Call To High Risers

got a few on our ig page https://www.instagram.com/masterproclean/

1 Like

I just kept getting calls. Started off residential but had good ranking on Google and people kept calling, so a buddy and I figured weā€™d dive in. It was a skill people I knew had and they seemed to make good money doing it. Thought it might beat doing 20 residential to stay in one place and deal with one customer rather than 20. And probably more exciting. Hardest part was getting good workers to build a crew.

I donā€™t do as much high rise work anymore and soon wonā€™t be doing any (selling biz) but Iā€™m glad I got into it.

2 Likes

Thanks! Is it something you would do as a solo op. or does running a crew make more sense in most cases?

Crew for sure. Building managers will look at you strange if you show up alone. Also for safety reasons its not something you should do alone. Doing the job fast requires a crew. There are some jobs that you can use a helper on who is not hanging but even that person needs rescue training. Most of the time I felt rushed to finish a job and I usually had a crew of 4.

2 Likes

Who of you high risers would like to share your thoughts as part of the Versus Series?

@AndyJones
@anon46335951
@Steve076
@Mulchtank
@mkneeds

High Rise v Low Rise
Or
High Rise v Commercial

What you looking for the differences between the 2, pros and cons, equipme.t used in each?

1 Like

Peopleā€™s reaction to ā€œI hang off of ropes on the sides of buildings all dayā€ was always ā€œOMG That must be so scary and dangerous!!!ā€ to which my reply was " I feel much safer several stories up in the air on a rope than I do 15 feet up on ladder"

1 Like

Yes. All 3 that you mentioned. Also, how does one get into that line of window cleaning? Training requirements? Terminology? Startup costs, income, insuranceā€¦

There is so little said about it, it would be a great episode of interest.

Would love to do some sort of interview with some cutaways to live footage, if possible. You wanna try it, Jeff?.

2 Likes

Sure, it really isnā€™t talked about much and would be a great topic.

4 Likes

Iā€™m looking forward to seeing this topic covered.

hmu this week on voxer bubbleguy

and weā€™ll work out the details.

thanks much :grin:

What would be cool too is having @Steve076 thoughts also US versus Austrailia highrise because the two operates so differently.

2 Likes

Iā€™d definitely like to see the comparisons and differences.

I think the main difference is here its 2 separate industries, it seems as over there its a merged.
The rope access industry here is pretty large and includes window cleaning, however if your only experience in rope access is window cleaning then you will be seen as a cowboy.
When I did my rope access and rescue course I was the only window cleaner there, out of the 9 guys in the class 3 of them were from telecommunications, 2 were concrete contractors and a painter and idk the rest.
There is a set standard and a whole rule book on what is approved and what isnā€™t.

Many of the guys who I worked with in my past have progressed on in the rope acess field and do very little window cleaning but spend more time on a rope than they used to, but in their new fields and work locations are earning 10k+ per week contracting to mines or oil rigs or even installing and testing anchor points, one of my old supervisors last I heard was working on those huge windmill power generators.

But progression here means IRATA it is required for anything where the money lies, many positions will require a level 3 and then you will need specific additional training in the required task being asked, the guy who was working on the windmills spent over 10k just on completing all the required courses just so he was eligible to put in an application.

Getting back to window cleaning, so all the guys I ever worked with did some type of rope access course whether is was IRATA or a tech college based similar depending on when we would have trained to what was available, everyone( well mostly) understood the risks and the forces associated with ropes and vector force and what not.

Here we are attached to our descender and our rope stop via our front D shackle, we wear harness that better suit the function(imo). Our bosuns chairs do not need to meet any requirements as they are JUST A SEAT, not part of our safety gear, we must use a stop descender, no racks allowed, we regularly use angles to divert as we have been trained to do.
Using bungee cords is required, using barricade mesh and bollards for drop zones with signage is required, we canā€™t use crabbing rope as a safety lineā€¦even if it rated to 12000lbs oh and we canā€™t work alone.

As a tech rope work is more work for the same money ground guys make, so for me the older I get the less I do it. As a business owner where I currently live does not have anything above 5 stories so until they build higher, the only rope work I get to do is in my backyard climbing gum trees on my 37 acres( I recently moved to) :smile:

Good for you @Steve076, one day I wish to retire on a piece of land and build my house on it.

1 Like