Editor, UBM

November 27, 2015

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Window cleaning from the ground with Arco range

Safety firm Arco has launched a new range of High Reach Window Cleaning Equipment, which they say will help prevent falls from height, with kits that extend up to 10 metres (33ft), and additional poles available extending up to 20 metres (65ft) meaning window cleaners can now work safely with their feet firmly on the ground.

According to Arco, between two and seven window cleaners are killed every year with an additional 20 to 30 suffering major injuries as a result of falls from ladders and many more experience minor injuries resulting in days off work for recovery. Falling from height is a major contributor to these figures, they say.

Risks faced by window cleaners using portable ladders incorrectly include overreaching, stepping off the ladder and working on a window ledge with no safety equipment or working from excessively long and unsecure ladders, say Arco.

The safety experts highlight that the Work at Height Regulations applies to all work at height, where there is a risk of a fall liable to cause personal injury, placing duties on employers, and those who control any work at height activity. Employers must therefore ensure work is properly planned, supervised and carried out by competent people, say Arco. They add that safe practice in window cleaning means all work should be completed at ground level if reasonably practicable. Arco say say they have offered a solution by removing all risk of falls from height and enabling window cleaners to work with extended window cleaning equipment that can be safely used from ground-level.

Arco recommends that window cleaners opt for a water fed pole system that facilitates the cleaning of windows up to 20 metres (65ft) high. The firm’s Unger nLite HydroPower Range uses pure water applied with a water fed pole system to offer a fast, safe and effective method of cleaning windows. They add that the kits use FloWater™ Technology to ensure a more sufficient flow through the entire vessel, improving resin efficiency and increasing its lifetime by up to 30%.

Jeff Snee, Product & Procurement Manager at Arco said: “Falling from height is a major cause of injury within the workplace and working from the ground with Ungar nLite HydroPower High Reach Window Cleaning Equipment removes that risk for workers. The kits are perfect for the cleaning of glass windows, building facades and solar panels without leaving streaks, water marks or detergent residue.”

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