For Hire – Laborer By Freelance

FREELANCE LABORER Lopez takes his usual place at the Dollars Corner intersection as he advertises for work.

North County man rejects materialism: He used to own a nice home and make good money. He had his own business with hundreds of clients. But those were the old days. Now Lopez – he goes only by his last name – lives in a cramped travel trailer a mile north of Dollars Corner in what he calls “basically a junkyard.”

The change in lifestyle occurred in 2007, when his window washing business in Portland crashed along with the economy. Lopez said he specialized in high-end jobs, not only washing windows but also taking out and cleaning window screens, and even wiping out the tracks where the windows would slide. “When the economy tanked, people didn’t want to pay for that,” Lopez said.

These days, the 44-year-old man makes a living by doing odd jobs. He’s often seen standing at the Dollars Corner intersection with a big green sign that reads, “For Hire – Laborer by Freelance.” He won’t say how much money he makes, only that “I’m at the poverty level.” The jobs vary. Recently, he helped someone build a carport for their RV. Lopez also has done painting, landscape maintenance, and helped detail a boat at a marina. “I’ve even been paid just to talk to someone,” he said, explaining that he was hired for a job but the “boss” never got around to putting him to work, paying anyway after an enjoyable conversation.

Before finding the travel trailer, Lopez lived in a van for a couple of years. He was proud, though, and didn’t want to look like a homeless man. He showered at YMCAs or other places that had public facilities. “I would always present myself nicely,” he said.

He wanted to work for himself rather than taking a job advertised in the newspaper or by the state employment office. Lopez said working for someone else isn’t his style. “I don’t want to go back to that again,” he said. “After testing the life of a self-made man, it’s an issue of dignity.”

He learned to work hard as a child by helping tend fruit trees on his family’s acreage in northern Washington. Despite his financial setbacks, he chipped away at online community college courses until he acquired an associate degree.

His goal is to acquire bachelor’s, master’s and doctorate degrees in technology that will position him for a career in the aerospace industry, particularly space flight. He believes people will eventually repeat the western U.S. migration of the 1800s by establishing colonies on other planets. “One day it will be history all over again,” Lopez said. “Some oppressive government will make people want to leave.”

When that happens, he hopes to have the sophisticated transportation equipment needed to help people start over in outer space. “I am going into the interstellar travel business,” Lopez said, adding that he admires what millionaire recluse Howard Hughes accomplished. “He was a visionary in the first half of his life,’’ he said. “He knew how to put deals together, and came up with a lot of innovative ideas for business and aircraft. I adore Howard Hughes. He was ahead of his time.”

Lopez also wants to establish a business to help other people like him find work. He envisions a network of employers with only a couple of employees who want to hire freelance laborers for odd jobs, just as he is doing. His company’s website has the motto: “Be free, be independent, live well.” His phone number is (503) 708-9947, and he welcomes calls from anyone who wants to hire him or other freelancers for jobs.

Over the years, Lopez said, he has gone through the depression and embarrassment of being unemployed and homeless. He hopes his fledgling company will help those who are where he has been, saying, “I have a heart for helping humanity.” Meanwhile, he will be at the Dollars Corner intersection with his sign. Lopez believes it’s preferable to being a workaholic whose only goal is the acquisition of wealth. “It has its ups and downs, but it’s a lot better than not working at all,” he said.

Rope Access Window Cleaning News

Understanding the Work Health & Safety Act 2011 With its 351 pages of legal jargon, it is not difficult to see why many people are still in the dark when it comes to understanding the Work Health & Safety Act 2011 and their duties and obligations.

Safety Officers Crack Down on Height Safety Systems (Australia) - Following a number of ‘near miss accidents’ in recent years, Workplace Health and Safety Officers from the Gold Coast region have spearheaded the creation of the Height Safety industry Working Group. The group, which convened for the first time in March, includes stakeholders from industry sectors including rope access, high rise window cleaning, height safety system installation and height safety equipment manufacturing. The officers identified window cleaning companies being at the greatest risk. 

