Reinventing The Bucket - Kickstarter Campaign

Sparkling clean windows with less water wastage with the Eco Window Cleaning Unit.

Reinventing The Bucket - Kickstarter Campaign: Sparkling clean windows with less water wastage with the Eco Window Cleaning Unit. Why It’s Better Than a Bucket…  It Saves Water! Using the traditional method of cleaning windows, you ‘dip’ an Applicator into a bucket to absorb the water, and then you can either wring it out with your hand and get soaking wet hands. …Or do what most cleaners do and pull it out of the bucket with all the water on it and slop the water all over the window. Wasting about 250ml of water every time! The Eco Window Cleaning Unit uses less than a teaspoon, as the excess water is removed from the applicator before it gets anywhere near the glass.

The EcoBucket was featured on the blog before here.

It Saves Time! The Eco Window Cleaning Unit can hold 6.5 litres of water. You’ll be able to wash 64 glass panels of between 0.5 and 1 sq metre approximately. That’s enough for a window cleaner to last a whole day without a water change! The specially fitted pump and micro-jets mean that only the right amount of clean water is delivered to the squeegee when you need it. All you have to add is one teaspoonful (a quick squirt) of fairy liquid to break down the grease and that’s perfect!

KickStarter campaign has begun - click here to claim your EcoBucket

About this project

Hello, my name is Clyde Jordan. I’ve been a commercial abseiler for the last 10 years and window cleaning is a very big part of my career. I am based close to London where, like in any large city around the world, there are hundreds, if not thousands, of tall skyscrapers. This is where commercial abseilers play a very big part in keeping the cities looking their best by cleaning the windows of these buildings.

Our abseiling equipment that we use to get ourselves down, or sometimes even up, buildings has been tried and tested over many years and, in my opinion, it has also proven to be the safest way of accessing hard to reach areas, where the conventional way, i.e. ladders, scaffolding and so on, can’t get the job done. Our equipment is constantly being monitored and upgraded to make commercial abseiling safer. However, I had found that the tools we use are not as forthcoming in development as our abseiling equipment, as in using a bucket for cleaning windows while suspended in the air on ropes.

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Don’t get me wrong, a bucket is of great use as I am sure most of us have one or have used one but for commercial abseiling I found it to be really annoying and unconventional. I found that my cleaning tool lanyards always kept getting tangled and when maneuvering on the ropes to get to certain areas, I would almost always finish the day with a soaking leg and a wet sock and when having to do internal cleans where you want to use the least amount of water, it’s just not possible when using a bucket.

Simple process to speed up your window cleaning

I also found that on those not so often cleaning jobs my water constantly got dirty really quickly and I ended cleaning the glass with the dirty water so I spoke to a number of my work colleagues and asked them if they were also having the same problems. Most of them said “yes, but there is no other way of doing it”, which got me thinking “there HAS to be a better way”. I came up with a few ideas and started making homemade prototypes and handed them out to my work colleagues and their colleagues. I got loads of feedback from them and their thoughts on what would make the unit more comfortable and easier to use so I went back and made a lot of changes over a couple of years. I got a prototype that seemed to be good and liked by most abseilers that had a chance to test it. Some of the guys are still using the prototypes now years later!

It really is traditional window cleaning done the smart way.

So where are we now with the project?

During the design stages, the patent process and testing, it was found that the window cleaning unit saves water so the design team (Innovate Product Design) and myself came up with the name ECO WINDOW CLEANING UNIT. A lot of people might think “why worry about the water wasted during window cleaning?” but with millions of windows being cleaned on a daily basis, the amount of water wastage is phenomenal. The Eco Window Cleaning Unit reduces the amount of water wasted during window cleaning by keeping the dirty water separated from the clean water.

For the last two years we have been working with a large reputable manufacturing and managing company and have built up a trusting relationship to ensure that when it comes to production of the Eco Window Cleaning Unit every aspect runs as smooth as possible.    

We have been granted a UK patent and have a pending international patent, and are now happy to announce we are ready to start production of the Eco Window Cleaning Unit. To the people who do window cleaning whilst working at height and those who do indoor window cleaning, I say: Once you try an Eco Window Cleaning Unit, you will find it hard to go back to the bucket method. You’re going to save water, you’re going to save time, and you’re going to make your job a lot more comfortable!

OSHA's Fall Prevention Campaign + App' & Videos

Safe Use of Extension Ladders - Workers who use extension ladders risk permanent injury or death from falls and electrocutions. These hazards can be eliminated or substantially reduced by following good safety practices.

