OSHA Cites Cleaning Service After Fatal Fall

Bella Vista, 631 Hazel St., Oshkosh, is a senior lifestyle and assisted-living facility, formerly the site of Mercy Medical Center & the scene of a 20 yr old window cleaners death.

OSHA cites cleaning service after fatal fall: The 2015 death of a 20 year old Oshkosh man who fell five stories from a senior-living facility prompted a federal investigation that resulted in multiple citations for a local window cleaning service.

Serwas Window Cleaning Services LLC faces one "wilful" and eight "serious" safety citations from the U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration, after three separate investigations of company work sites in Oshkosh Appleton and Green Bay, the federal agency announced Thursday.

Tyler S. Peterson (pictured) fell to his death from a platform Sept. 9 while washing windows on the fifth floor of Bella Vista Retirement Community, 631 Hazel St., Oshkosh. He was taken to a local hospital, where he later died.

Inspectors determined Peterson's safety lines were not properly tied off, according to an OSHA news release. They also cited Serwas for failing to properly use fall protection and to train workers in fall-protection systems.

“This young man’s tragic death illustrates the importance of training workers in the proper use of fall protection systems,” said Robert Bonack, area director for OSHA's Appleton office. “Window washing is an inherently dangerous job. Employers must ensure workers have the proper equipment and are trained in its use.”

The agency also cited the company for four serious violations for failing to use fall protection properly and train workers in fall protection systems used during drop work, according to the news release. OSHA also issued Serwas a hazard letter for not marking or tagging the ropes used on the rigger with the length, diameter and date placed in service.

Chuck Hertel, an Oshkosh-based attorney representing Serwas in the matter, disputed the allegations, saying Serwas has "a very vigorous training program" that it requires all employees to complete before they start work.

"No employees go up in the air without going through it," Hertel said Thursday in an interview with USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin.

Inspectors also found another worker had fallen July 16 on a job site on Adams Street in Green Bay, and OSHA issued three serious violations to the company Jan. 12 for violating fall protection standards. Serwas has contested those citations.

In the Oshkosh and Green Bay incidents, the company provided employees with adequate safety equipment, but the employees chose not to use it, Hertel said.

"Unfortunately, that equipment takes a fair amount of effort to properly put in place, and sometimes an employee chooses to take a shortcut," Hertel said. "Unfortunately, there were horrible results as a consequence."

On Oct. 1, 2015, an OSHA inspector saw workers cleaning gutters without fall protection on a residential roof on Durkee Street in Appleton, according to the news release. The agency cited the company for failing to provide fall protection.

The agency issued citations for the Hazel and Durkee Street violations March 7. Proposed penalties for all three inspections total $69,800.

The company is working with OSHA investigators to resolve any safety issues and will contest any citations that aren't resolved, Hertel said.

20-Year-Old Window Washer Falls to Death in WI (Oshkosh, WI) - A 20-year-old window washer fell more than 58 feet to his death because his safety lines were not properly tied off, federal inspectors found. The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration has cited Serwas Window Cleaning Services LLC, for a total of one willful and eight serious safety citations following three separate investigations of company worksites in Appleton, Green Bay, and Oshkosh. The investigations were opened following the worker's Sept. 9, 2015, death.

"This young man's tragic death illustrates the importance of training workers in the proper use of fall protection systems," said Robert Bonack, OSHA's area director for the Appleton office. "Window washing is an inherently dangerous job. Employers must ensure workers have the proper equipment and are trained in its use."

OSHA's fatality inspection found the rooftop rigger being used by the worker was not tied back to a separate anchor point and counterweights were not utilized prior to him going over the edge to clean a set of windows at a senior living property on Hazel Street in Oshkosh. The agency cited the company for four serious violations for failing to use fall protection properly and train workers in fall protection systems used during drop work. OSHA also issued Serwas a hazard letter for not marking or tagging the ropes used on the rigger with the length, diameter, and date placed in service.

While investigating the fatality, inspectors found another worker had fallen on a job site on Adams Street in Green Bay on July 16, 2015, OSHA issued three serious violations* to the company on Jan. 12, 2016, for violating fall protection standards. Serwas has contested those citations. On Oct. 1, 2015, an OSHA inspector observed workers cleaning gutters on a residential roof on Durkee Street in Appleton, without fall protection. The company was cited for failing to provide fall protection on this site as well. Citations for the Hazel* and Durkee Street* violations were issued to the company on March 7. Proposed penalties for all three inspections total $ 69,800.

