Window Cleaners Escape Death in Freak Accident

One of the workers being treated following the fall.

Window cleaners escape death in freak accident: (KUALA LUMPUR): Two Bangladeshi workers were injured after the suspended platform they were on plunged to the ground near a bank on Jalan Ampang. City Fire and Rescue Department chief operations officer Samsol Maarif Saibani said the incident occurred at approximately 12.30pm Wednesday, but that a distress call was only received an hour later from a passer-by.

"We dispatched firemen from the Keramat fire and rescue department to the scene. "By the time we arrived, the two Bangladeshi workers had already been sent to the hospital by an ambulance," he added. Samsol said that the platform was typically used for window washing purposes. The height from which it fell was not revealed. City Fire and Rescue Department director Khiruddin Drahman said the impact of the fall was minimal and it was being investigated by the Department of Occupational Safety and Health (DOSH).

Firefighters help stranded window washer in Mt. Lebanon: Mt. Lebanon police and firefighters helped rescue a window washer who found himself stuck outside a 10-story office building on Washington Road Wednesday afternoon.

A maintenance worker at 650 Washington Road — informally known as the Cyclops Building for its former tenant, Cyclops Steel — called police just before 4 p.m. to report that a window washer was stuck on the outside of the building about three floors up, said Deputy Chief Chris Buttlar of the Mt. Lebanon Fire Department. The window washer apparently had a miscommunication with an assistant, who was supposed to let him back into the building but left.

The window washer managed to lower himself into the light well of the adjacent building — an open space within 654 Washington Road designed to let light and air into its upper floors — where firefighters could lower a ladder for him to climb out, Buttlar said.

Scissor Lift Death In Indiana

Use of lift in high wind likely safety violation - IOSHA investigating accident at Notre Dame. SOUTH BEND: The accident that claimed the life of a 20-year-old student at the University of Notre Dame on Wednesday could result in safety citations for the university. An investigator from the Indiana Occupational Safety and Health Administration arrived at the university Thursday to begin looking into the accident. Declan Sullivan (pictured) of Long Grove, Ill., died Wednesday night after the scissor lift from which he was reportedly videotaping Notre Dame's football practice toppled over amid wind gusts that reached in excess of 50 mph.

According to government safety regulations, "work on or from scaffolds is prohibited during storms or high winds unless a competent person has determined that it is safe for employees to be on the scaffold and those employees are protected by a personal fall arrest system or wind screens. Wind screens shall not be used unless the scaffold is secured against the anticipated wind forces imposed." The scissor lift used by Sullivan would be included in the regulation. Marc Lotter, a spokesman for the Indiana Department of Labor, said Notre Dame hasn't had a major safety violation in his search of records going back 10 years.

Because each investigation is different, Lotter couldn't hazard a guess on how long it might take to issue a report. If IOSHA finds that regulations or safety protocols were not followed, it could attach fines that exceed $100,000, depending on "the severity and the nature of the violations," he said. Though it was initially reported that the scissor lift was leased from United Rentals, a company spokesman said Thursday that the lift does not belong to the company. A sticker attached to the lift might indicate that United Rentals has serviced the device in the past, said Fred Bratman, a spokesman for the company.

"We were saddened to learn of this tragic accident," said Bratman. "We are continuing to investigate the matter, but have determined that the unit was neither owned nor rented by our company." Scissor lifts are often plastered with safety stickers and built with various safety devices. Bill Fish, owner of Fish Window Cleaning of Granger, said he has used scissor lifts quite a bit to reach inside windows. He said the lifts he has used won't go up unless they're on a firm level surface, a warning beeper sounds if there is too much movement in the bucket and the person inside is supposed to be wearing a safety harness. When asked whether he would operate inside a scissor lift in high winds, Fish said, "That would be really scary."

Lotter said worker deaths in Indiana hit a historic low of 123 in 2009. Improved workplace safety as well as fewer jobs because of the recession were likely the reasons for the reduction, he said. Falls, including those from scissor lifts, are the No. 2 cause of workplace deaths in Indiana, said Lotter. From 2003 to 2009, eight workers in Indiana have been killed by falling from a fork lift, scissor lift or bucket truck.

According to government safety regulations, "work on or from scaffolds is prohibited during storms or high winds unless a competent person has determined that it is safe for employees to be on the scaffold and those employees are protected by a personal fall arrest system or wind screens. Wind screens shall not be used unless the scaffold is secured against the anticipated wind forces imposed." The scissor lift used by Sullivan would be included in the regulation.

Window Cleaning Van Gets Sandwiched In Suburban Detroit Subway

Window Cleaning Van Dives Into Front Window Of Detroit Subway Shop: A van apparently lost use of its brakes and drove directly through the door of a suburban Detroit Subway earlier today, sending one individual to the hospital. Seems the driver couldn't wait to eat fresh. The accident occurred at roughly 2 o'clock this afternoon. We were told by store employees that the store had about 5 customers waiting in line to purchase food and one man sitting down eating. The man sitting down was in close proximity to the front door of the restaurant eating his $5 foot long, when the van, owned by a local window washing company, crashed through. He was sent to the hospital is apparently in okay condition, but was the only one injured in the event. Jim Canny, the store's owner, told us that he was extremely grateful that the accident occurred just after their usual lunch rush, but was concerned of the injured young man's condition. The driver claimed that the van wouldn't brake due to "mechanical failure." We say he was just hungry and couldn't wait to feed the beast. Take a peak below at the carnage.

The van's driver of "A Window Cleaning" explaining how hungry he was.