OSHA's Fall Prevention Campaign: This is part of OSHA's nationwide outreach campaign to raise awareness among workers and employers about the hazards of falls from ladders, scaffolds and roofs. The educational resources page gives workers and employers information about falls and how to prevent them. There are also training tools for employers to use and posters to display at their worksites. Many of the new resources target vulnerable workers with limited English proficiency.

OSHA has partnered with the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health and National Occupational Research Agenda (NORA) - Construction Sector on this nationwide outreach campaign to raise awareness among workers and employers about common fall hazards in construction, and how falls from ladders, scaffolds and roofs can be prevented and lives can be saved. Here's how:

PLAN ahead to get the job done safely: When working from heights, such as ladders, scaffolds, and roofs, employers must plan projects to ensure that the job is done safely. Begin by deciding how the job will be done, what tasks will be involved, and what safety equipment may be needed to complete each task.

When estimating the cost of a job, employers should include safety equipment, and plan to have all the necessary equipment and tools available at the construction site. For example, in a roofing job, think about all of the different fall hazards, such as holes or skylights and leading edges, then plan and select fall protection suitable to that work, such as personal fall arrest systems (PFAS).

PROVIDE the right equipment: Workers who are six feet or more above lower levels are at risk for serious injury or death if they should fall. To protect these workers, employers must provide fall protection and the right equipment for the job, including the right kinds of ladders, scaffolds, and safety gear.

Different ladders and scaffolds are appropriate for different jobs. Always provide workers with the kind they need to get the job done safely. For roof work, there are many ways to prevent falls. If workers use personal fall arrest systems (PFAS), provide a harness for each worker who needs to tie off to the anchor. Make sure the PFAS fits, and regularly inspect all fall protection equipment to ensure it's still in good condition and safe to use.

TRAIN everyone to use the equipment safely: Falls can be prevented when workers understand proper set-up and safe use of equipment, so they need training on the specific equipment they will use to complete the job. Employers must train workers in hazard recognition and in the care and safe use ladders, scaffolds, fall protection systems, and other equipment they'll be using on the job.

OSHA has provided numerous materials and resources that employers can use during toolbox talks to train workers on safe practices to avoid falls in construction. Falls from ladders, scaffolds and roofs can be prevented and lives can be saved through three simple steps: Plan, Provide and Train.

Videos to watch, click here.

American Ladder Institute Safety Videos

Ladder Safety Guidance case studies
Falling Off Ladders Can Kill: Use Them Safely - Booklet

Safe Use of Extension Ladders - Fact Sheet

App' Link for multi-language - iphone/Android

New App to download

Ladder Safety App' By Centers For Disease Control and Prevention: The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) is dedicated to ensure the safety of extension-ladder users by developing and disseminating an easy to use interactive ladder safety application for smart phones. 

The NIOSH Ladder Safety application features a multimodal indicator, which uses visual and sound signals to assist the user in positioning an extension ladder at an optimal angle. Furthermore, the application provides graphic-oriented interactive reference materials, safety guidelines and checklists for extension ladder selection, inspection, accessorizing, and use. 

The application is intended to help a wide range of ladder users, employers, and safety professionals, with their ladder-related safety needs. The ladder safety app is also 508 compliant.

Idiots On Ladders

Ladder Association stresses the importance of safe equipment following Birmingham prosecution.

Idiots on Ladders: , a new Facebook campaign from the Ladder Association. At the Ladder Association, we say that the right ladders used in the right way are invaluable and safe workplace tools. The importance of making sure ladder users are well trained, and using the proper equipment for the job, becomes obvious when compared to the crazy and dangerous situations some people put themselves in. So we are launching a campaign to find the worst uses of ladders out there. If you find a picture or a video showing off some ladder lunacy, or snap a picture of some mad ladder use when you're out and about, then send it over to the Ladder Association. (You might also want to explain to the Ladder user in question that he is working unsafely!)

Competition: By drawing attention to bad and unsafe practice on ladders we hope to shame people into working safely. As well as finding pictures and videos yourself, by asking your followers on your own Facebook and Twitter pages to send in dangerous ladder pictures/videos, you will be able to take a more direct part and help get even more people engaged in the contest. For our part, we will put all the pictures and videos we receive on an album on our Facebook page and, through the number of "Likes" each gets, find out which of them is the biggest idiot on a ladder. To take part, just send a picture or a link of a picture or a video via the following methods: Tweet us on @Ladder_Tweet, or post it to our Facebook page. Alternatively, email your picture to michael.fern@ladderassociation.org.uk (please don't email any videos). Then get your own followers doing the same thing on your own Facebook /Twitter pages, and let's find the best (or worst) idiot on a ladder! The winner will be announced on Monday December 3rd 2012.