OSHA offers a Stop Falls online resource with detailed information in English and Spanish on fall protection standards. The page provides fact sheets, posters, and videos that illustrate various fall hazards and appropriate preventive measures. OSHA standards require that an effective form of fall protection be in use when workers perform construction activities six feet or more above the next lower level.

The agency's ongoing Fall Prevention Campaign was developed in partnership with the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health and NIOSH's National Occupational Research Agenda program. Begun in 2012, the campaign provides employers with lifesaving information and educational materials on how to prevent falls, provide the right equipment for workers and train employees to use gear properly.

Sewas Window Cleaning Services has 15 business days from receipt of its citations and penalties to comply, request an informal conference with OSHA's area director, or contest the findings before the independent Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission.

12 Foot Ladder Fall - Window Cleaner Critical

When crews arrived they found the window cleaner had fallen approximately 12 feet from a ladder.

Window cleaner suffers serious head injury following fall from ladder in Nechells (West Midlands, UK) - A window cleaner suffered a serious head injury after falling from a ladder while working at a home in Nechells. Paramedics were called to Bloomsbury Street, at around 12.40pm, on Friday. 

A West Midlands Ambulance Service spokesman said: “When crews arrived they found the man had fallen approximately 12 feet from a ladder. “He had suffered a serious head injury. The doctor anaesthetised him at the scene before he was taken on blue lights to the Major Trauma Centre at Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham. “On arrival at hospital, the man was said to be in a critical condition.”

Window cleaner in critical condition after fall: A window cleaner has suffered serious head injuries after a fall in Bloomsbury Street in the Nechells area of Birmingham, at about 12.40pm yesterday lunchtime. An ambulance, a paramedic area support officer and the CARE Team doctor were sent to the scene.

When crews arrived they found the man had fallen approximately 12 feet from a ladder. He had suffered a serious head injury and the doctor anaesthetised him at the scene before being taken to the Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Birmingham. On arrival at hospital, the man was said to be in a critical condition. – WEST MIDLANDS AMBULANCE SERVICE SPOKESMAN

Company Fined For Death Of Window Cleaner

Kevin Dolan plunges through open floor-to-ceiling window of Pountney Hill House while cleaning huge glass pane from inside without harness.

Window cleaner falls to his death from third storey of Grade II-listed building: A window cleaner plummeted to his death from the third-storey window of a Grade II-listed building in the City after bosses failed to ensure safe working conditions, a court heard. Kevin Dolan, 57, fell to his death through the open floor-to-ceiling window of Pountney Hill House, in central London, while cleaning the huge glass pane from the inside. The Old Bailey heard his death on October 18, 2012 was caused by a lack of safety measures, such as harnesses or rope access.

Surrey-based cleaning company Blades (London) Ltd took immediate responsibility for his death and pleaded guilty to an offence under the Health and Safety Act. Directors Bob Sawyer, Darren Sawyer and James Curtis sat at the back of court as their business was handed a £45,000 fine. Judge Richard Kramer QC said: "Nothing this court can does today can, sadly, turn the clock back. Moreover, it is insidious to try to place a value on the loss of life."

Mr Dolan had been working in the four-storey office block when he fell from an open third-storey window. The window opened into the room like a door, so it was possible to clean from the inside - although there were no barriers to prevent a fall, prosecutor Alastair Smith said. The court heard there was no rope access, no harnesses and no fall arrest or restraint. There were "eye bolts" built into the building, but they were not being used. Mr Smith added: "The method attempted was almost certainly the quickest, but almost certainly the least safe."

Mr Dolan was a close personal friend of the Sawyer brothers and Curtis, who opened the commercial cleaning company in 2007. The firm specialised in providing services, including window cleaning, to commercial premises in the City of London and relied heavily on subcontractors. Mr Dolan was described as more experienced than his bosses, who would turn to him for advice.

Their barrister Mark Balysz said: "The company is devastated by the loss of their friend and is truly sorry for it." He said the windows at Pountney Hill House had been cleaned in the same way for many years, adding: "It took the death of a friend to realise the risk to which they had put themselves, Kevin and others."

Blades (London) Limited, of Wallington, pleaded guilty to a single charge of breaching general duty to an employee under the Health and Safety at Work Act. The company was fined £45,000 and ordered to pay £7,500 costs.