Other report: A window-washing firm’s van plowed through the front of Subway sandwich shop in Madison Heights and sent a Troy man who was eating lunch in the restaurant to the hospital, Royal Oak Fire Chief Wil White said today. The 3 p.m. collision at 718 E. 14 Mile left the Troy man, 53, with serious injuries, including back injuries, White said. Royal Oak Fire Department paramedics rushed the man to Beaumont Hospital in Royal Oak, he said. His name was not released. The collision “smashed through the windows of the restaurant,” White added. He did not know why the van driver lost control of the vehicle but said it had been tentatively ruled an accident. The man had been seated alone at a booth in front of the restaurant, “right by the front door,” said Subway employee George Ross, 67. The impact took out “three big windows and the door” of the restaurant on 14 Mile near Rochester Road, Ross said. A total of five customers and employees were in the store at the time, he said. The shop will be closed for days to repair damage that was “pretty extensive,” Ross said.

Window Cleaning News Round-Up

New advances in medical treatment have saved the life of Froxfield window cleaner Michael Dunne, who was told four years ago that he was dying of cancer. But now the father-of-two and grandfather has been able to receive a life-saving bone marrow transplant from a brother thanks to newly developed techniques. He owes his life, he said, to the generosity of his older brother Patrick from Swindon who readily agreed to provide bone marrow when tests showed a perfect match. Mr Dunne's wife, Joyce, has showed her thanks to the John Radcliffe Hospital in Oxford by taking part in an abseil from the top of the 100ft high seven-storey building, raising more than £505 for a new cancer unit.

NYC window cleaners ratify contract:
NEW YORK - The union representing window cleaners for some 500 commercial office buildings in New York City has ratified a four-year contract. The contract was reached Tuesday between the SEIU Local 32BJ and the Realty Advisory Board. The terms of the contract call for a wage hike, an increase in scaffold pay and improved pension benefits.

Spectacular rescue saves highrise workers. Firefighters pluck workers from 49th floor. It was just another day at the office. The journeymen employees of Alberta Glass had been caulking the windows on the 49th floor of the east tower at 855 2 St. S.W. when the swing stage they were using malfunctioned, leaving them precariously perched about 48 storeys up. Fire crews rushed to the scene just before noon and the department's high-angle rescue team went to the roof to extract the dangling duo. Firefighter Grant Rinas said one team member was lowered about six metres down from the 52-storey roof to the scaffolding to help bring the two workers to safety. "It was relatively easy access and we could talk verbally to them from the roof," he said. "They were safe-tied to the platform and it wasn't going to go anywhere." The two workers were lifted individually in harnesses to the roof and were not injured in the incident. The rescue took about 40 minutes. George Kennedy, owner of Alberta Glass, said the two men, both in their 20s, were in good spirits and got to go home early. "It was just one of those unforeseen things," he said.
Kennedy said it appears a gear may have malfunctioned on the scaffolding, locking it in place, but with four heavy-duty cables suspending it, the workers were never in serious danger.

A new window cleaning related DVD: Features Chinese Revenge Drama Worthy of Jerry Springer. Ping Guo (Bingbing Fan) and An Kun (Dawei Tong), a young couple from the sticks, moved to Beijing in search of a higher standard of living. Thusfar, however, life in the big city has been a bit of a bust, since the only work she could find was in a sleazy massage parlor, and he had to settle for a dangerous job as a skyscraper window-washer. The two made do until the fateful day her rich boss (Tony Leung Ka Fai) decided to force himself on her. Wouldn't you know it, but An Kun just happened to be squeejeeing the plate glass of the room as Liu pounced on his wife, and he had to watch helplessly while dangling outside on the scaffolding. This is the intriguing, incestuous scenario which unfolds in Lost in Beijing, as messy a dysfunctional relationship drama as you could hope to witness on screen.

Popular goalkeeper Paul Bastock, "Bazza" is set to remain with St Albans City next season. Despite rejoining the Blue Square South club with just a few months left until the end of the season, the window cleaner won the fans' player of the year award at Clarence Park. 'Bazza' has seemingly saved the Saints from relegation single-handedly and is said to be enjoying his time with the club. He had been keen to sign for Tommy Taylor earlier in the season, but Rushden & Diamonds manager Gary Hill prevented the move.

Mr Martin (pictured), a window cleaner, was found dead in the front garden of a house in Rutter Gardens near to his Ravensbury Grove home on January 27. A 37-year-old man has pleaded not guilty to the murder of a Mitcham dad-of-three. Gary Andrew Kelly of Rutter Gardens, Mitcham, appeared before the Old Bailey this afternoon. Kelly was charged in January with the murder of 40-year-old David Martin. The 37-year-old was remanded in custody before his trial which is due to start on November 24.

NEW YORK (WABC) -- A freak accident on the east side. A construction worker was struck by falling debris outside 335 Madison avenue. The worker was hit by an electric cord that plunged 30 feet. Officials believe the worker was trying to move a window washing scaffold when the power cord fell to the ground--hitting him on the head. He suffered a head injury.

Seattle doorknocker scam: Beware of a “window washer” casing the neighborhood. We just had a fellow come to the door and knock very lightly. Since both of our cars were in the garage, it surely looked like no one was home. He lied about doing the neighbor’s house earlier. 40ish, scruffy beard, Caucasian, white F150 truck with light brown trim, canopy with frame and bike rack. He got away before we could get more info. Our neighborhood has had several break-ins in recent months. We reported it to 911.