These companies abseil down the building while attached to anchor point systems on the roof. In its meeting, the group identified the need to raise awareness of best practice principles in three main areas: Correct design, installation and certification of height safety systems; Raising the standard of safety of rope access companies; and Understanding of the Work Health & Safety Act 2011 by Persons Conducting a Business or Undertaking (PCBUs). Design, Installation and Certification No amount of training or safe procedures can save a worker from a poorly designed and installed system.

An adequate design will address four separate points: Building layout: What sections of the building will need to be accessed? Building Structure: Is the building structure capable of sustaining the potential force of a fall? Anchor Design: The position, type and number of anchors that will be required? Rescue: In the event of an incident, does the design allow for a safe rescue? Installation is equally important. In order to protect yourself as a PCBU, it is important to ensure the installation company holds a QBCC license to install height safety systems, is an authorised installer for the manufacturer of the system in question, has adequate levels of experience in installing height safety systems and holds the required insurance. 

It is also important to clarify what certification and documents you will receive once the system is installed. Raising Standards Another goal of the working group is to raise the level of professionalism and safety within the rope access industry. Through better general education and awareness, they expect consumers will demand a higher standard of safety from rope access companies, and that rather simply awarding work according to the lowest quote, PCBUs will increasingly question areas such as qualifications, competency and experience. The follow on effect will be a more professional and safety conscious industry. 

Understanding the Work Health & Safety Act 2011 With its 351 pages of legal jargon, it is not difficult to see why many people are still in the dark when it comes to understanding the Work Health & Safety Act 2011 and their duties and obligations. It is a legal requirement that a PCBU has a duty to ‘eliminate risks to health and safety’ and ‘if it is not practicable to eliminate risks…to minimise those risks.’ Yet many building owners, corporate bodies and building managers do not fully understand this non-transferable obligation. Heavy penalties apply for failing to comply with the legislation, including large fines and potential jail sentences. 

The Act goes further to state that this duty cannot be transferred to another person and that more than one person can hold the same duty at the same time (part 2, division 1, subdivision 1, section 14 & 16.) How do you ensure compliance? So as a PCBU, how do you ensure you are getting the right advice and complying with your duty? You could read all 351 pages of the Work Health & Safety Act 2011 as well as the 735 pages of the Work Health & Safety Regulation 2011. Not to mention the Standards AS1891.4 and AS4488, or you could just follow these three simple rules: Properly research which companies you will choose to obtain a quote from. Ask the experience and compliance questions at the start of this article. Choose a company which is experienced, compliant, licenced and authorised, and is also willing to help educate you about your duties and obligations. 

Hopefully, the new working group will help drive industry change and raise standards. If it helps to prompt PCBUs to ask not only if they are complying with their obligations under the Act but also whether or not they have done everything possible to help keep people safe, it will succeed in this goal.

Stefan Bright - Acceptance of Triangle Award Speech: If you do not know anything about the professional window cleaning industry, here are a few tips to get you started; Number one,we prefer the term professional window cleaner over window washer. Homeowners are window washers, professional window cleaners require up to 6 months to become skilled enough to be able to perfectly clean over a hundred windows a day. Furthermore, it takes nearly a year to become equally proficient in the safe and correct use of the equipment needed to reach the windows.

Number two, we are not daredevils, cowboys nor are we crazy because we like working at heights. We are highly skilled tradespeople who enjoy the serenity of working above the general population using our artistic abilities to create a clear view of the world for those of you who get to look at it through our canvas.

Number three, we do have standards, guidelines, regulations and training programs to follow which help to ensure our health and safety as well as the safety of the general public as they walk by and look up at us plying our trade. The reason I am standing before you today is because it was not always this way. When I started cleaning windows myself in the late 1970’ s, there were no regulations, standards, guidelines or trade associations. I was only able to learn the trade from somebody who learned it from somebody else and realizing that a lot of it was based on trial and error.

