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Equipment for WFP system

Stedon

New member
Messages
23
Location
Manchester
As I’m thinking of starting up on WFP system and targeting more residential properties up to 3 stories high would you recommend a 20 ft pole for standard 2 storey and say 25ft pole for 3 storey?

also what ladders would you recommend say 3 tier extended ones and maybe a smaller one ?

any advice thanks

 
Personally I'd buy only the CLX27 but everyone will probably criticise. The reason being is its a fair bit cheaper and for a newbie a good pole. If you're after a better pole then buy a SLX22 and extension 6. This saves you having 2 poles and just put the extension on for the higher work. 

 
I can just manage all three storey town house with a 22 but 25 is much easier also I  do the ones with recede dormers then I use my slx25 with extensions added. 

 
I started off with a Clx 22, in the first two years I only came across maybe 2 jobs where I couldn’t reach something. 

But dorma windows, skylights & extensions are becoming more & more common. I now use a extreme 18 on everything I can, then anything longer I use my super Max 27. 

I personally prefer having a couple of different poles then just one pole and keep adding & taking away extension. But that’s just me. 

I had the Slx 25, was a great pole,  but the 5ft closed length can be a bit too much for some. 

 
I started off with a Clx 22, in the first two years I only came across maybe 2 jobs where I couldn’t reach something. 

But dorma windows, skylights & extensions are becoming more & more common. I now use a extreme 18 on everything I can, then anything longer I use my super Max 27. 

I personally prefer having a couple of different poles then just one pole and keep adding & taking away extension. But that’s just me. 

I had the Slx 25, was a great pole,  but the 5ft closed length can be a bit too much for some. 
27 wouldn’t touch a lot of ever increase windows on my round, I have slx25 with upto extensions #9  these just about get the 4 storey dormers bloody heavy thing going to save for an extreme big pole. 

 
Not wrong at all.  More people win the lotto than get electrocuted using WFP.  Odds in our favour. 
If they were one of the unlucky ones and employed by you and did get electrocuted you would be responsible for not taking the precaution not starting a debate but that would be how I see it. 

Plus it would try on the brian for the rest of your life.

 
Ok. So let's put this drivel to bed.  Yes i'd probably be liable - that's why i'm insured.  

The reason they get SLX poles is because you may remember my xtreme pole that snapped.  All I will say is it wasn't me using it at the time. And at £750 per pole you can't afford to allow employees that don't have the same respect for equipment such luxury. 

Perhaps this 'banter' of yours has made a point. How irresponsible of me.. I shall stop buying Gardiners and buy other random cheaper poles from other manufactures so the 'insulated' section isn't even a consideration. 

Yes, there are instances of electrocution in the USA for our industry but most of those are guys that were using metal poles at the time. 

Lastly (thanks for the image above @P4dstar you've reminded me to stop making profit and become a charity)  I've covered this topic before on employees - why do they not buy their own tools?  

Mechanics, electricians, plumbers etc all start as apprentices using company tools but are all expected to build up their own tool box as they go.      

 
Correct me if I’m wrong, but I thought the bottom section would of Gardiner Poles was insulated, in the unlikely case of  electrocution? 


And that's why the bottom section would never come off my SLX 22. Very low chance of it happening, but with my luck, it's a chance I ain't taking. 

 
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Lastly (thanks for the image above @P4dstar you've reminded me to stop making profit and become a charity)  I've covered this topic before on employees - why do they not buy their own tools?  
Absolute pleasure mate. That was my christmas present to you ?

Ok. So let's put this drivel to bed.  Yes i'd probably be liable - that's why i'm insured.  
Insurance doesn't cover corporate manslaughter mate. Doesn't matter what tools are used it it's a Gardiner extreme or a cheap pole from China an employer could be liable under criminal law for not taking the necessary precautions to protect an employee. This is easily resolved however by writing some basic training and both you and the employee sign it. General manual handling, what PPE to use and any other known risks in the window cleaning industry. Keep them updated every few months and you're all sorted.