London Window Cleaner Loses Balance & His Life

Flowers and an Arsenal scarf left around the basement area of the Noel Road property in London. David Bluring a local window cleaner fell after losing his balance.

A “kind and lovely” window cleaner who had worked in Islington since he was just 16 tragically died after falling from the roof of a five-storey house in Angel. Father of two David Bluring, 58, who grew up in the borough but lived in Southgate, was cleaning the top-floor windows of the property in Noel Road at around 3pm last Thursday when he lost his balance and fell around 50 feet.

Mr Bluring was one of five children who spent their childhood on the Peabody estate, off Essex Road. It is unclear what caused the fall, but a handle appeared to be missing from a top-floor window. Passers-by suggested Mr Bluring may have lost his balance after the handle he was holding onto came away. 

The window cleaner, who fell into the basement area in front of the property, was not using a ladder at the time and appears not to have taken any other safety precautions. Police say they are not treating the incident as suspicious at this stage.

The Noel Road house where Mr Bluring fell.

Geoffrey Arden, 85, who owns the house, said he had opened the door to Mr Bluring earlier that day. “He seemed perfectly normal,” he said. “I had only met him once or twice. He had been our window cleaner for about a year after he was recommended to us by neighbours. He was very conscientious. “How he lost his balance I don’t know. It’s a great tragedy.”

The pensioner said he had never seen Mr Bluring use a ladder, and that he had climbed on to the roof out of the top-floor window. Dave Branch, a builder who was working in a house opposite and was said to have tried to come to Mr Bluring’s aid after witnessing the fall, left a bunch of flowers and a card at the scene. It said: “So sorry I couldn’t help you more. My thoughts are with you and your family. Rest in peace.”

Wilton Square resident Isobel Waller, one of Mr Bluring’s customers of 17 years, said she and her husband Anthony had seen him just days before his death. “He was laughing and joking, full of vitality and acute observations of life,” she said.

A message left at the scene in Angel.

“Dave Burling was one of the first people my husband and I met when we moved to Wilton Square in 1998. “He was always ready for a chat and we would discuss the issues of the day over a cup of coffee when he came to do our windows. He kept a friendly eye on people living on their own or who needed a bit of help.” “We will miss him enormously,” she added.

Another customer, Arlington Square resident Kathleen Bondar, described Mr Bluring as a “nice, cheerful and friendly man”. “He was such a nice, cheerful and friendly man whom I trusted so easily around my home,” she added. “He worked hard and carefully and always had a kind, lovely manner. This is a tragedy for all who knew him.”

Police and paramedics from the London Ambulance Service and London Air Ambulance attended the incident but were unable to save the 58-year-old. He was pronounced dead at the scene. Enquiries into the circumstances of the death are being carried out by officers from Islington Council and the Health and Safety Executive. Mr Bluring is survived by son Damian, 31, daughter Sam, 30 and his wife Sharon.

Motorist Pleads Guilty To Backing Into Window Cleaners Ladder

Window cleaner, Richard Walker was working by illegally parked cars in Market St, Ulverston, when one reversed & knocked him off his ladder. The result left Richard Walker with significant injuries & wheelchair bound.

Motorist pleads guilty to backing into window cleaner up a ladder: Richard Walker was cleaning windows in Market Street, Ulverston, when a car parked on double yellow lines suddenly crashed into his ladder. The driver, Ian Rankin Ross, 75, from the Wirral appeared in Furness Magistrates’ Court yesterday charged with driving without due care and attention. The court heard how Ross had been in Betfred on Wednesday July 8 and when he came out of the shop and got into his car he didn’t notice the ladder behind him.

Prosecutor Mr John Appleby said: “Mr Walker is a retired gentlemen working as a window cleaner and at around 11.15am on this day he was cleaning windows on Market Street, in Ulverston. “The bottom of his ladder was on the pavement and he was about three quarters of the way up the ladder.

“He had noticed the car parked on the double yellow lines outside the betting shop and he heard the engine start. “The next thing he knew was the ladder was sliding – he shouted out to the driver but he didn’t stop. “He fell from the ladder and landed on the pavement on his feet. He then fell over.”

The court heard how Mr Walker didn’t realise the extent of his injuries until he tried to stand back up and realised he couldn’t. Mr Appleby said: “The driver got out of his car and approached Mr Walker. He was very apologetic.” Mr Walker sustained a fracture to his left tibia and a fracture to his right foot.

