Window Cleaner Falls To His Death At The Corinthia

The window-cleaner died when his gondola fell from the 11th floor onto roof of the foyer. Click to enlarge.

Window-cleaner falls to his death at the Corinthia (Libya): A tragic accident has claimed the life of an Egyptian window cleaner at Tripoli’s Corinthia Hotel. He  died after his gondola came crashing down from the 11th floor onto the roof of the hotel foyer. The 34 year-old man, named only as “F.A.” was apparently still alive after the accident which happened on Sunday. Guests have reported that it took some 40 minutes for him to be rescued.

The Old Town police station has filed a report to say that the man, reported as a member of the hotel’s cleaning staff, was pronounced dead before he arrived at Tripoli Medical Centre on Sunday. The impact was so severe that the gondola broke through part of the roof, and dust and debris fell into the foyer of the five-star hotel. A number of guests initially thought that there had been an explosion. It is not yet clear what exactly happened.

The damage made by the impact, with the gondola lying close by. Click to super-size.

The Director of Operations at the Corinthia, Lorraine Radford, told the Libya Herald today that she was unable to comment on the tragedy. The Libya Herald tried to contact the director of public relations for Corinthia Hotels but has not had a response. The police report said that an investigation had been launched. One guest told the Libya Herald that he had been told that arrests had already been made. “This is very serious,” he said, “because somebody died.” Although the interior ceiling of the lobby has been repaired, the damaged roof and broken gondola today remained on the roof.

The Corinthia Hotel Tripoli is a luxury hotel in Tripoli, offering refined hospitality and pampering luxury in the capital of Libya.

Window cleaner dies in Corinthia Tripoli fall: A 34-year-old Egyptian window-cleaner has died while working at the Corinthia Hotel Tripoli, Libyan media reported today. The incident happened on Sunday when the gondola he was standing in collapsed and crashed from the 11th floor to the roof of the hotel's foyer, the Libya Herald reported. He died on his way to hospital.

Greek Safety Rules Ignored In Cleaner’s Fatal Fall

Safety rules ignored in cleaner’s fatal fall: A window cleaner who fell to his death while working at a government building did not have social insurance and safety rules had not been followed, the Labor Inspectorate confirmed yesterday without giving details about what action would be taken against the contractor that employed the father of four. Asiz Emad, an Egyptian immigrant, died on December 19 died after losing his balance and falling from the third floor of the Labor Ministry’s general administration building. His death only came to light when Coalition of the Radical Left (SYRIZA) MP Michalis Kritsotakis tabled a question in Parliament on December 23 about the incident.

In its first official statement on the subject, the Labor Inspectorate, which is responsible for ensuring labor laws and safety regulations are adhered to, said yesterday that in Emad’s case, the rules had not been followed. “According to initial information, the deceased fell from the third floor to the ground due to the lack of safety measures… which indicates a breach in health and safety regulations,” the inspectorate said. It also confirmed that Emad’s social security contributions were not being paid by the contractor employing him. The Labor Inspectorate did not name the company involved but said that it had notified it to give its version of events. Legal action will be launched after that.

“The responsibility of the contractor is great and it needs to be punished swiftly and strictly,” said New Democracy MP Yiannis Vroutsis, who is the party’s labor and social insurance spokesman. “But the responsibilities of the Labor Ministry are also great.” The Attica Union of Cleaners (PEKOP) is demanding that the government explain why Emad was working on a Sunday when the contract with the ministry stipulated the cleaning would take place on weekdays. PEKOP also wants to know why no record was kept of the cleaners’ presence in the building and why Emad had no social insurance.

Cleaners protest ministry death: Members of a cleaners’ union are due to protest outside the Labor Ministry on Korai Street in central Athens at 6 p.m. today to demand answers from the government about the circumstances in which a father of four died while cleaning the building’s windows earlier this month. Asiz Emad, an Egyptian immigrant, died on December 19 died after losing his balance and falling from the third floor of the Labor Ministry. His death only came to light when Coalition of the Radical Left (SYRIZA) MP Michalis Kritsotakis tabled a question in Parliament on December 23 about the window cleaner’s death. The Labor Inspectorate, which operates under the auspices of the Labor Ministry, told Kathimerini yesterday that it did not make an announcement at the time because the employee who would have dealt with the matter was on vacation.

