Labor & Industries (L&I), Washington State

Safety Standards for Window Cleaning Chapter 296-878, WAC

Effective Date: 01/01/03

Window-cleaners' belts and anchors WAC 296-878-180

For printing

You must:

Select appropriate window-cleaners' belts and anchors WAC 296-878-18005 Inspect the anchors you plan to use for window cleaning WAC 296-878-18010 Use window-cleaners' belts safely WAC 296-878-18015 Move safely on the outside of buildings. WAC 296-878-18020

WAC 296-878-18005

Select appropriate window-cleaners' belts and anchors.

You must

• Make sure window-cleaners' belts and anchors conform to the:
• - Design, manufacture, and maintenance requirements of ANSI/IWCA 1-14.1-2001
• and
• - Manufacturer's specifications.

WAC 296-878-18010

Inspect the anchors you plan to use for window cleaning.

You must

• Make sure you don’t use anchors if they:
  • - Appear to be damaged
  • - Appear deteriorated
  • - Appear to be worn
  • - Appear to be loose
  • - Appear to be unsecured to the building or window frame
  • - Won’t allow the belt terminal to easily slip over the anchor head.
• Use window-cleaner's belts only if:
  • - The area to be cleaned is safe
  • - All anchors intended for use are safe.
• Make sure window ledges and frames won’t impair the safe use of the window-cleaner's belt.

Note: If unsafe anchors are found, report them to the building owner or manager and don’t use them.

WAC 296-878-18015

Use window-cleaners' belts safely.

You must

• Make sure workers don’t extend more than 1 arm beyond the window sash when cleaning windows from inside a building.
• Attach 1 belt terminal to an anchor before you put more than 1 arm outside the window.
• Pull on the terminal strap and look for signs of damage to the anchor.
• Attach both belt terminals to anchors before climbing out the window.
• Keep all belt terminals attached during the entire cleaning operation.
• Make sure the worker keeps 1 terminal attached to an anchor when reentering the window and until the worker is inside.

WAC 296-878-18020

Move safely on the outside of buildings.

You must

• Make sure you travel on the outside of the building only when
  • - You keep at least 1 window-cleaner's belt terminal attached at all times
  • - The anchors aren’t more than 48 inches apart.

Note: Anchors can be up to72 inches apart if The sill or ledge is continuous The sill or ledge is at least 12 inches wide The sill or ledge has a slope less than 5 degrees There is at least 6 inches of window sill in front of the mullions.