A few weeks after the accident he had an operation on his left leg and will be having physiotherapy for the next four months. Mr Appleby said: “As a result of this accident he is in a wheelchair and finds it difficult to leave the house. “The accident has impacted him greatly and has made him feel quite low.”

Ross, who represented himself in court pleaded guilty to the charge. He said: “It was my fault for not noticing him. “I am very sorry for the gentlemen and wish him a speedy recovery.” Ross was ordered to pay £85 court costs, a £200 fine, £20 victim surcharge and £150 criminal court charge. He was also disqualified from driving for 12 months and will be forced to retake his driving test after the ban. Presiding magistrate, Alison Spurgeon-Dickson, said: “You have been disqualified because this was a very serious accident which caused significant injuries leaving the person involved wheel chair bound.”

Austin Window Washer Injured After Three Story Fall

AUSTIN, Texas -- Travis County emergency crews say a window washer was taken to the hospital in serious condition after falling 40 feet in Northwest Austin. The accident occurred just before 10 a.m. outside of a building on the 8300 block of North Capital of Texas Highway. The man was said to be in his 20s and is being treated at University Medical Center Brackenridge. Authorities say he is expected to survive.

Window washer injured after three-story fall in Northwest Austin: A window washer fell about three stories from a building in Northwest Austin but his injuries are not considered life-threatening, police said. He was conscious at the scene. Federal officials from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration are investigating the scene with a witness Monday morning, police said. Austin-Travis County Emergency Medical Services said it took the man, described as in his 20s, to University Medical Center Brackenridge.

The investigation is not affecting traffic on Capital of Texas Highway (Loop 360) because the window washer’s fall took place well inside the parking lot of Prominent Pointe not far from Spicewood Springs Road. The window washer had potentially serious injuries Monday morning after falling about 40 feet, first responders said. Austin-Travis County Emergency Medical Services took a man in his 20s to University Medical Center Brackenridge after he fell from a building in the 8300 block of North Capital of Texas Highway (Loop 360) near Spicewood Springs Road.

Tacoma Window Washer Falls To Death From Downtown Building

Inspectors on Thursday investigate a fatal fall of a window washer at a downtown Tacoma building. The accident happened at the Davita Building at 1423 Pacific Ave. The man apparently fell 10 stories after climbing over the edge of the building's roof.

Window washer in Tacoma falls to death from downtown building: A window washer died Thursday after falling from a downtown Tacoma building. The Pierce County medical examiner’s office identified the dead man as Timothy Thomas Sargent Jr., 30, of Kent.

Tacoma Fire responded to the accident, which happened about 9:45 a.m. at the DaVita building, 1423 Pacific Ave. Few details were available about the fall.

Sargent, who was working with a partner cleaning the building’s exterior, fell after apparently climbing over the edge of the building’s roof. He fell roughly 10 stories and was pronounced dead at the scene, police spokeswoman Loretta Cool said.

Sargent worked for Seattle-based United Building Services, said Cammy Wittrell, who represents the building owner, 1423 Pacific Partners. “It’s been a very trying and sad, sad day,” Wittrell said. “We’re trying to deal with this tragedy and are thinking about his family.”

No one from United Building Services was available for comment Thursday. The state Department of Labor & Industries is investigating the accident.

Inspectors investigate a fatal fall of a window washer at a downtown Tacoma building Thursday.

Window washer plunges to his death in Tacoma: washer fell to his death from a building in Tacoma. The 30-year-old man fell from the DaVita building Thursday morning, formerly known as the Sandberg Building, at 14th Street and Pacific Avenue.

Reports are that the man had just gone over the edge of the 180-foot-tall building when he fell to his death. Tacoma police are at the scene where window washing gear and cable can be seen hanging from the building. A bucket, rope and a pair of shoes are on the ground. Tacoma police and the Department of Labor and Industries are investigating.

R.I.P. Tyler Peterson

A view of Bella Vista Independent and Assisted Living in Oshkosh. Tyler Peterson, 20, an Oshkosh man was taken to the hospital and later died from his injuries.

Fatal fall victim identified as Oshkosh man, 20: The man who died after a reported five-story fall in Oshkosh was washing windows, authorities say. The Winnebago County Coroner's Office says Tyler Peterson, 20, of Oshkosh, died Wednesday. He was working at Bella Vista Independent and Assisted Living, 631 Hazel St., when scaffolding gave way.