Ten years later, I traveled from central Pennsylvania to the remote western town of Lubbock, Texas where the first ever gathering of professional window cleaners from across North America took place. At this event, over 60 window cleaners simultaneously discovered that we weren’t all alone in this occupation and that sharing our trials and errors would only help us all learn more about our occupation and safety. The International Window Cleaning Association, better known as the IWCA was born and the year was 1989.

The following year, Federal OSHA held a public hearing to begin the renovation of the General Industry Walking and Working Surface regulations which includes equipment and techniques used regularly by professional window cleaners. I testified at that hearing and a few months later, the President of the IWCA asked me to join the board of directors and head up the Safety and Training Standards Committee. That committee consisted of about a dozen professional window cleaners from across the country and together we agreed that our occupation needed a consistent set of safety guidelines. I had done some research and found that on average about 7 - 9 fatalities occurred each year in the window cleaning industry.

It took over a year for us to put together and publish the Safety Guidelines for Window Cleaning. Because nothing like this had ever existed before, several thousand copies were sold. This became the catalyst for many good things to come. Shortly afterwards , I spent over a year researching two decades worth of window cleaning accident case studies in order to pinpoint causes, hazards and methods of abatement. As a result, I was able to assemble a window cleaner safety training program to educate workers with identifying the hazards of our occupation and how to avoid them. That program was first delivered in 1993 and has been given several times a year ever since. In fact, I just came home this past Sunday (5/3/2014) from delivering it in Los Angeles, California.

The IWCA has estimated that over 6,500 professional window cleaners have attended and taken part in this training. I know that these professionals have taught others in the trade so the real outreach has been significantly greater. All this knowledge, experience and education helped with the development of an American National Standard for Window Cleaning Safety in 2001 which has helped OSHA, architects, engineers, designers and builders better understand the requirements for safe building maintenance. It was our way of introducing prevention through design to the window cleaning industry.

The safety training program and industry safety standard were the core documents which contributed to the creation of the Window Cleaner Safety Certification program. This is an IWCA program that is a study course which requires taking three online tests and a proctored final exam. All these accomplishments have made a difference. Professional window cleaning is the number one trade that takes place on commercial and residential mid to high rise buildings more than any other. There are upwards of twenty thousand workers exposed to serious fall hazards every day in North America and  no longer do professional window cleaners have to guess, or practice their trade by trial and error which can have fatal consequences.

Today, there are readily available sources of knowledge, experience and safety training. The Alliance between OSHA and the IWCA has helped to expand the educational outreach. This past February, the IWCA celebrated its 25th anniversary. I was asked to compile and deliver the list of safety related milestones the organization had achieved in that time. The most significant achievement was the statistic showing a 30 percent reduction in the number of fatalities in the window cleaning industry over the last 10 year. After reading these milestones to the audience , I think several people in attendance there may have thought to nominate me for this award. I thank them for that.

The greatest reward for doing what I do is when a window cleaner shakes my hand and thanks me for helping them to learn how to think more safely about their occupation which in turn, helps them to work safer. Over the years many have even told me I’ve saved their lives or that of a co-worker. Receiving this award from the American Society of Safety Engineers is extremely gratifying. I have benefited by being a member of the ASSE since 1997 and having such an esteemed organization that is outside of the window cleaning industry recognize and distinguish my efforts is most honorable and greatly appreciated. And in saving the best for last, I could not have done any of what I have without the extreme sacrifice and support of my best friend , who happens to be my wife of over 30 years, Michele. Thank you for your patience, tolerance and acceptance of what I do, which helped me make a difference. Thankyou.

The caped crusader window washers were back on the job for a second year at an Oregon children's hospital - not fighting crime, but fighting grime. Super heroes descend the nine stories of Randall Children's Hospital at Legacy Emanuel for the second year.

Superheroes lift kids' spirits at Portland hospital: Superheroes took to the skies at Randall Children’s Hospital Monday fighting not crime but grime. “Holy squeegy Batman – it’s time to get to work,” shouted a window washer decked out as the Boy Wonder. A half dozen members of the regular window washing crew donned tights and capes to delight young patients. “This is the second year for this and I’m looking forward to all the smiles and high fives,” said Batman as he was suiting up.

