Working at height includes various categories, including using ladders, scaffolding, cherry pickers, and rope access to clean out-of-reach areas.
Working at height is governed by strict rules set out in the Occupational Health and Safety Act, which carry hefty penalties for non-compliance. However, using experts with the proper training and experience will ensure that high-level cleaning is carried out without incident or exposure to legislative pitfalls.
Why is cleaning at height necessary
Cleaning at height is not only reserved for the windows of skyscrapers but also includes cleaning items such as air conditioning units, extractor fans, ceilings, and furniture such as shelving and light fixtures.
Out of sight, out of mind means that it can be easy to forget high-level areas when conducting your cleaning routine, but it is important to maintain the same level of cleanliness as on the ground level. Cleaning is especially necessary when it comes to the interiors of large facilities such as factories, kitchens and workshops. Allowing dust and debris to build up inside such facilities could affect manufacturing processes and the general working environment for your staff.
In an outdoor environment, cleaning at height ensures presentability and the correct functioning of equipment such as lighting, outdoor advertising and even solar installations.
What is classified as cleaning at height?
Cleaning at height includes anything from using a step ladder to hanging by a rope hundreds of metres above the ground.
Experts can advise on the best solution for a specific task and the equipment needed to carry out the task efficiently. Equipment needed can include platforms, cherry pickers, ladders, and machinery. All these types of equipment require specific training and are governed by specific legislation that ensures their safe use.
The dangers of cleaning at height
The dangers of working at height are a given, and operators who work above the ground need to be specially trained and comfortable enough to do so. This includes ongoing competency training and utilising the required specialised equipment to ensure they can carry out these tasks safely.
When conducting high-level cleaning, operators will need to take care of various aspects, including getting specialised cleaning apparatus, chemicals and water required to the location, as well as getting rid of debris in an efficient manner. For example, the cleaning or removal of paint at a high level needs to be done in such a way that it doesn’t contaminate the whole side of the building in the process.
Facets, all of which require their own specific processes, include getting up to height, remaining at height for prolonged periods of time and getting back onto the ground safely again.
Why is cleaning at height best left to the specialists?
It is mandated that all above-ground tasks on a site be carried out under the supervision of a competent person and that operators be competent and licensed to carry out that type of work.
Specialists will handle important facets such as ensuring that the design, selection, and use of the equipment and anchors comply with safety standards. These experts also need to have a site-specific fall protection plan applicable to the specific work and environment prior to the commencement of the work.
While the duty of responsibility remains with the site manager, outsourcing such specified and highly specialised tasks is a much easier and more efficient way of getting the required work done.
Through years of experience CSG’s cleaning at height specialists have developed the best methods for successfully cleaning locations above the ground quickly, safely and with minimal disruption to other site activities.
These highly trained specialists are equipped with the required platforms, ladders, and machinery to access locations above the ground, as well as all the right cleaning tools and products. This results in a turnkey solution, where CSG’s specialists handle the entire process from start to finish, eliminating any possible risk.
