Thursday, November 23, 2006

Start A Window Cleaning Service, Business suits your individual style

For people who want to own their own business but would rather choose an opportunity that has proven successful for many others rather than gambling on developing their own system, a franchise is the way to go. Also, most franchises provide a degree of marketing support--particularly in the area of national advertising and name recognition--that's extremely difficult for individuals to match.

In the long run, you'll likely invest far less money operating as an independent service than as part of a franchise. Also, as an independent, you're not tied to any pre-established formulas for concept, name, services offered, etc. That's both an advantage and a drawback. The advantage is that you can do things your way. The drawback is that you have no guidelines to follow. Everything you do, from defining your market to cleaning a bathtub, is a result of trial and error. As an independent owner, you must research every aspect of the business, both before and during your business's lifetime, so you'll start right and adapt to market changes.

Whether you're a seasoned veteran in the window cleaning business or a totally clueless window cleaner, if your looking to start your own business that can make you as much as $500 per day, our Window Cleaning Business package will help you get started.This comprehensive hands-on guide is a simplified, easy to read course on exactly how to get started the right way. We will show you how to attract customers, and turn a one man operation into into a full time money machine. Our package will give you the edge over the rest of the other packages offered on the net. There are no packages as complete as ours. Take this opportunity and embrace it! This package has helped hundreds of people in getting into the window cleaning business with high success rate.

This means you can build a company that suits your individual style and talents. If you like doing the work yourself, you can stay small and do so. If your skills are more administrative in nature, you can build and manage teams to do the work. For people who like working outside, the opportunities in service areas such as window cleaning and pressure washing are abundant. Residential maid services offer fairly predictable hours; disaster restoration and cleanup can mean calls at all hours of the day or night.

Few industries offer this tremendous range of choices and opportunities, and the need for general and niche cleaning is expected to increase in the future.

Monday, August 28, 2006

Window Cleaning: When Reaching Up High, Safety Starts Down Below

Window Safety
By Richard M. Heeth


Falls are a leading cause of occupational death, and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has begun monitoring window cleaners to ensure they’re using proper scaffolding techniques.

In March of 1989, a 33 year-old caulking technician borrowed a window-washing company’s two-point suspension scaffold. This technician and a worker from the window-washing firm ascended the building on the scaffolding, and then began working at the sixth-floor level. Although both workers had safety belts and lifelines, they left them in their vehicles. After the work was completed, the men began their descent, when suddenly the caulking technician’s end of the scaffold dropped. The man fell 60 feet and died.

OSHA regulations were instituted in 1971 to protect workers from hazards associated with scaffold use. Even after the regulations, falls from scaffolds continued, and in 1992, the regulations were revised to include requirements for fall protection, guardrails and “use of a competent person” — defined as a person capable of identifying existing and predictable hazards, who has the authorization to take prompt measure to eliminate them. If your company uses ladders or any type of scaffolding, you are directly affected by many OSHA regulations, and also must have a written safety plan in place. Ladders When ladders are necessary to complete a job, you are required by OSHA to provide a safe work environment. Ladder incidents are usually caused by improper use, not by a defective ladder. Choose a ladder that is best suited for the job, and use only certified ladders. For commercial work, use only Type I industrial or Type II commercial-duty ladders. Type III ladders are for household use only and do not have the weight-bearing capacity of the other ladders.

Contractors should inspect the ladder for damage before each use and follow the 4:1 rule when in use — the base of the ladder should be one foot away from the base of the wall for every foot it is high. The feet of the ladder should be evenly supported and on a firm surface. If the ladder is used to climb onto a roof or platform, it should extend three feet higher than the platform or roof. Never place the ladder on blocks, crates or tables to make it higher — use a taller ladder instead.ScaffoldsThere are three main types of scaffolding used in the cleaning industry: supported (site-built from tubular steel and non-mobile); rolling (tubular steel and sit-built as above but have wheels to allow them to be moved); and powered platforms (including boom trucks and suspended scaffolds on high-rise buildings).