Ladder Exchange 1 September -  30 November 2012: Trade in your old or dodgy ladders and get a brand new shiny safe ladder in return!!! The Ladder Exchange is a great example of how everyone in the health and safety system can share responsibility and work together towards a common goal; namely, reducing falls from height.

10,000 Ladders and Rising !!! With immediate effect, the Ladder Association has assumed responsibility for delivering the annual Ladder Exchange. Since its launch, the initiative has been responsible for removing over 10,000 broken, bent or damaged ladders from the workplace with the message 'Don't let a dodgy ladder shatter your life'. Now in its sixth consecutive year, the Ladder Exchange, which begins on 1 September and runs until 30 November 2012, provides all businesses with the opportunity to exchange broken, bent or damaged ladders for safe, new ones at a discounted price. Actively supported by the Ladder Association and its members who, throughout, have made a firm commitment to work in partnership with HSE and the access industry, the Exchange has also contributed to raising awareness and understanding of how to use ladders and stepladders safely. Under the scheme, suspect ladders can be exchanged, at a discount, at participating partners.

Clickable links...

Ladder Falls: Even The Most Experienced Can Fall

Window Cleaners Star In: Ladders, Tables & Death Wishes  

Is Cleaning a Window Worth Your Life?

Protect Your Brain - More Ladder Falls

DeathWish: HomeOwners Clean Their Own Windows

Blackpool Features in HSE Safety Campaign

Blackpool's highest window cleaner backs national safety campaign: The man who hangs under the glass floor at the top of Blackpool Tower to clean it, is backing a national safety campaign. Dave Hulme uses a harness to carry out maintenance work to the outside of the 158-metre-high tourist attraction, and is giving his support to the Health and Safety Executive's (HSE's) Shattered Lives campaign. Slips, trips and falls caused 1,155 serious injuries to workers in Lancashire last year, and are the most common cause of major workplace injury in Great Britain. HSE is urging employers and workers to take simple steps to reduce the risk of being injured.

Dave, who works for Cumbrian engineering company MP Marine, started work at Blackpool Tower in 1983 and now oversees its maintenance. He came face to face with HSE Inspector Allen Shute from the underside of the 'Walk of Faith' glass floor to give his support to the Shattered Lives campaign. Dave said: "When they were installing the glass floor just over a decade ago, we had to work out how we'd be able to clean under it safely. I seemed to end up being given the job. I use a harness and then just clean it like you would a window. "I often get some funny looks when I'm hanging under the floor if people are standing on top of it at the time. I've also been known to get a round of applause when I come back up. "People seem to think it's a dangerous job, but working 150 metres above the ground isn't really any more dangerous than working 15 metres above the ground. You just need to make sure you use the right safety equipment. "I hope HSE's Shattered Lives campaign makes people think more about preventing slips, trips and falls in their workplaces."

Allen Shute added: "No one would dream of doing a job like Dave's without using the proper safety equipment. But hundreds of workers are injured every year in falls from just a few metres above the ground. "Hundreds of workers in Lancashire were injured from slips, trips and falls last year. They might sound funny but they shatter the lives of thousands of British workers ever year. "Making improvements doesn't need to cost the earth and we are encouraging people to visit the Shattered Lives website, where they will be able to get simple and cost-effective solutions to help manage slip, trip and fall hazards in their workplace. "Dave knows he's safe when he's working more than 150 metres above the ground at the top of Blackpool Tower because he's held securely in a harness. I hope other people working less high up will start thinking more about the risks they face."

As well as the tragic human cost, preventable slips, trips and falls are having a serious financial impact on the UK. HSE estimates that the combined financial costs incurred by society as a whole is around £800 million a year, at a time when both businesses and individuals are struggling financially following the recession. In response, HSE has launched a new phase of its Shattered Lives campaign, aimed at reducing slips, trips and falls in the workplace. The hard-hitting campaign involves raising awareness of the impact of slips, trips and falls in the workplace and directing people to the new Shattered Lives website at www.hse.gov.uk/shatteredlives for practical advice and guidance.

