2015-08-21
1930
A How dangerous is it?
B What’s it like up there?
C Have you had any funny experiences?
D How long have you been a window cleaner?
E Would you like to change your job?
When you hear the phrase ‘dangerous jobs’, you probably think of firefighters, life-guards or police officers. Can window cleaning be dangerous? No? Well, if you are working 250m above the ground, it can be very dangerous. This week, Darren Barnes, a window cleaner on some of the tallest buildings in Perth, in Australia, talks to us.
For ten years, I was working as a builder before that. Then, my brother started cleaning windows on skyscrapers and I changed jobs to work with him. I have always loved being up in the sky!
If you’re not afraid of heights, it’s great. On a sunny day the view is amazing. It’s very quiet and the people below look like ants. Of course, bad weather can be a problem – you know, strong winds – and the pollution sometimes makes the city look grey. However, I like it up there.
Well, it’s safer than it looks. The job was more difficult when I started. But safety equipment has changed a lot since then. We’ve got a power roof car now to take us to the top instead of the old chair. And I don’t work alone. Twelve of us clean a building, so we look out for each other.
Oh sure. Once, a pigeon sat on my head for hours and went up and down the building with me. It came every day and we used to share my sandwiches.