I shall stop buying Gardiners and buy other random cheaper poles from other manufactures so the 'insulated' section isn't even a consideration. 
It's not the insulated section being a consideration it is the risk to life and the employee being made aware of it. If he (or she I guess) has signed on a piece of paper somewhere they understand that carbon conducts electricity and to avoid overhead wires or pack up if they see lightning etc then you are protected. It's not the tools they use that are the issue but wether or not they know the dangers of those tools. If you document something and they choose to continue using the pole with a section taken out then its no longer one you

 
I have a clx4, extreme 18, two slx18, s2lx22 and a Slx25 as my son is shorter than me so got this so it didn’t struggle for townhouse  whenever I have picked up worked that as Been out of reach I have bought an extension that is from extension #6 to #9  bearing in mind that We clean a lot of properties that are in the sticks so we have to deal with overhead power cables directly into the houses including my own house almost on a daily basis so really glad that gardiner poles and the extensions need have done theirbest to insulate against electricity each to their own but I’m glad that myself and son is protected as best as could be. 

 
I have a clx4, extreme 18, two slx18, s2lx22 and a Slx25 as my son is shorter than me so got this so it didn’t struggle for townhouse  whenever I have picked up worked that as Been out of reach I have bought an extension that is from extension #6 to #9  bearing in mind that We clean a lot of properties that are in the sticks so we have to deal with overhead power cables directly into the houses including my own house almost on a daily basis so really glad that gardiner poles and the extensions need have done theirbest to insulate against electricity each to their own but I’m glad that myself and son is protected as best as could be. 


We have a few where we have to be aware of the overhead power lines coming into properties.

We had one property that we asked the owner to apply to the electricity board to remove the overhead cables in the street and put them underground. They eventually changed that section for the ABC system (aerial bundled cables). It took around 18 months to get that done, even although they had the budget to do it immediately. (I had an inside source.)  Now it doesn't matter if we do touch these cables with our pole cleaning that property.

A friend of mine gave me a pair of high voltage gloves, but I couldn't use them as I couldn't grip my pole wearing them. How the electricians work on live high voltage cables wearing them I have no idea.

 
Absolute pleasure mate. That was my christmas present to you ?

Insurance doesn't cover corporate manslaughter mate. Doesn't matter what tools are used it it's a Gardiner extreme or a cheap pole from China an employer could be liable under criminal law for not taking the necessary precautions to protect an employee. This is easily resolved however by writing some basic training and both you and the employee sign it. General manual handling, what PPE to use and any other known risks in the window cleaning industry. Keep them updated every few months and you're all sorted.

It's not the insulated section being a consideration it is the risk to life and the employee being made aware of it. If he (or she I guess) has signed on a piece of paper somewhere they understand that carbon conducts electricity and to avoid overhead wires or pack up if they see lightning etc then you are protected. It's not the tools they use that are the issue but wether or not they know the dangers of those tools. If you document something and they choose to continue using the pole with a section taken out then its no longer one you


One of the most sensible responses I have read on here in a long time to a health and safety post.

People employing should know the basics.

 
Absolute pleasure mate. That was my christmas present to you ?

Insurance doesn't cover corporate manslaughter mate. Doesn't matter what tools are used it it's a Gardiner extreme or a cheap pole from China an employer could be liable under criminal law for not taking the necessary precautions to protect an employee. This is easily resolved however by writing some basic training and both you and the employee sign it. General manual handling, what PPE to use and any other known risks in the window cleaning industry. Keep them updated every few months and you're all sorted.

It's not the insulated section being a consideration it is the risk to life and the employee being made aware of it. If he (or she I guess) has signed on a piece of paper somewhere they understand that carbon conducts electricity and to avoid overhead wires or pack up if they see lightning etc then you are protected. It's not the tools they use that are the issue but wether or not they know the dangers of those tools. If you document something and they choose to continue using the pole with a section taken out then its no longer one you


Hmmm....   if only we had a company 'operations manual' to go along with the company handbook.  And great idea, i'll look into training staff instead of just having random workers show up and having to guess as to what they're doing and how to to do it. ?

And yes Pat, your entire clippings above come across with an assumption that I really haven't given a minutes thought to running a company or training it's employees properly.   

 
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