Scaffolds are a very effective tool when used correctly, but can be deadly when misused. OSHA has very strict regulations on the assembly and use of scaffolds in general industry.
Only a competent person can erect scaffolds and they must be erected on level ground. The scaffold must support four times its maximum intended load. The feet on non-mobile scaffolds must have appropriate base plates. The height of the scaffold cannot be more than four times its minimum base width.

Users should never climb on the scaffold railing, only access it by ladders or stairs. Keep the scaffold away from power lines. When scaffolds are in use, a competent person must be on-site at all times. Fall protection, such as guardrails, safety nets and fall arrest, must be provided and used on all scaffolds more than six feet high.

Employees should wear hardhats and non-slip footwear and should not allow tools and debris to accumulate on the scaffold. When using rolling scaffolds, the wheels must be locked before use and they must not be moved when workers are on the scaffold. Use a rope and tag line to lift equipment to the scaffold – don’t allow employees to carry it up by hand. Do not allow work on exterior scaffolds during high winds or inclement weather, and do not allow employees to use makeshift devices to extend their reach.Scissor Lifts A subset of mobile scaffolding, scissor lifts are more complex that simple rolling scaffolds, so some additional safety guidelines should be followed. Ensure lifts are maintained, and inspect and check the operation of lift controls before using it. Only operate lifts on level surfaces.

Users should only stand on the floor of the lift, and shouldn’t climb on the guardrails. If there are no guardrails, provide employees a personal fall-arrest system and ensure they use it.Powered PlatformsOSHA, under the Power Platform standards, require very specific types of stabilization of these scaffolds and professional engineers design these installations into the building. Systems can be added to older buildings and there are companies that specialize in such design and installation.

These scaffolds do, however, have requirements in common with the other types of scaffolding. A written safety plan is required which describes procedures in the event of power or scaffold failure. Again, have a competent person on site when the scaffold is in use. Employees should be trained in the specific type of scaffolds they will be using, and employees must have personal fall protection and be trained in it use.


Start a Window Cleaning Service


If you are a person that would prefer working for yourself as opposed to having a boss, then join the thousands who have taken the initiative and made the leap forward to success. Security is an important factor to people. Most of us feel that security can only be attained by having a job that brings in regular and steady income. This may prove true to the people that believe this, but look at it from this point of view. Do you personally know someone who has worked for a large company bringing in a steady income to suddenly losing their job? The truth is security only happens when you have more control over certain things such as the income you make, the time that you have and the freedom of choice. So what are you waiting for? Make the choice today!

The window cleaning sectors are classified in two categories which are Consumer and Commercial. These two sectors are both just as lucrative. Remember this if it has a window or glass in it, it is a potential customer. In the consumer industry, your target market will be home owners. With the busy and hectic life that most individuals have now days just to keep up with the Jones, they hardly have time to do outdoor chores. See for yourself and take a walk in your neighborhood. You’ll notice a number of these homes have their lawns serviced by a lawn service company. And if you pay closer attention, you will never notice the home owner to actually ever wash their outside windows. Unless you are an anal person, you probably only do the basic household chores in your home. When was the last time you washed your windows? You see most of these extended chores are things most home owners always set aside. True entrepreneurs sees all these as opportunities and capitalizes on them. The window cleaning business has become a billion dollar industry. There are simply not enough window cleaners out there to fill this exploding industry.

Fortunes are made in this business. Usually a one person operation can make upto $500+ a day and then expanding. You can too. Believe it or not, most commercial buildings don't have a window cleaner. Why? Because there aren't enough window cleaners.

It doesn't matter where you live, what your currently doing, or whether you have any experience. You can start your own window cleaning business in no time.

The secret to making money today Is to find a need ... and fill it. Is there any other service business in such high demand? If you can offer this service at a reasonable price, your customers will be knocking your door down.

So how does one get started in this opportunity with no end to the phenomenal growth in sight? Our aging population has become a hot new market and rapid growth area for the ambitious entrepreneur. Starting your own business takes a lot of legal know how. Windows4Cash.com has developed the ultimate window cleaning package to help individuals such as yourself to become successful in this industry.


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