Oshkosh police say they were called to the apartment complex around 12:40 p.m. for a report of a person who fell five stories. The federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration is also investigating Peterson's death. Bella Vista is the former Mercy Medical Center building near Menominee Park.

Oshkosh police, OSHA investigate man's death: Local and federal authorities continue to investigate the Wednesday, Sept. 9, death of a 20-year-old Oshkosh window-washer who they say fell five stories from a senior and assisted living facility.

The manner of death appears to be consistent with the fall itself, although authorities won't have a preliminary cause of his injuries until after a preliminary autopsy, which was scheduled for noon, Thursday, Sept. 10, Winnebago County Coroner Barry Busby said. Authorities anticipate releasing the findings of that preliminary examination sometime Friday, Sept. 11.

"This is a tragic accident and kind of unusual," Busby said, noting there has not been a job-related fatality of this nature in Oshkosh during his 18-year tenure as coroner. "With OSHA and everybody else involved, you have more eyes on it."

Tyler S. Peterson fell from a platform while washing windows on the fifth floor of Bella Vista Retirement Community, 631 Hazel St., which is the former Mercy Medical Center building, authorities said.

Authorities responded to a report of a person falling five stories from the building at 12:40 p.m., Wednesday, in the 600 block of Hazel Street, according to an Oshkosh Police Department news release. Peterson was transported to a local hospital, where he later died.

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration is conducting its own investigation of the incident to determine whether any violations of OSHA standards occurred, agency spokeswoman Rhonda Burke said in an email.

Two OSHA compliance safety and health officers from the agency's Appleton-area office responded to the scene after being notified at about 2 p.m., Wednesday, Burke said. Agency personnel will collect evidence, conduct interviews and review records relevant to the incident and will analyze the information for any violations for which citations might be issued.

Burke declined to provide more specifics about the incident, noting the agency does not comment on open investigations, but said falls are the leading cause of death in the workplace.

"There is no doubt that OSHA has saved thousands of lives, but far too many preventable injuries, illnesses and fatalities continue to occur," Burke said. "Workers and families should never accept the risk of death as a condition for employment — and neither should we."

Tyler Peterson, 20, of Oshkosh, died unexpectedly on September 9, 2015. He was born on January 20, 1995, the son of Suzanne Braatz. Tyler was a window washer for Serwas Window Cleaning. He enjoyed hunting, fishing, and being with family and friends.

Tyler is survived by his mother Suzanne, step father Doug Swanke, two sisters Felicia Peterson, Savannah Swanke, his grandparents, Debra and Ronald Winter, Craig and Leigh Braatz, great grandparents Ken and Sylvia Braatz, his Aunt Shirley and other aunts and uncles, two nephews Damion and Rylan, special family Tina, Gina, Sara, cousins, special friend Daria and many other friends. Tyler was preceded in death by his great grandparents Doris and Everett Wohlrabe and his uncle Everette Wohlrabe

Services for Tyler will be on Tuesday, September 15, 2015, at 11:00 am at Konrad-Behlman Funeral Homes- Westside. Family and friends can visit at the funeral home on Monday, September 14, 2015, from 4:00-8:00 pm and on Tuesday from 10:00 am until time of service. Burial will be at the Pine River Cemetery. Please dress in casual and comfortable "Tyler Attire". 

Window Cleaning Contractor On Trial In France

Saint-Malo Brittany.

Window cleaning contractor on trial in France: A window cleaner died after falling off his ladder, resulting in a court case. An accident has been tried by the local criminal court of Saint-Malo following the death of a window cleaner who fell off his ladder.

Nobody saw or heard anything that day inside a superstore near Saint-Malo, in Brittany. While he was cleaning indoor windows Christian Aubert, 46, fell from his ladder and was found unconscious with severe head injuries. This model employee, who had 24 years’ experience, died four days later in hospital without having regained consciousness.

Eight months later his employer, the boss of a cleaning firm with 11 employees found himself before the court, charged with involuntary homicide and infringement of health and safety regulations.

Did Christian Aubert, on the day of his accident, have with him the equipment necessary for carrying out his tasks in accordance with the relevant safety regulation? This was the question the judges had to find an answer to while referring to the company’s internal rules and to the complex French legislation embodied in the Code du Travail.

As far as the company boss was concerned, the victim had been working within the law - he was working on a ladder that carried him to a height of two metres above the ground to clean a glazed surface to a maximum height of 3.6 metres.