This year’s event included a super twist for the kids. “We’re here with free costumes for all the patients,” said Alison Hicks who runs Chelsea’s Closet in memory of her daughter. “Dress-up was her favorite thing when she was in the hospital, it gave her a reason to get up in the morning,” Hicks said, of her daughter.

Before the superheroes arrived, costumes were delivered to rooms and out-patients selected outfits from a hallway rack. “It’s so nice to have him come here for something other than chemotherapy,” said the mother of a three-year-old patient. For the dangling half dozen doing the dirty work, there was a big pay off. “It so nice to come and brighten the day of these kids who are going through tough times, and they end up brightening our day as well,” concluded Spiderman. 

Union Files Complaint In Death Of Window-Washing Custodian At UC Berkeley - A union representing service workers at the University of California, Berkeley has filed a complaint with state authorities over the death of a custodian. Forty-five-year-old Damon Frick died after falling from a lift on April 7 while washing window sills at a campus auditorium 20 feet above the ground. The complaint against the university says Frick never received proper safety training, and his supervisor assigned him the job even though those duties weren’t part of his typical work. It was filed Wednesday with the state’s Division of Occupational Safety and Health. Frick’s family separately is pursuing a wrongful death claim against UC Berkeley. A call to the university on Friday was not immediately returned.

Santa Does Windows

December 16, 2013 - Phillip Hartlip, a patient at Randall Children's Hospital, shares a moment with Santa. Santa and his elves made the windows of the Randall Children's Hospital at Legacy Emanuel extra bright Monday morning.

Santa does windows: Cleaning crew dresses up for children at hospital (Portland, Oregon) - Jolly Old St. Nick and his elves checked two things off their "nice" list Monday. They brought big smiles to the faces of sick children and they also spotlessly washed the windows at a Portland hospital. A very special cleaning crew scaled the outside of Randall Children's Hospital dressed as Santa Claus and two of his elves.

The merry band of window washers then rappelled down the north Portland building as groups of children gathered on each floor to watch and wave. "They're giggling, jumping up and down, smiling, a lot of laughter. It's really great," said Jason Kirk, also known as the window-washing Santa Claus. One boy said Santa was just getting a jumpstart on all his regular Christmas duties, which always includes washing windows. "Yeah, he cleans windows," said 6-year-old Klever, a patient at the hospital. "Yeah, he did it to my house … when I was asleep." Back in April, Kirk played the part of Superman when a window washing crew dressed as superheroes for the boys and girls at Randall Children's Hospital.

Folks at Randall Children's Hospital at Legacy Emanuel watch as Santa Claus and his elves made the windows extra bright Monday morning. The window washers, employed by Millennium Building Services, have been washing the hospital's windows for 22 years. Santa (Jason Kirk) was accompanied by some of his elves (Dustin Atkins and Andrew Nava).

Window washing Santa drops in for visit at Randall Children's Hospital: A window washing Santa Claus and two of his elves brightened some hearts -- and windows -- at the Randall Children's Hospital at Legacy Emanuel in North Portland on Monday morning. Phillip Hartlip, 9, a patient from Camas, Wash., was among the children and families inside the hospital to share the special moment with Santa and helpers, who ditched the reindeer for the day and opted instead for a rope and harness. After the windows were shined up, Phillip chatted about the experience with local television and radio crews. The window washers, employed by Millennium Building Services, have been washing the hospital's windows for 22 years. Santa (Jason Kirk) was accompanied elves (Dustin Atkins and Andrew Nava).

Portland Panes Shine Come Rain Or Shine

Portland high-rise window washer Carlos Welsh, 28, makes sure not to miss a spot outside the luxury apartments of Pearl District's Metropolitan building. The Beaverton father of four took the job to support his family, and discovered a talent for dangling from rooftops. Click to enlarge.

