Who washes windows at the height of the profession. Who washes windows in skyscrapers? - It turns out that the latter do not need care at all

Without proper timely maintenance, the appearance of any building, even the brightest one, loses its luster over time. Nature takes its toll - the effect of weather conditions and external factors affects the appearance of the structure. But, as the well-known Russian proverb says, they are greeted precisely "by their clothes", that is, the first impression of a probable future partner among visitors is formed on the doorstep of the office, and here the external appearance of the building's facade, its design and interior play a significant role.

One of the conditions for maintaining a favorable appearance buildings - regular window cleaning. The number of new office premises in St. Petersburg is growing every year, so this service remains relevant and in demand to this day. There are many reasons for refusing to independently perform this procedure: a fairly large area of ​​the glazed surface, regular maintenance of which requires a certain amount of staff time, cleaning St. it is necessary to have special lifting and other devices, etc.), unfavorable weather conditions also create considerable obstacles to the successful solution of this issue.
It is not so easy to clean windows with high quality, as it seems at first glance. After all, you need not only to remove stains and dirty spots from the glass, but also to thoroughly wash the window frame, service the window sill, and then wipe them dry with a soft cloth. In addition, a good effect from performing such operations on washing windows can be achieved only using modern special detergents and specialized tools.

As a rule, a specialized service in Moscow means:
- thorough cleaning of frames and window sills object using a vacuum cleaner, their subsequent wiping with a damp cloth;
- glass cleaning with scrapers- removal of traces of paints and varnishes, cement, adhesives, etc.;
- rinsing the glazed surface and its subsequent scrubbing by using a hard sponge or a special washing coat;
- application of the detergent composition to the glass with a spray (sponge) and the subsequent thorough washing of the window;
- drying the glazed surface of the window (for this, a rubber screed is used);
- final wiping of window sills, frames and slopes.

As practice shows, the services of specialized companies for washing facades in St. Petersburg today are no less in demand than "washing windows". Long gone are the days when office cleaners performed window cleaning in high-rise buildings in St. Petersburg; this practice of window cleaning has shown its ineffectiveness for a number of reasons.

What is the inexpediency of this approach?

1. The services of professionals of organizations specializing in window cleaning in St. Petersburg and service of shop windows, in terms of the quality of performance, cannot even be compared with the result of the work of the most conscientious office cleaner.
2. Washing windows in high-rise buildings is a certain risk. Such procedures should be performed only by experienced craftsmen who are well trained to work at height, who are able to effectively use modern special equipment and tools in their activities. Today, the services of such professionals often become necessary not only when cleaning windows in St. Petersburg, but also in situations related to the installation of air conditioners on the top floors of multi-storey buildings, when performing other operations involving work at height. In this regard, a whole field of activity appeared, which received the name.

The customer who uses the professional services of such facade care specialists always wins. Since the performance of window cleaning operations is associated with the need to use specialized equipment and tools, the services of industrial climbers help to significantly save money - there is no need for additional costs for the purchase of the necessary tools for window cleaning. In addition, unlike the usual measures for internal cleaning of premises, washing the windows of high-rise knowledge from the outside requires the performer to have special climbing equipment, and here any risk and troubles associated with adverse consequences are completely excluded - because to work on washing windows in St. Petersburg, only experienced specialists are allowed, whose high professionalism is confirmed by the available permits and approvals.

A cleaning company is a modern specialized organization whose professionals use only proven and reliable modern equipment, means and tools. We guarantee each customer high quality cleaning windows in St. Petersburg - after all, in our arsenal there are not only reliable car lifts, but also a whole team of experienced industrial climbers who have repeatedly successfully performed tasks of varying complexity at high-altitude objects.
In order for the facade of the building to always look neat, it must be washed at least once a year. The technologies used by our masters for cleaning windows in St. Petersburg depend on a number of specific factors: the intensity of pollution, materials of the serviced surface, etc. in the future they will be used in work.

Prices for the provision of window cleaning services in Moscow and St. Petersburg are determined in each case on an individual basis, taking into account the complexity of the order and its volume.
In addition to the above activities, for cleaning windows in St. Petersburg and building facades, our employees often have to fulfill orders for servicing shop windows - this service is also in high demand in St. Petersburg today. Despite the fact that, as a rule, showcases provide for placement on the first floors of buildings, special attention should be paid to their cleanliness and tidiness. The surface of structures is susceptible to frequent contamination - soot from passing cars, working plants and factories settles on the glass, dust raised by the wind from the sidewalk settles.
Owners should remember that the showcase is designed to fulfill advertising function and the level of the seller's income is directly dependent on how much it will be able to attract the attention of the buyer.