The campaign is targeted at those sectors where there are a high number of slips, trips and falls each year. Specifically, health and social care, education, food manufacturing, food retail, catering and hospitality, building and plant maintenance, and construction are being targeted. On the new campaign website, people will be able to find out information on how they can easily, and cost effectively, reduce the risk of slips, trips and falls in the workplace, and see what other organisations, such as Sainsbury's and First Line Digital, have done. Included on the site are online guides to preventing slips and trips, and working safely at height. Advice ranges from how to deal with spills and other slip risks, to the importance of using ladders correctly to reduce the risk of falling from height.

Notes to editors:
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is Britain's national regulator for workplace health and safety. It works to prevent death, injury and ill-health to those at work and those affected by work activities. For more information about the work of HSE, visit www.hse.gov.uk
Reportable major injuries include fractures, other than to fingers, thumbs and toes; amputations; dislocation of the shoulder, hip, knee or spine; loss of sight (temporary or permanent); chemical or hot metal burn to the eye or any penetrating injury to the eye; injury resulting from an electric shock or electrical burn leading to unconsciousness, or requiring resuscitation or admittance to hospital for more than 24 hours; any other injury: leading to hypothermia, heat-induced illness or unconsciousness; or requiring resuscitation; or requiring admittance to hospital for more than 24 hours; and unconsciousness caused by asphyxia or exposure to harmful substance or biological agent.
There were two deaths involving falls in Manchester workplaces during 2008/9 and one in Ellesmere Port and Neston involving a slip or trip. The following table lists the number of serious injuries in each local authority area in the North West during 2008/9. Three day injuries refer to injuries which required workers to take at least three days off work.

A former Dudley window cleaner who broke his hip and wrist when he fell from a ladder is backing the Health and Safety Exectutive’s new campaign to prevent workplace injuries caused through trips, slips and falls. Ken Bradley, 63, was cleaning windows at a house in July 2006 when the ladder slipped, throwing him to the ground. The fall left him so badly hurt he had to give up his venture, which he had just started following redundancy a year previous. Ken said: “I felt the ladder slip from under me and I grabbed a window to try and stop myself from falling. But I couldn’t reach. I don’t really remember much after that until I woke up in hospital.” He was in hospital for nine days and had to have his hip pinned and stapled together. The severity of his injuries means he no longer can climb ladders, as well as doing certain jobs he took for granted before the fall. Ken said: “It’s the confidence as much as anything. I’d have done anything once but once the confidence has gone, it makes you think twice. “I can no longer walk as far as I used to be able to and I certainly can’t clamber up and down ladders.” Ken is now backing the HSE’s new campaign Shattered Lives, which aims to raise awareness of the impact of trips, slips and falls. As part of the campaign, a new website has been set up – where people can find out information about easy and cost effective ways to reduce such accidents. HSE inspector Brian Martin said: “Slips, trips and falls can be seen as comical but when they result in injuries like Ken’s, it’s proof they are anything but funny. “However, the vast majority of slips, trips and falls can be easily prevented.”

Window Cleaning Spring News

Tony Evans aka Mr. Squeegee of New View window cleaning in Iowa gives us some spring time tips.

Russell duo leads 'clean' life due to work: Despite their family being spread across the United States, Brett and Rachelle Scott are part of a family business. Brett's brothers, one in Connecticut and one in southeastern Kansas, both have window cleaning businesses similar to his Crystal Clear Cleaning based in Hays and Russell. His parents also still help out with some of the smaller projects in the area. "My oldest brother, Kelly, lives up in Connecticut. He started getting into it there," Brett Scott said. "And that's how it started to trickle down to other members of the family." Now, Brett and Rachelle Scott clean windows on about 50 businesses at least every three months. They also do less frequent cleaning on other homes and businesses in Hays and Russell.
It's not always an easy job -- especially when Mother Nature has something to say about it. "I hate doing it in the winter time," Rachelle Scott said. "We bundle up, and we use special chemicals so they won't freeze and we get it done." Windy days also can prove tiresome. "You have to work faster because the water will dry on the windows faster, so you have to do more work," Rachelle Scott said. But being able to work together is the best motivator for both of the Scotts. "We don't have to deal with any crazy people. We just work together as husband and wife," Rachelle Scott said. The Scotts can be seen cleaning windows two or three days a week in Hays and Russell. The rest of their time is devoted to a Jehovah's Witnesses ministry. "This is how we make our living," Brett Scott said. "It supports our ministry."
The most difficult projects taken on by Crystal Clear Cleaning are Hays Chevrolet and Dillon's on Vine Street in Hays. The Hays Chevrolet building has the highest windows they have to reach. Meanwhile, Dillon's is the most involved. They even wash the outsides of the refrigerators and freezers inside the building. Crystal Clear Cleaning also occasionally cleans windows on newly-constructed buildings after the construction crews are done. Some of their residential projects can be half- or full-day affairs, depending on the size of the house. The Scotts work anywhere from six to 12 hours a day. "When we drive over here (to Hays), we try to get as much done as we can," Brett Scott said. Pictured above: Brett Scott, left, and his wife, Rachelle, owners of Crystal Clear Cleaning of Russell, clean the windows of Equity Bank, 2428 Vine Street.