The Labor Inspectorate said that legal action had been launched against the contractor responsible for cleaning the building. If found guilty of breaking the law, the company would be excluded from bidding for state contracts for the next three years. However, the Attica Union of Cleaners (PEKOP) is demanding that the government explain why Emad was working on a Sunday when the contract with the ministry stipulated the cleaning would take place on weekdays between 4 and 9 p.m. Also, the ministry building is officially kept closed on the weekend, so the unionists are asking for information about who let the cleaners in. PEKOP also wants to know why no record was kept of the cleaners’ presence in the building and why Emad had no social insurance.

Constantina Kuneva, the Bulgarian cleaner disfigured in an acid attack in December 2008, was PEKOP’s general secretary at the time. Her plight had highlighted the operation of several cleaning companies who employ mostly immigrants without abiding by labor laws or paying their social security contributions.

Window Cleaners Hidden Death, Fuzzy Endorsement & Wage Legislation

Greek ministry 'covered up Egyptian window cleaner death: Greece's labour ministry came under fire on Tuesday for allegedly covering up the death of an Egyptian window cleaner in a fatal fall at one of its buildings over a week ago. Greek newspapers said the ministry was keeping mum on the death of Asiz Emad who died on December 19 after losing his balance and falling from the third floor of the ministry's central offices in Athens. "The labour ministry has blood on its windows," charged left-wing Avgi daily.
The greater Athens union of cleaners (Pekop) has accused the ministry of trying to cover up Emad's death and demanded to know why the father of four was working on a Sunday in violation of his contract. A protest is to be held outside the ministry on Wednesday. The ministry could not be reached for comment. A spokesman for the state labour inspectorate told Kathimerini daily that legal action has been initiated against the cleaning contractor.
In a break with usual practice, no announcement was made on Emad's death because the competent employee was on vacation, the inspectorate said. Over 60 people have been officially recorded as work-related casualties in Greece this year, Communist daily Rizospastis said.

Mayor John Peyton, Celebrity Endorser? Jacksonville Mayor John Peyton has another accomplishment to add to his resume, that of celebrity endorser. The mayor, who will leave office next summer, appeared in print ads for Krystal Klean, a Jacksonville company that provides pressure washing and window washing services, over the Christmas weekend. The ad, which ran in the Florida Times-Union on December 24, 26 and 27, apparently took the mayor by surprise.

"When the workers were present they asked to take a photo and get his feedback to use as a testament to their work with potential new customers," said Jennifer Savage, a spokesman for the mayor's office. The mayor, it seems, didn't intend for his personal testimony to be used as advertisement for the company. His spokesman said he's asked the company to refrain from running the ad in the future.

Paterson vetoes prevailing wage legislation: MAYVILLE - A veto signed Thursday by Governor David Paterson was good news to Chautauqua County IDA Director Bill Daly. The legislation, which had passed the state Senate and Assembly, would have broadened prevailing wage requirements for contract service workers at public agencies. That wouldn't have been beneficial for the state as a whole, Daly said prior to the veto. "This was a wonderful, wonderful early Christmas present for the people in the state of New York," Daly said Thursday. "For the workers in the state of New York, for job seekers, for our economy - it sends a big message."

In specific, the legislation would have required utility companies and public agencies such as IDAs to pay prevailing wages to services workers such as janitors, security guards, handymen, gardeners and window cleaners. After having passed the Senate, the legislation subsequently passed the Assembly and continued on to Paterson. On Dec. 2, Daly sent a mass e-mail explaining his opposition and calling on people to petition the governor for a veto. "All the pressure from IDAs, economic development, business councils and not-for-profits paid off," Daly said after the veto.

Several vetoes were actually signed by Paterson regarding the issue - the Senate's version, the Assembly's version and the chapter amendments. "In sum," Paterson writes in the veto message, "while I respect and admire the intentions of the sponsors and supporters of this legislation, I fear its impact on the economic well-being of our state at a particularly perilous moment."