place where I was already working, Ben Franklin's, and I found some old window tools and I came out, started cleaning, and pretty soon people across the street started calling to me, and so I thought to myself, looks like this might be my new career," said Niemisto.

Niemisto washes windows for 80 businesses located in the downtown area. "They're not really your customers; they're sort of like your family. You get to know each one of those people in the stores. They got some problems--they tell you about their problems--you know, back and forth, and so it's kind of like having a family down here," Niemisto said.

A combination of donations and the money he earns from his window washing business also helps Niemisto with his flower garden. "When you plant flowers, you don't bury it right away. You just set it down and you can mix things back and forth. Otherwise if you bury, you got to come back in and rearrange." Niemisto said. He also added, he is not retiring anytime soon. "That'll put you in bed in a hurry or you're going to be laid out. You have to keep actively busy, going all the time. As a matter of fact, washing windows was a smart move because it forced me to walk everyday."

So if you happen to be downtown Marquette, look around for Mr. Niemisto because everyday, no matter what the weather, he is making Marquette someplace special. If you are interested in helping Mr. Niemisto maintain his flower garden right next to the Wild Rover Pub, there is a donation can inside Book World right next to the register. Full video here (no subtitles).

Whats New & On Offer In The Window Cleaning World?

Plus much, much more - click the picture to take you there!

WCRA Payroll - Only $39.95 per month for 1-10 employees • Pricing includes • Unlimited payroll processing per month, even daily! • Direct Deposit or Self-Print Checks • Tax Pay and Tax Filing for Federal, State, and Local Taxes • Accounting Software Integration for QuickBooks and many more! • Self-Service HR Tools and Compliance Posters • Online reports, new hire reporting and account set-up • NO HIDDEN FEES • FULL Support by Paychex Employees • Annual fee is $40 per company and $4.25 per W2 or 1099

New Insurance Benefit - WCRA members we have a big surprise for you! We are super excited to annouce a partnership with Joseph D. Walters insurance agency! This top of the industry insurance company is willing to offer all WCRA members an exclusive discount on insurance. So what kind of a discount are we talking? We are glad you asked!
  
WCRA members will now get a 25% discount on their premiums. All members will get the first $2000 of equipment coverage included at no charge. Members will also get an additional 10% off if they pay their premium in one payment. Members will have access to an exclusive “All About Insurance” subforum.  This will be the place to get answers to questions about general liability, workman’s comp, commercial vehicle as well as homeowners insurance coverages and policies. Wait there's more! There is an additional 5% discount if you get a quote in the next 60 days!  

The WCRA, Window Cleaning Resource Association, offers many postcards to its WCRA Members. They come in 4 x 6 and 8.5 x 11, are completely adjustable, and can be edited to fit your business needs.  They are Photoshop files, ready for you to just plug in your information.  New cards are added on a regular basis to offer all of the members a huge selection for each season.  Best of all, they are completely free to our WCRA Members.

WCRA and PWRA Members now have the opportunity to apply for a commercial fuel card with a special cost savings rebate! Based on your location and the proximity of the closest station, you will receive an invitation to apply for one of the following brands: Shell Fleet Plus Card, ExxonMobilBusiness Card, Sunoco® Corporate Card, the Phillips 66®-Conoco®-76® CommercialCard or the 76® Commercial Card. Each credit card has a rebate offer that helps to save money and provides the tools to manage fuel expenses more effectively. Scheduled mailing will be sent out approximately three times a year to our members inviting them to take advantage of this discount. When you receive an invitation to apply, we hope you will take advantage of this added member benefit so you can experience the benefits, savings and convenience these commercial fuel cards have to offer.

WCRA - PWRA Members At Cost Printing - WCRA and PWRA members are eligible for at cost printing. We charge you what we get charged as a printer. Save up to 25% on normal printing costs. Includes Standard Business Cards 2 x 4

Postcards: 2.75 x 8.5, 3 x 6, 4 x 6, 4 x 9, 4.25 x 5.5, 5 x 7, 5.5 x 8.5, 6.5 x 9, 6.5 x 12, 8 x 6.5, 8 x 10, 8.5 x 11, 9 x 11, 9 x 12.

4.25 x 11 Door Hangers (1-sided)

4.25 x 11 Door Hangers (2-sided)

8.5 x 11 Flyers (1-sided)

8.5 x 11 Flyers (2-sided)

8.5 x 11 Brochure (Tri Fold)

8.5 x 11 Brochures (Z Fold)

8.5 x 14 Brochures (Tri Fold)

Stock up on window cleaning equipment - WCRA members get an exclusive discount when you order any products from Window Cleaning Resource.com! Once you are a WCRA member you will be able to enjoy a 5% off discount off of everything in the Window Cleaning Resource store. We wanted to say thank you for becoming a WCRA member and we know this discount will come in handy when you are making future purchases. So what exactly do we offer? 

At Window Cleaning Resource we offer window cleaning supplies, tools, equipment, an products at the guaranteed lowest prices. Shop Window Cleaning Resource has carries an enormous selection of many different products including: traditional window cleaning supplies, waterfed poles, water purification system, high-rise gear, soaps, chemicals, extension poles, sponges and brushes. Window Cleaning supplies support is available from 7AM to 8 PM east coast time for your buying convenience. All window cleaning equipment orders received before 2 PM ship the same day. Since you are a WCRA member we have you built into a special tier and your 5% discount is added automatically to each item in the store. Need help? No problem! Call 1-862-266-0677 and talk to a representative or use our live chat feature located at the store! 

The new WCR warehouse is now being fully stocked.