Window cleaners’ safety ensured: firms

Popularly known as ‘spidermen’,the cleaners do not yet have standard safety guidelines set by the Bureau of Indian Standards. A senior BIS official said,“No such specification is in place in India.”

Cleaning companies,however,vehemently claim that the safety of their workers is ensured.

Techno Clean,the company for which Narotia worked and that has the contract for cleaning and façade maintenance of Hyatt Regency,says it follows European standards of safety.

Incidentally,Techno Clean pioneered the ‘spiderman’ or the abseiling technique and was the first to bring it to India in 1999.

Most high-rise buildings in the Capital hire specialised companies for façade maintenance and most companies say they have proper safety measures in place.

Executive of a spiderman service provider in Delhi said that the men are selected after a thorough medical examination and are trained for at least six months for cleaning and using the equipment from the rooftops of tall buildings. It is also made sure they do not suffer from vertigo or any such ailment.

“In addition,all companies also offer insurance on the façade while cleaning and secondary insurance on all its workers,” said M Sunanda,a senior executive with Petal Management Services,which provides façade solutions to Uppals builders.

Many ‘spidermen’ also claim that the companies ensure their safety.

At a tall glass building near Jhandewalan,a spiderman said the Hyatt case must have been an accident. “The equipment that we use is foolproof. Even if a rope gives way,we always wear a safety belt attached with a separate rope with emergency brakes.”

The caretaker of the maintenance department of the building said the spiderman equipment is thoroughly checked before use every time,and the ropes — despite their condition — are changed every two months. “The staff undergoes a rigorous training programme. This is no joke. And we have never heard of any such accident before,” he said.

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