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If you look calmly at these shots, then you are a fearless person or a professional window cleaner. This is a very dangerous profession. Fearless Roko Camaj, an Albanian immigrant who loved his job as a World Trade Center window washer with all his heart, died tragically on September 11, 2001.
August 15, 1994: Roko Camaj at World Trade Center 2, captured from the 170th floor observation deck.

No one suspects what danger this romantic profession is fraught with. Washing windows
in the city of skyscrapers is incredibly dramatic. Not everyone will agree to work on the edge
chasms, risking their lives for the "clean" views that open from the windows.

August 13, 1987: It is not always possible to straighten up. (Marie Bergtraum School of Business.)

August 20, 1976: And the work is not always done by professionals (Gerard Avenue in the Bronx.)

Who dares to blame Edward Massey for the unsettling look in the photo taken in
November 1972 by Robert Walker? (Mister Massey in a cap with a cigarette in photo number 6).
The steel cable holding the platform on which Massey and his partner were working snapped at level 53
floor of the skyscraper 1 Astor Plaza in Times Square. The loose and swinging end of the scaffold hung
by the window on the 52nd floor, opening a safety exit for two workers.

November 15, 1972: Edward Massey, left, has just stepped down from the scaffold behind
the window of the 52nd floor of the 1 Astor Plaza skyscraper. The steel cable snapped when Mr. Massey and his partner
worked on the 53rd floor. None of them were hurt.

Mr. Walker's photo has it all: a frightened window cleaner and a hard-working rescue team,
and dangerously hanging scaffolds, and, of course, a view from the window from an incredible height. No matter how "photogenic"
seemed to be the profession of a window washer to make good shot, skill and timing is required.

August 25, 2006. Paul Aspuru and Oleh Hulyas wash the windows of the World Trade Center.

Sara Krulwich was tasked with taking photographs of Mr. Kamai in August 1994 at the World
mall. “I accompanied him outside. I will never forget the moment I put on my seat belt and
stepped into a lifting cradle attached to the mall tower. This is one of the brightest New York experiences
for which I love my job, ”says Sarah.

Down on the ground, looking at the tape, Miss Krulwich and her editors decided that the photographs taken side-by-side with
Mr. Kamai are less successful than the pictures taken from the windows of the building.

April 27, 1987: Andrew P. Kaplan demonstrates his climbing skills.

Luck can play a role. For example, Marilynn K. Yee did not suspect that in January 2006
will create an abstract expressionist portrait of the window washer Ricardo Espejo as George
Washington. She just wanted to take pictures of a new store called Despana on Broome Street.
“I decided I would get a strong shot and captured the traces of soap suds and the shadow of the washer while working,” says Mrs. Yee.

January 26, 2006: Ricardo Espejo cleans the windows of the Despana store on Broome Street.

Persistence is also an important factor. In August 2006, Fred R. Conrad climbed the
4-meter staircase to the roof of the World Trade Center to clean the edge of the parapet and shoot like Paul Aspuru
and Oleh Hulyas wash windows. This photo of the undaunted Konrad has never been released.

“Now, five years later, I want to photograph window washers again more than ever. That would be awesome! ”Said Konrad.

However, to those who still remember Mr. Kamai at these heights, the view may seem a little empty.

In the minds of most people, real male professions are associated with risk. Among the professions close to the window market, whose representatives risk their lives almost every day, one can name - washer of skyscraper windows. This profession is also associated with height and high risk.

Today, one industry segment that benefits from an increasingly glassy cityscape is skyscraper window cleaning or industrial mountaineering. In particular, in the USA, the services of skyscraper window cleaning services are used by high demand lately, as professionals are needed to maintain the growing number of high-rise glass buildings in cities.

While windows in a brick building can usually be cleaned from the inside without the intervention of professional cleaners, and the remaining parts of the façade are rarely cleaned, glass-clad buildings present a completely different set of requirements. The height, as well as large glazing areas, cause a number of complications when creating a perfectly clean facade.