Portland high-rise window washer makes panes shine, come rain or shine: When Carlos Welsh was laid off six years ago, he worried how he would support his four young children. He took the first job he was offered, cleaning the exterior windows of Portland's tallest buildings. He was terrified, but feeding a family trumped his fears. Fortunately for Welsh, he discovered a knack for hanging from a rope several stories above the pavement. By now, the 28-year-old is so used to dangling with nothing below him but a bucket of suds and a few stories of atmosphere, he answers cellphone calls in midair. "I've been cleaning long enough that I don't drop stuff," he says. "The new guys tie their phones to their clothes."

Welsh, of Beaverton, was working as an indoor window cleaner when the boss cut his position. He turned to the newspaper classifieds, where Clean Services Northwest had this advertisement: High-rise window washer needed.  Welsh was afraid of heights but applied anyway. When asked if he had any experience with high-rises, he lied. His first job was on the tallest building on Clean Services Northwest's account, the 35-story Koin Center. He nearly fainted with fear. "I didn't see myself, but I'm sure I was white and shaky," he says. "I was terrified." Welsh made it through that first descent with the help of an experienced trainer. Within a few weeks, the fear diminished. Instead, his thoughts during a "jump" involved tailoring his window-cleaning strategy to the building's architecture. "Each one is a little bit tricky," he says. "You have to know what you're doing." Now, Welsh is the supervisor working alongside fear-stricken new trainees. He teaches them the ropes while they avoid looking down.

Armed with a squeegee and a bucket of soapy water, Carlos Welsh has rappelled from dozens of Portland's highest buildings as a window washer for Clean Services Northwest. Click to enlarge.

On a recent Tuesday, Welsh and a partner begin a two-week project at The Metropolitan building on Northwest 10th Avenue and Lovejoy Street. At 225 feet, the luxury apartment building is the Pearl District's tallest. His meticulous hands rarely miss a spot. Leave a streak on a window in those expensive penthouses, Welsh says, and you're bound to get complaints. "We call it drip, when the water from your squeegee gets on the window," he says. "If your window doesn't look really good, you have to do it again." After dropping a rope containing his bucket and a small stick of wood to sit on, he climbs over the edge and doesn't stop working until he reaches the ground.

Left to right, down, zigzag back up to the top left corner, then X marks the spot. One window down, countless more to go. He swings over to the neighboring window and affixes a suction cup to the glass, using it to hold himself in place while he cleans. Right, down, zigzag, zigzag, X. It's the same routine all the way down. Drop a few feet of rope, refasten your carabiner, dip your squeegee in the dish soap, and swipe. Eight hours of this is taxing, Welsh says, but it beats sitting at a desk all day. "I don't like feeling trapped in four walls," he says. "With this job, you're a few days on one building, then you're jumping another one. You're always moving around, and you get to enjoy the weather."

Building managers are required to notify tenants a few days before window cleaners arrive, but Welsh still occasionally catches people off guard when he drops into view. Office workers, in particular, are easy to startle when they're absorbed in a task. Other washers have caught people in the throes of passion, but Welsh's most extreme encounter was with a naked woman who promptly bolted from the room. She returned in a robe a moment later and opened the window to say hello and laugh about the incident. "Some people are really nice and give you a tip," he says. "Others shut the blinds in front of you. They think you're looking in, but really you're just looking at the window." Passing pedestrians often ask questions or shout salutations and words of encouragement. Children, in particular, get excited when they spot Welsh hanging high above. "They're too little to understand how you're doing it," he says.

Cleaning windows requires more than a head for heights. Today, for instance, Welsh has to contend with exterior beams that jut several yards from the building. To reach the windows, he'll have to swing in, then cling to the suction cup with one arm while the other reaches overhead to clean. It's not easy on the arm muscles. "Rock climbers have applied before, thinking it will be kind of like a sport," he says. "But it isn't as easy or fun as it looks to them." His only protection is a breathable waterproof coat and pants, a baseball cap and a white beanie. No amount of padding would save him if he fell anyway, and accidents are extremely uncommon. Clean Services Northwest has never had one.

