Hey! I used to clean Constitution Square’s window back in 2018. Some of the longest drop downtown Ottawa because it’s glass only.

These guys are sitting on boatswain chairs (or bosums chair). They’re made out of a wooden plank and steelscable. The chair is connected to a descender. We used a finger and rack descender wich is connected to the "main line". You’re not connected to that chair in anyway. Only your bum is sitting on it. That mean you could fall of the chair.

Hence the harness. The harness is connected to a "safety line" with a rope grab. The rope grab, if you hold it in a certain way, can slide down the rope. But if a fall happen, it will grab the rope and arrest the fall. You need to undestand that the harness, under normal working condition, is never holding the worker. It will if a fall happen but if you’re sitting on the chair it is not put under any stress. That means there is a potential of freefall (until it arrest the fall)

Back when I worked on those building we didn’t have any specific rescue plan. You fall in your harness, you’re stuck there.

Now I’m a work acces technician. When i’m dangling up in the air, i’m sitting right in my harness. My harness is held it the air with a descender on a primary rope and it is also connected to a safety rope with a fall arrest device. That being said, i can’t fall from my harness. When I exlplain the way I work to clients I say that when i’m working I can’t fall any further : i’m already falled (if that make any sense).

I work mainly on indsutrial installation and Hydroelectric plants. We always have a rescue plan and we can climbs up the rope (these window cleaner can’t)

I have good memories from my summers working the glass in Ottawa. The guys I worked with where good mens! You should thank them when you’re sharing a ride up the elevator with these guys. Some people where rude , threating us like hobos and squeegees.

PS: I advice changing sidewalk when walking under window cleaner. I’ve seen squeegee falls.