“If one takes account of the man’s height and the fact he was working with arms stretched, he must have been at a height of about 1.25 metres above the ground,” argued the employer, who had distributed an internal note prohibiting his workers from climbing without protection to a height of over 1.60 metres.

But there were no witnesses and even the victim’s workmate, who was working next to him, was unable to confirm this assertion. On the other side of the witness stand, lawyers defending the dead employee referred to the work inspector’s report, who had investigated the accident and had concluded that acts of “negligence” had been involved and the employer had been responsible for not abiding by safety regulations.

“In this matter, lack of prudence has been involved, even though it may have been in good faith”, the public prosecutor decided, demanding a 3,500 euros fine.

Meanwhile the defendant has made new arrangements within his company, putting a wheeled scaffolding tower at the disposal of his workers, a device that may not be compulsory but which would have prevented the dramatic accident which struck Christian Aubert.

This case is a reminder that, as regards safety at work, there is no guarantee staff won’t be hit by an accident. This is particularly true of window cleaners, who often have to work at great heights. In this case, a man lost his life while working at less than two metres from the ground.

So far the ruling hasn’t been announced because the case is still being deliberated, but it is generally expected the employer will receive a sentence on the 3rd October when the case in court reopens. 

Chicago Window Cleaner Critical - Sydney Window Cleaner Stable

The man, whose age was not immediately available, fell from a chair while cleaning windows about 8 a.m. on the sixth floor of Northwestern Memorial Hospital in the 200 block of East Huron.

Window Washer Critically Injured After 6-Story Fall From Northwestern Memorial Hospital: A window washer was critically injured after falling six stories from a Chicago hospital building Wednesday morning. Police said the man fell from the sixth floor of Northwestern Memorial Hospital in the 200 block of Huron Street around 8 a.m. The hospital's Galter Pavilion was seen blocked off with police tape.

The man was taken into the hospital for treatment and was listed in critical condition, officials said.

"Given the situation and location of the incident, several Northwestern Medicine medical professionals nearby responded to provide on-site emergency care," the hospital said in a statement. "The individual was transferred to the emergency department and is currently being evaluated by staff."

He broke two legs and has internal injuries, but is expected to be OK. "I think the net or something like that broke down and he fell. He broke his legs and everything," a witness said. Northwestern Memorial Hospital staff rushed out of the building and brought the window washer into the emergency room. "I know he's in surgery but that's all I know right now," Carlos Perez, SEIU Local 1, said.

The window washer works for Corporate Clearning Services. The company says the man fell while working from a chair to clean windows at the hospital. They noted that this is "the first incident of its kind in the company's 21-year history." There have been reports of citations by OSHA for "minor violations five years ago" but the company says "neither violation was related to any incident with an employee."

"This is one of our most experienced and dedicated employees and we are focused on providing assistance to him and his family as he undergoes various medical tests and procedures," the company said in a statement. "We are also working closely with investigators so that we can better understand exactly how this happened and to ensure it doesn’t happen again.” The Service Employees International Union said the worker was a member of the union.

"Chicago’s window washers risk their lives every day as they step over the edge of our city's skyscrapers," the union said in a statement. "We pray for this worker's speedy recovery.”

The cause of the fall was not immediately known. Chicago Police are investigating the incident.

A hospital spokeswoman said the injured man was in a stable condition in hospital on Thursday morning.

Window cleaner falls from Apple Store on George Street: A window cleaner was seriously injured when he fell three storeys from the Apple Store in Sydney's CBD and struck a bus shelter before landing on the ground. The man, believed to be aged in his 40s, was taken to St Vincent's Hospital with injuries to his pelvis, spine and head after the accident on George Street about 8.30pm on Wednesday. A hospital spokeswoman said the injured man was in a stable condition in hospital on Thursday morning.

The man was believed to be one of three window cleaners working on the Apple Store's glass facade when he plummeted to the ground while preparing to abseil down the building. The man struck the top of the bus shelter, located in front of the Apple Store, before landing on the footpath. Witnesses said his cleaning equipment, including a bucket and a rope, was scattered around him.

Several people were believed to be standing in the bus shelter when the cleaner struck the roof. They were not injured. A WorkCover NSW spokeswoman said an inspector would be sent to examine the scene of the incident. She said the man was believed to have been using an abseiling device when he fell about three metres.

Apple released a statement saying the organisation was "shocked to learn of the accident last night involving a contractor cleaning the windows of our Sydney retail store". "We're doing everything we can to make sure he has the best care possible to help him make a full recovery," the statement said.