The Metropolitan project begins on a rainy, windy and frigid morning at the outset of a particularly wet week. Window washers squeegee through the elements. "We try to work on the opposite side of the building so we're shielded from the wind," he says. They cancel gigs only when the weather is unbearably bad. For all the job hazards, Welsh is paid $20 an hour. At home, he cleans the windows only on nice days, about four times each year. "I have little kids, so right after I clean the windows the handprints are all over anyway," he says.

Carlos Welsh's tips for gleaming glass: Don't worry about the solution. Welsh fills his bucket with dish soap and water. Anything that effectively removes the grime will do. Instead of investing in more expensive glass cleaner, buy a squeegee. It won't leave streaks the way spray cleaners and cloth sometimes do. Start from the top, so anything that drips won't ruin the work you've already done. Keep a towel handy to wipe your squeegee in between swipes.

How To Rescue A Window Washer

Firefighters Conduct Window Washer Rescue Training at Portland Providence: This week, Portland Fire & Rescue firefighters from Station 1 participated in a rescue drill at Portland Providence Medical Center in NE Portland. Pictured above, rescuer en route to victim; time is of the essence in these types of rescues.

Rescuer contacts the victim. The drill included a simulated rescue of a window washer whose equipment malfunctioned.  The window washer began by rappelling about one story down the side of the six-story building and then tied off, playing the part of a victim awaiting rescue. Portland firefighters took turns being lowered to the window washer, securing to the victim’s harness, removing the washer off his rope system, and lowering him safely to the ground.

The edge person oversees the rescue and is in charge of overall safety and communication with the rescuer. During the drill, firefighters utilized “two points of contact” in their system. This means that the rescuer and patient are always attached to the system by two ropes, a mainline and a safety line, that are part of a system. The mainline is the working rope that is used to do all the work. The belay (safety) line is attached to a separate anchor and a different point on the rescuer and patient on their harness. In the event of a failure of the mainline, the belay (safety) line is always there to catch the load. This type of redundant system is essential in maintaining a sufficient safety factor for not only the firefighters but also those being rescued.

The rescuer performs an assessment of the victim upon initial contact. Firefighters used specialized equipment including helmets, gloves, harnesses, static rescue and safety ropes, pulleys, and other hardware.

The rescuer attaches rescue equipment to victim and lowers the victim to safety. The simulated rescue went smoothly.  The close to 40 firefighters involved in the rescue drill are members of Portland Fire & Rescue’s Technical Rescue Team. These members are trained in high angle rope rescue and are skilled in the use of ropes and other rigging gear to use in high angle rescue scenarios. 

According to Station 1 Lieutenant Jamie Ziegler, “Our firefighters frequently practice rope rescue skills and this drill was a great way to prepare for a complicated rescue.” Photos by Dick Harris, Portland Fire & Rescue.

Q & A With Mark Poole Of Portland Window Cleaning

Mark Poole of Portland Window Cleaning gives us his story:

We started Waterworks NW based in Hillsboro and Portland, Oregon 12 years ago. With a heavy background in pressure washing after managing a pressure washing company for 6 years I left the company after I found out the owner was cheating customers. With 3 weeks to make our mortgage payment I sold my motorcycle, bought a truck and some equipment and started handing out fliers. Our services included window cleaning, gutter cleaning, pressure washing & roof cleaning. In 2009 we restructured after a slowing economy and with the power of the internet & started Portland Window Cleaning, Portland Pressure Washing, Portland Roof Cleaning and recently purchased Portland Gutter Cleaning. This project took the better part of a year to complete, but the plans are just starting for these companies, whose owners are not old enough to to even watch PG movies yet. We feel very fortunate to have these companies and have big plans as we develop these high quality customer service orientated companies and groom their new owners for the future.



Questions & Answers with Mark Poole:

How long have you been window cleaning – what got you started?
We have been window cleaning for 12 years. What got me started was a desire to have my wife stay home with our children. I had a pressure washing background and helped a friend clean a couple windows part time. He moved and I asked if he would mind me adding his old customers to Portland Window cleaning.