Teenage fire victim's search for her hero: A hero window cleaner saved the life of a teenage girl who was trapped in a burning house. The Good Samaritan then walked away without even leaving his name. Freya Murphy, 18, said yesterday she desperately wanted to thank the man for his heroic act. Singer Miss Murphy was trapped in her bedroom on the first floor of her parent's historic home in South Street, Lewes, after a chip pan fire broke out at 1pm on Saturday. Miss Murphy said: "I opened my bedroom door and the house was filled with thick black smoke. "I couldn't breathe and it was burning my eyes. "I was terrified. "A fire had ripped through the kitchen of their house spreading from a chip pan she had accidentally left on a lit hob. Smoke had spread through the building, which was built alongside the River Ouse by the Lewes bargemaster in 1784. Miss Murphy said: "I ran to my bedroom window and lent out screaming for someone to help. "I couldn t turn around because the heat was so painful."
Her cries were heard by a window cleaner working at another house in the road who ran with his ladders and climbed up to carry her down. He was helped by one of Miss Murphy s neighbours who saw what was happening and dialled 999. Lewes Fire Station watch commander Martin Lusk, from: "The girl was lucky the window cleaner was there. "We don t know who he was. "He left when we arrived and didn t leave his name. Miss Murphy was taken to the Royal Sussex County Hospital in Brighton and treated for smoke inhalation. She was not seriously injured and spent the night in a hotel with her parents. As she returned to see the gutted kitchen yesterday, Miss Murphy said: "I'd like to say thank you so much to that man. He saved my life. I am so grateful." Do you know who the hero window cleaner was?

Slips, trips and falls are no joke - London injury statistics revealed: In London workplaces last year, 21 people died and more than 3,700 suffered serious injury as a result of a slip, trip or fall from height. These shocking statistics have prompted the launch of an awareness raising campaign from the Health & Safety Executive. In the capital, Westminster topped the statistics with 409 major injuries and a further two fatal injuries reported in 2007/08. Hillingdon followed with a total of 374 reported serious injury cases and a further two fatal injuries, both as a result of falls. Camden reported two fatalities from falls, and the third-highest number of major injuries, totalling 207, of which 170 were a result of a slip or trip. Hounslow had the fourth highest number of major injuries, totalling 205.
The second phase of the Shattered Lives campaign has been launched to highlight the devastating consequences of slips, trips and falls in the workplace and to encourage employers, in consultation with their employees, to take action. "People often view slips, trips and falls as trivial incidents, even comical, but they are no joke to those who suffer major injuries, a lifetime of disability, time off work and, in the worst cases, death," warns Marcia Davies, HSE Head of the Injury Reduction Programme. "We want to raise awareness of how these incidents can happen and how they can be easily avoided by taking common sense actions and precautions at little or no cost. If you spot a hazard in your workplace, deal with it - don't assume that somebody else will.
"The lives of workers and their families are shattered by the serious consequences of these types of accidents. Simple measures introduced by businesses can make a positive difference to safety in the workplace." Fatalities and serious injuries arising from slips, trips and fall incidents cost British society an estimated £700 million last year. Breakdowns of the types of accidents, where they took place and how long they left the victims incapacitated is on the HSE website.
The campaign is targeted at seven sectors where there is a prevalence of such injuries: food retail, catering and hospitality, food and drink manufacturing, building and plant maintenance, healthcare, education and construction, although the risks can occur in any workplace.
To help businesses take preventive action the HSE launched STEP - an interactive learning package that provides practical guidance to help users tackle slips, trips and falls in their workplace. The tool is free and can be accessed online. For further information about slips, trips and falls go to the shattered lives campaign.