Gutter cleaning is a necessary property maintenance task that must be done to ensure rain can flow properly through gutters and downpipes. This reduces potential damage to the inside and outside of a property that can end up costing thousands. However, if done incorrectly, gutter cleaning can be quite a dangerous task which is why many look to professionals to do the job for them.
Climbing on roofs on all sorts of terrain and all sorts of weather conditions can appear to be quite dangerous job, which is true if not done correctly. As a business owner it’s important for your own and your employees safety to be the number one priority. This can be ensured through a number of measures.
How to Maintain Safety while Cleaning Gutters
- Complete a Job Safety Analysis prior to working. A Job Safety Analysis is a written procedure developed to review work steps and their associated hazards in order to put in place correct solutions to eliminate or minimise the risk of those hazards. This is vital as it ensures all efforts are made to ensure the working conditions are as safe as possible. For gutter cleaning this can include identifying hazards and solutions relevant to weather conditions, PPE, safety equipment and more.
- Make a ‘Working Safely at Heights’ Course a mandatory part of the job description. Working Safely at Heights Courses are designed to equip workers with the knowledge and skills to safely work at heights. Incorporating this into your induction helps protect the safety of workers along with the safety of those around.
- Invest in necessary PPE. Consider footwear which is suitable for roofs. Shoes with rubber soles can be an option as they tend to adhere best and therefore prevent slips and falls. Further, protect your hands from the rotting debris as it can contain animal faeces, poisonous insects, and bacteria. Thick suede gloves are an option, or better yet invest in a gutter vac which removes the need to touch the debris at all.
- Consider your equipment options. For optimal safety, the use of harnesses is essential when climbing on roofs. To avoid the need to be on roofs, consider our Carbon Fibre Pole Kit designed for high reach cleaning. It offers up to 12 metres of reach meaning high reach cleaning can be done safely with two feet firmly on the ground.
Overall, safety should be paramount when cleaning gutters. Check out this video from Jordi at Gutters Uncluttered showing us how it’s done…
Australian Industrial Vacuum are Australia’s leading family-owned industrial vacuum suppliers. No matter your zone, industry, or application we will find a customised solution for you. Chat to the team today on 03 8597 3376.