"Health and safety is our top priority for everyone who works and shops in our stores, so we're conducting a full investigation aimed at preventing any future accidents like this." Police taped off a section of the footpath outside the Apple Store and traffic was diverted while paramedics treated the man.

The man fell three storeys at the flagship George Street store.

Apple Store Window Cleaner Fall In Sydney

The Apple store on George St, Sydney, Australia. A safety harness, shattered glass, buckets and ropes remain scattered across the footpath as police investigate.

Apple store window cleaner in horror fall: A window cleaner survived after he fell headfirst from the top of the Apple Store and smashed into a bus stop in the city last night. The man, whose age is not known, stepped back to repel down the building’s glass face when he plummeted into the top of the glass bus stop on George St about 8.30pm. Paramedics rushed the man to St Vincents Hospital suffering pelvis, spine and head injuries.

A window cleaner has fallen three storeys from the Sydney Apple store in George Street and landed on a bus shelter.

English cruise ship workers Shaun Williams, 25, and Chris Rogerson, 24, were standing under the bus stop the man fell on top of.“We were at the bus stop and he landed on us,” Mr Williams said. “He was cleaning the window and then stepped back to repel down the edge to clean and he’s fallen headfirst and gone straight through the corner of the bus stop. “He didn’t die, he was conscious. It was literally right where we were standing. “He was making noises trying to get up, he just kept trying to get up and people were telling him to stay down as he was bleeding from his head. Loads of people came over.”

Mr Rogerson said the two were using the Wi-Fi from the Apple Store when the cleaner fell on top of them. “I just heard a massive smash then the rope fell on my head and his cleaning thing and I got a bit disorientated and he was just lying there,” Mr Rogerson said. “I was just chilling, we were just using the (Apple store’s) Wi-Fi.”

The man, believed to be in his 40s, was rushed to St Vincent's Hospital in a critical condition with suspected pelvis, spine and head injuries. Emergency services partially closed off George Street as they helped the man about 8.30pm on Wednesday.

Two of the cleaner’s distressed co-workers spoke with police who sectioned off the footpath outside the store. The bus stop’s glass roof was badly damaged while the man’s harness and rope lay on the footpath next to it. WorkCover is investigating.

The window cleaner is taken to hospital.

A window cleaner has fallen three-storeys off a Sydney store, suffering head and spinal injuries.

Window Cleaner Falls To Death

The building from which a glass cleaner fell to death in Dubai on Saturday morning. 

Window cleaner falls from 10th floor of Dubai building - Dubai Police investigation is underway to determine the cause of fatal accident: A young worker fell to his death from the tenth floor while cleaning the glass façade of a building in Dubai early on Saturday morning. Rasalmia, from Bangladesh, in his late 20s, fell from a building in Deira’s Port Saeed area.

Col Adil Al Suwaidi, Manager of Al Muraqqabat Police Station, confirmed to Emirates 24|7 that the cleaning worker fell from the 10th floor of the building and died on the spot. Advising the maintenance and cleaning company supervisors and engineers to provide all the required safety and security facilities for employees who work at such heights, Col Al Suwaidi added that an investigation is underway to determine whether there were any lapses in providing security to the worker.

The Colonel added that the body of the worker had been sent to the forensic laboratory. According to the station head, the necessary measures for workers’ safety seemed to be in place, but authorities are investigating further to rule out any security lapses. The investigation will determine whether the worker fell due to his own security lapse or if some foul play was involved.

Passersby saw the victim’s dead body lying at the entrance of the Business Avenue Tower, which houses several offices. One of Rasalmia’s colleagues was on a floor above the tenth and two co-workers were cleaning the glass façade of floors below the tenth when the tragedy happened at around 6am.

According to Rasalmia’s relatives, the victim’s co-workers became aware of the accident from the vibrations of the iron rope from which a cleaning cradle hung. It is not yet clear what exactly caused his fall. Security staff of the building confirmed the accident but an official of the cleaning company declined to comment. Rasalmia shared his room with eight colleagues who are saddened by his sudden death.

Witnesses describe ‘horror’ of finding man’s body after suspected fall from Dubai tower: Eye witnesses have described the grisly scene after a man’s body was found at the base of a tower in Dubai on Tuesday. Staff from the Radisson Royal Hotel on Sheikh Zayed Road made the grim discovery outside the Nassima apartment block of the same building. A staff member told 7DAYS the man appeared to have been “a resident or a guest” of one of the apartments.