What do you hate/love most about window cleaning?
I love going into a home with dirty windows and seeing the customers face when we are done cleaning them. I hate the feeling of not being able to let go of the work. I am addicted to perfection and need to tell myself to take breaks.

What are your favorite tools in the trade?
Well, I think we are one of the only companies around using water fed poles on residential homes every day. We carry our water on board and have Gardiner carbon fiber poles. So setup and take down is very quick, we simply flip a switch and we are cleaning.

What percentage of wfping to traditional window cleaning do you do?
In the 2 1/2 years since using water fed poles we have cleaned exterior windows on 3 homes using traditional methods only because of old wood frames. 99 percent of our residential and commercial clients enjoy risk free window cleaning and peace of mind knowing we are not on ladders.

In your neck of the woods, it rains a lot – how do you cope with this?
We do not clean windows in the rain, unless it is a regular commercial account. Our residential customers appreciate our flexibility in dealing with the weather. We clean lots of gutters as well as pressure washing. If we can do the work safely, we will work. We can also compress our work weeks if needed to work around the weather. There are many other aspect of the company that employees can work on if it is unsafe to work on homes because of the weather. Money isn't everything, but our safety is very important.

What do you think the best marketing medium has been for your company?
Word of mouth, although the internet is a great marketing tool, quality workmanship and great customer service goes a long way.

What other services do you provide?
We own multiple companies which do a variety of services such as Window Cleaning, Gutter Cleaning, Pressure Washing & Roof Maintenance.

Who do you look up to in the industry & why?
I don't know many in the industry. There are many that have built large companies and have done a lot for the industry such as Chris and Alex from WCR. I do not really look up to anyone as each of us have our own goals. But certainly I would have to give credit to Kevin Dubrosky who has helped many companies earn more money while working less hours.

What’s gonna be your next biggest purchase for the company?
Well, we just purchased a large commercial pressure washer from Landa Northwest. We need more sprinter vans for our fleet. We will be purchasing more carbon fiber water fed poles for Portland Window Cleaning.

The most treasured piece of window cleaning equipment you have?
The Gardiner water fed pole.

Any family? Are they involved in the business?
I am the father of 3 children, and have been married for 12 years. My wife takes care of the family and our home. Maybe when the kids are older she might want to work for Portland Window Cleaning.

Do you favor one supplier or do you shop around?
We have had our same vendors for quite some time. Landa Northwest being at the top of the list.

Where do you see yourself in 10 years time?
Retired.

What do you do to relax?
Golf.

If you could live anywhere & window clean – where would it be?
Hawaii.

Mark Poole & his team have a blog that showcases his work. Mark can be reached on Portland Window Cleaning (503)844-6700.

"Nigerian Scam" Drags On For Window Cleaner

BANGOR, Maine — A Stockton Springs window cleaner who spent more than a year in federal prison for soliciting funds to invest in an international scam pleaded not guilty Monday in federal court to 13 counts of wire fraud in what prosecutors have called a similar scheme. Todd Denson, 50, originally was indicted in May on two counts of wire fraud. He allegedly was asking people for money that he sent overseas. Denson told people that he needed money to gain access to millions he had in foreign bank accounts, according to court documents.

The first indictment cited two wire transfers totaling $4,700. The new indictment, dated July 13, cited 11 additional wire transfers totaling $20,383, including the amount cited in the original indictment. Information about what led to the additional charges was not available Monday. U.S. Magistrate Judge Margaret Kravchuk ordered that Denson continue to be held without bail, as he has been since his arrest in April. He scheduled to be tried on all 13 counts in September.

Denson appears to be a victim of a well-known Internet monetary fraud as well as someone who has tried to swindle money from people in Hancock, Waldo and Knox counties since he was released from prison in May 2008, according to court documents. He was sentenced on June 7, 2007, in federal court in Portland to 18 months in federal prison after pleading guilty to seven counts of mail and wire fraud. Denson admitted to bilking several Cumberland County residents out of nearly $80,000. His problems apparently began in 2006, when he fell for a fraudulent Internet scheme out of Ghana, according to previously published reports. The owner of a successful window-washing business in Portland, Denson sent $60,000 to the African nation after being told he could get a $9 million inheritance.