Skyscraper glazing needs to be washed twice a year so it doesn't look like the façade is covered in blurry images of giant fingerprints. In the United States, the cost of cleaning the exterior glazing of a skyscraper, which requires several weeks of work, can cost up to $ 50,000. But some buildings take even longer. For example, the Time Warner Center in Columbus Circle takes up to three months and has two crews to clean up, while the 76-story Gehry Tower in Lower Manhattan, New York can take six to nine months to clean, depending on weather conditions.

With the growth of megalopolises in height, the trend towards creating the most glazed facades, this profession is gaining more and more popularity all over the world and in Russia, in particular. This fact is illustrated in Yekaterinburg, where a competition of window cleaners was initiated, organized by construction company"Meteor" with the support of the city administration. The competition called "My House" was held in a 24-storey residential building, which, by the way, entered the Russian Book of Records, being recognized as the tallest building built using the technology of permanent formwork.

According to the organizers, the main objective of the event was to increase professional level window cleaners, as well as the promotion of cleaning in Russia.

Probably because window cleaning is a very risky profession, people in this sector highly value human life, especially children's life. In particular, window cleaners from the United States, in order to cheer up little patients in one of the children's hospitals in Tennessee, disguised themselves as superheroes from popular comics. WINDOWS MEDIA recommends reading: Window cleaners became superheroes

Sometimes dressing up in exotic uniforms, however, is motivated by commercial considerations. Skyscraper window cleaners dressed as Santa Claus can be found in many countries on the eve of New Year and Christmas. The enterprising owners of the Shanghai hotel decided to respond in an original way to customer complaints about the appearance of strangers outside the windows with incomprehensible tools in their hands, dressing up the window washers in a Spider-Man suit. This decision, however, made washing windows at a height even more dangerous.

Cleaning skyscraper windows is a very dangerous profession, which is not available to everyone, because you have to be brave and not be afraid of heights. This is probably why men are mainly employed in this field.

The profession of "window cleaner" does not seem very attractive: dirty, hard, probably low paid and not at all perspective job... But a skyscraper window washer is another matter entirely. It is also dirty and even harder work, but with a high salary - after all, professionals in this business have to literally risk their lives every time, my windows are at a great height. This profession was included in the list of the most dangerous in the world, the death rate among skyscraper window cleaners is the same as among firefighters, miners and police officers. Although insurance methods and technologies are constantly improving, accidents still occur regularly. Therefore, specialists receive a lot of money, but still, not everyone will agree to such a job - not everyone has the composure to thoroughly wash the window, hanging at a dizzying height above the entire city. Of course, window cleaners in high-rise buildings undergo special training, acquire climbing skills. They must be agile, strong and fearless, otherwise effective work will not work. And also thin, since extra pounds create unnecessary risks during work.

The most amazing thing about this profession is that there are no differences in the height of the work carried out. Anything above one and a half meters is called high-rise work: the risks at a height of five meters and one hundred meters are the same. Therefore, no matter on which floor the windows are to be cleaned, washers are provided with double safety ropes, helmets and equipment. But window washers at heights prefer not to talk about risks and accidents. Work is carried out only in ideal weather: it is prohibited to wash windows in strong winds, thunderstorms, rain or snow. Safety practices among professionals are very strict and are followed with impeccability by everyone.

Window cleaners wear special lightweight, water-repellent suits, safety harnesses with various tool bindings, rubber coated gloves and light, comfortable and soft shoes. At the top of the building, safety cables are installed, along which the washers go down and begin work. As a rule, they work at a height of no more than two hundred meters - after all, there are not so many record-breaking skyscrapers. But sometimes you have to wash windows at a height of three hundred and even five hundred meters, but it is even more difficult to imagine how window cleaners have to in Dubai, where skyscrapers reach a height of eight hundred meters. Beginners at such heights simply fall into a stupor and cannot work - even those who insisted that they were not afraid of heights. There are times when only trained and inexperienced window cleaners just hover at a height in shock, and colleagues have to take them off.

Perhaps, in the future, the need for such a dangerous profession will disappear - already now technologies are beginning to be developed with the help of which windows will self-clean. American researchers are working on the problem of creating special glasses that can be washed themselves with the help of rain and sun - for this they cover the glass with titanium oxide, which absorbs ultraviolet rays. As soon as water gets on such windows, it will smear itself on the glass and rinse it.

