Window Cleaning Safety Standards

The issue of safety is huge in the world of window-cleaning. There are multiple industry standards, in addition to any state or local standards or insurance requirements, that need to be recognized by those with staff performing window cleaning.

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) regulates four main standards in relation to walking-working surfaces, powered platforms, a personal fall arrest system and fall protection.

The industry has also relied on a safety standard developed by the International Window Cleaning Association (IWCA) and approved by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI). This standard affects property professionals and window cleaners, meaning that facility representatives are required to provide a safe building at which to work, and cleaners are required to adhere to safety guidelines, codes, laws and licensing requirements, including those that pertain to training and equipment. This concept of shared responsibility is integral to the standard.