After he ran out of his own money in 2006, Denson used a variety of stories to get additional funds from seven so-called investors and wired the money overseas in hopes of getting the millions promised. In all, he bilked seven people out of nearly $80,000, but only four sought restitution, according to court records. He still owes $58,600 to those victims, according to court documents. It was unclear Monday how many people might have been victimized by Denson's most recent alleged activities, although three victims were identified in the original indictment. If convicted on the new charges, Denson faces up to 20 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000.

A Westbrook man who lost $60,000 of his own money in a fraudulent Internet scheme run out of Africa now faces a federal prison sentence for using $78,600 of other people's money after his funds ran out. Todd Denson, 46, told investigators that he received an e-mail that convinced him he could get an inheritance worth more than $9 million from a murdered man in Ghana by sending $1,000 overseas. Denson sent the money, followed by another $59,000. Eventually he ran out of his own money and told a variety of stories to get money from other "investors." He convinced one victim to invest in patented window-washing inventions and another to invest in an international construction company. On Thursday, Denson pleaded guilty to mail and wire fraud in U.S. District Court in Portland and faces up to 20 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and will owe restitution to his seven victims. His case offers a cautionary tale for people who think they can get rich quickly, said Assistant U.S. Attorney Donald Clark.

In another case, Todd Denson, who ran a Westbrook-based window-washing company, placed a classified ad in the Portland Press Herald seeking investors. Denson said he needed to borrow $40,000 for 48 hours, and promised a $20,000 return on investment. He said he needed the money to release more than $9 million in funds that he kept in an overseas bank account, money he had earned by inventing patented window-washing equipment. Instead, prosecutors say, Denson shipped the money overseas to release what he had become convinced was millions of dollars in assets of a construction company he had acquired.

Prosecutors believe Denson spent $60,000 of his own funds before borrowing $78,000 from five victims. All of it was lost in the scam. He now faces up to 20 years in prison. When he was being questioned by a Secret Service agent last January, Denson reminded the agent that the two had talked before. Denson said he had called the Secret Service office and asked the agent if he thought the overseas investment Denson was involved in was legitimate. The agent said he was familiar with the scheme and warned him to stay away from it. He was told not to send any more money, and not to take anyone else's money to finance it.

Denson was told that "since he was aware of the scam, he could be held criminally liable for enticing other unsuspecting individuals into relinquishing their money," according to a court document written by Assistant U.S. Attorney Donald Clark. Despite the warning, Denson continued looking for "investors" to help him strike it rich. Victims like Denson go through a common psychological phenomenon known as a "social trap" that turns them into accomplices of the same con men who are trying to rob them, said Bill Thornton, a psychology professor at the University of Southern Maine. Victims need to justify their losses, he said. The more they lose in the scam, the more convinced they become of its reality. "We don't think of ourselves as stupid people, so there is some self-deception and rationalization," Thornton said.

Magalski likens it to gambling. "It's like a poker player who knows he's probably going to get beat, but he's got so much in the pot, he has to keep going and feeding it," he said. "You've invested so much." Magalski says it's difficult to say how much money has been lost to the scammers. While cases like those of Denson and Lewis are rare, his office hears almost daily from people who want to check out an e-mail they received, or from a financial institution concerned about a customer who is drawing large amounts of money out of his or her account. People who lose money are often too embarrassed to report it, Magalski said, but he estimates that losses of $10,000 to $25,000 are common.

When the losses are reported, often little can be done. American law firms that purport to represent the scammers turn out to be fakes. So do the addresses on the documents. The con men and the money are typically out of the country, beyond reach. The best Magalski can offer is advice. All of these crimes could have been prevented by ignoring the first e-mail. "The best way to combat this is public education," he said.