Police officers cordoned off the area and are currently investigating. They have not yet confirmed the cause of death or released details about the circumstances of the man’s death. However, it is thought that he fell to his death. “At first we thought it could have been a cleaner but I doubt it because he was wearing Adidas shorts. The windows are sealed so I don’t know how he managed. He could have fallen or jumped from the rooftop. Police are here to investigate,” a witness said.

The incident is thought to have taken place between 4pm and 5pm. A passerby who was walking to a nearby coffee shop on the same street told 7DAYS: “He was lying on the pavement. It was horrifying to see. They covered him up but I could still see his leg hanging out.” Vehicles and officers from the Dubai Police Crime Scene Investigation department were also at the scene but declined to comment.

Breaking - Window Washer Falls 11 Stories In San Francisco

The roof of a car on California Street in downtown San Francisco where a window washer reportedly fell 11 stories onto a moving car.

Window Washer Falls 11 Stories in San Francisco: A window washer fell about 11 stories from the top of Sterling Bank on Friday in San Francisco and landed on a car before being taken to the hospital. San Francisco firefighters said the call came in about 10 a.m. from a building at Montgomery and California streets. The worker was breathing before being transported to the hospital. People nearby began taking photos of the scene. One image taken by RadioPadrac showed a green car with broken windows and a damaged roof, apparently from the worker's fall.

Click to enlarge.

Man falls eight stories onto car in Financial District (SAN FRANCISCO): A man tumbled eight stories from a San Francisco Financial District high-rise early Friday, suffering serious injuries when he slammed into a car traveling down Montgomery Street, authorities said. San Francisco police spokesman Albie Esparza said a 911 call came in at about 10 a.m. reporting a man had fallen onto a moving car near the intersection of California and Montgomery.

An eyewitness – Chuck Reynolds – tweeted that the man had on what appeared to be a window-washer's harness. “When I got closer he was a window washer w/ harness, still breathing,” he tweeted. “Car broke his fall.” Esparza said the man survived the initial fall onto the Toyota Camry, but he did not know the extent of his injuries. Firefighters said the man had been taken to the hospital with serious injuries. There was no immediate on the condition of anyone inside the Toyota sedan.

So a window washer just fell off a building and landed on this car outside my work.

Worker plunges from downtown San Francisco building: A worker plunged from a building in downtown San Francisco Friday morning, landing on the the roof a car, authorities said. The incident was reported at 10:03 a.m. at California and Montgomery streets, said Dan Dunnigan, a spokesman for the city fire department. He said firefighters arrived at 10:08 a.m. and that the worker was taken, conscious but with life-threatening injuries, to San Francisco General Hospital. Photographs taken by witnesses showed a Toyota Camry with its roof badly smashed. Dunnigan said the worker fell from a roof or scaffolding in what appeared to be an accident. KTVU-TV reported that the worker was a window-washer who fell 11 stories onto a car that was moving.

The window washer fell onto a moving car from the roof of an 11 story building. The driver of the car is reportedly OK.

Man falls 11 stories onto car in Financial District (SAN FRANCISCO) - A window washer tumbled 11 stories from the roof of a building in San Francisco's Financial District early Friday, suffering critical injuries as he slammed into a car as it traveled down Montgomery Street, authorities said. San Francisco police Lt. Ed Del Carlo said the man was setting up window washing equipment on the top of a building located at 400 Montgomery Street when something went wrong. He fell onto a green Toyota Camry, crushing its roof and then bounced onto the street.

An eyewitness – Chuck Reynolds – tweeted that the man still had on his window-washer's harness. “When I got closer he was a window washer with harness, still breathing,” he tweeted. “Car broke his fall.” Bianca Bahman, 31, a pre-med student at San Francisco State University, was walking to the gym saw the man's shadow as he was falling and then saw him land on a Toyota Camry approaching the intersection.

The car's roof caved in and there was blood everywhere, Bahman said. She ran to the man to see if he was OK and said there was blood coming from his ears and he was gasping for breath as he rolled off the car onto the ground.

A coworker remained on the roof and Bahman said she could hear him screaming. Del Carlo said the man appeared to have a compound fracture of his arm among other injuries. “He was conscious,” Del Carlo said of the man. “He had critical injuries.” The Toyota driver was shaken, but appeared not to have suffered any other injuries.