But for now, cleaning skyscraper windows is a highly demanded and highly paid profession. It is perfect for extreme people who lack thrills in life, who do not like routine and calm work. You just need to accept the risk of death or not think about it, although this is difficult - because accidents happen everywhere. Typically, most skyscraper window cleaners are men, but there is also a small percentage of fearless girls who, as their male colleagues admit, wash windows more thoroughly.

But many interesting and amusing cases are connected with this work. Sometimes window cleaners are hired for very different purposes - for example, giving a girl flowers through a window located on the 120th floor. And in Shanghai recently, all window cleaners donned Spider-Man suits to work in the same hotel to surprise and cheer guests.

Noticing him in the window, someone screams and runs away, while someone meets and offers tea. He sees what is hidden from many, and is always ready to instantly appear out of nowhere, and then also suddenly disappear. This is not a ghost, but a window cleaner familiar to every office worker. Together with the manufacturer of insulating glass units "Maksiform", we learned why many call this profession "sedentary work at home", how to overcome the fear of heights and what kind of "sore subject" gnaws at all professionals. The industrial climber of the Finisterra.by team Roman Lepey told us about all this.

The work of a washer is, first of all, a thorough preparation

- Roman, who did you dream of being as a child and how did you become a window washer?

- I dreamed of a military career in order to be like my grandfather and dad - they are in my military. I was even born on May 9th. But fate turned out differently: he was educated as a chemical engineer, for a long time he worked in his specialty at "Belaruskali" in Soligorsk. Spacious office, no stress, decent wages. In parallel with this, I was actively involved in "ropes", in particular, rope jumping: I jumped a lot from high bridges and houses. Then he decided to combine his hobby with his profession and started working as an industrial climber. Washing windows is one of our activities, I like it the most: it is not difficult to work, everything is clean, after the "change" you look decent. Other jobs that industrial climbers do, such as painting or plastering, are hard, tedious and not so clean.

- Sometimes you work at great heights. Are there any special security requirements?

- The main thing is good health. It is important not only to feel that everything is in order and nothing hurts, but also to get a certificate from a doctor. Many customers require a document on the passed medical examination - they want to protect themselves from accidents. It is imperative that you be well prepared physically. For example, I do CrossFit, I go to the mountains. Naturally, we must not forget about mental readiness - height affects everyone in different ways. Some have a panic fear, which constrains, paralyzes and interferes with work.

- And how can a person who is afraid of heights work as a washer?

- Anyone who is panicky afraid of heights will not even get out of the parapet, and even more so will not work in such an area. If the washer has pulled two ropes, prepared the necessary bindings and knows that his partner is insuring him, there is no point in worrying. Let me emphasize that there are always at least two people at the facility. Even if I feel good, it is not a fact that in a couple of minutes I will not lose consciousness due to the sun or strong wind. But I'm not afraid of heights, I respect her.

By the way, I know that some go to work drunk - it's monstrous. If they so dull their fear, let them go to the guard to work, as a watchman, for example.

- What skills do you need to have to professionally and efficiently wash windows? Where did you learn them?

- When I just started working as an industrial climber, I worked with a cleaning company in parallel. There I was taught everything. Explained what chemistry to choose, how to use the tool correctly and with maximum efficiency. All window cleaners must first of all adhere to safety rules. And also be able to work with the tool, diligently clean the surface, avoiding streaks and scratches. Unfortunately, a lot of non-professionals have come into the industry now. Perhaps a good salary tempts (although it is not so big). They have neither the necessary equipment, nor knowledge, nor understanding of the market and prices.

- Can you somehow solve the problem with the "impostors"?

- We have a problem with the profession as a whole: it was entered into the labor cadastre, without thinking at all about the issues of retirement age, certification, verification. Even to take the question of certificates of industrial climbers: if in Russia they need to be renewed every 3 years, then here they are given indefinitely. You can get such a document in special training centers - in Minsk or Borisov.

By the way, if we talk about retirement, then I would advise to introduce the norm at 45-50 years. Our profession is associated with special physical activity. Also, the posture is always static, so lumbar and venous diseases are very common. We must not forget about the microstresses that we experience subconsciously. The work is very nervous, despite the fact that I am not afraid of heights. Even doctors told me that it is unusual for a person to be a "spider".

- What special tools are there in the arsenal of every window cleaner and what are they intended for?

- Nothing special: glasses, a helmet with a mark on the employee's blood group, two ropes (main and safety), attachments, and also a "seat". We are located on it, so some people jokingly call our profession "sedentary work at home." Well, the tools: a bucket for detergent and water, a suction cup for working in hard-to-reach places, a fur coat (in other words, a roller) with which the agent is applied to the glass, a scraper to remove mechanical impurities and a squeegee - a clamping bar with an elastic band with which the remaining dirt. If there are stains, they are rubbed with a rag.

- What is the difference between a professional window cleaning and what we ourselves do at home?

- Differs in result and speed. It should be understood that industrial climbers tend to clean large area windows. Calling such a specialist at home, you will not pay for the amount of work, because it is negligible, but for the time spent, it is unprofitable. It is better to use the services of cleaning companies.

- What advice can you give to non-professionals?

- If you decide to wash yourself, try not to get out of the window, holding on to the handle or the battery, this is a safety violation. First, apply a solution of warm water and neutral chemistry, leave it on for a short time to take effect. If necessary, remove mechanical impurities with a scraper. Then you clean the window with a drive. Many people use newspapers - this is not prohibited, but it is difficult, long and ineffective. But the squeegee can be bought at any hardware store, however, it is unreasonably expensive, it can cost 45 rubles. By the way, even though I'm too lazy to do this, I myself wash my windows at home, as well as at work.

- Do you know about all the features of washing and do you immediately understand which products are applicable to different types of windows?

- Usually yes. For example, I immediately calculate double-glazed windows with a mirror coating: they must be washed extremely carefully, without even using a scraper. These are established, say, in the National Olympic Committee. But in one of the major metropolitan shopping centers for the comfort of employees, special films are applied to the double-glazed windows against bright sunlight; they also need a special approach. If I come across incomprehensible contamination, I make a test on an inconspicuous area: I select the appropriate composition of chemistry so as not to spoil it. There are also very special windows that do not even need to be washed - they are self-cleaning.

- It turns out that the latter do not need care at all?

- They are covered with a special thin titanium oxide film, due to which the glasses acquire a bluish tint. Under the influence of sunlight, the film breaks down dust and dirt, and after rain, thanks to it, no streaks and stains remain on the window. This is a great time and money saver: no need to spend money on cleaning products, you just need to pour water on the window.

- The tallest building whose windows you had to wash?

- National Library, 70 meters. But, to be honest, the hardest part was working on the building of the National Olympic Committee - a glass ball with rings. There is a negative overhang, so it is very difficult to move around. It was still not easy to cope with the ceiling glass in the dome of the Museum of the History of the Great Patriotic War.

- As far as I know, there are even industrial mountaineering competitions.

- Of course! They are of two types: individual championships and team championships. There are many disciplines, such as quality control and accuracy. The participant is given a pre-weighed bucket of water, with which he needs to go through the entire rope route without spilling a drop. At the finish line, the bucket is weighed again. Naturally, all this is for a while. By the way, at the beginning of this summer we held a rally of industrial climbers for the first time. There were a lot of people, so we want to make this event traditional.

- The stories about your profession were even filmed. For example, "Confessions of a Window Washer", "Infernal Skyscraper". If you had the opportunity to make a film about work, what would it be?

-… An ordinary working day, nothing bodes well. But then a young guy-washer becomes a witness of some spicy scene: robbery, burglary, murder ... or all at once. He is noticed, but he manages to hide. Then scenes of persecution, conspiracies. A detective story with elements of mysticism, in general. It all ends with the disclosure of some secret, the defeat of the villains and the triumph of the window washer!

- And why exactly the guy-washer? Are women in the profession infrequent?

- I did not see. And I will not say that this is a woman's work.

- And what do you yourself most often see through the window? How do people react to your sudden appearance?

- As a rule, I observe a standard workflow. Some people notice, offer tea, coffee, rolls, sweets. Men sometimes bring something stronger, but I always refuse. Once I was washing a window, and a girl was sitting in the office at the monitor. Everything seemed to be calm, and suddenly she would jump up! She made a face - and back to work. My heart sank into my heels. There was also a situation when a girl in a negligee was lying on the couch leafing through a magazine. She saw me - screamed and ran away. Why not see enough! Many are already accustomed to the appearance of washers. Earlier, it happened, they shouted, threw the office. But now more often they just smile, talk and ask if they need help.

Material partner:

The company "Maxiform" is a modern manufacturer of double-glazed windows and PVC windows. Choose any special properties for your window - find out all about the intricacies of production on the company's website and in the VK group.