Health & Safety Resource Centre

Health & Safety Guidance For Exterior Cleaning Work

Practical safety guidance for gutter clearing, window cleaning and other work using poles or long-reach equipment.

Check overhead electricity, the work area and your equipment before work begins. Use this guide alongside your own risk assessment, training, manufacturer instructions and current HSE or network-operator advice.

Start The Safety Check Emergency Steps
Health & Safety Guidance For Exterior Cleaning Work

Safety & Compliance

Before Any Long-Reach Equipment Goes Up

Complete these three checks before poles, cameras, vacuums or other long equipment are unloaded or raised.

Read HSE GS6 Guidance

Critical Safety Reminder

Stop if overhead-line risk has not been checked and controlled.

Close approach to a live overhead line can cause flashover without direct contact. Where the work could be affected by overhead lines, plan the job and obtain the site-specific advice needed before starting.

1 · Look Up

Look Up

Identify overhead lines, service cables and anything long equipment could approach before the setup leaves the ground.

2 · Plan

Plan The Work

Choose the method, work area and controls before raising long equipment or starting the task.

3 · Reassess

Stop If It Changes

Reassess if weather, access, equipment, people or site conditions change the original plan.

Detailed Safety Guide

Five Risks To Check Before Work

Use these five areas to frame the detailed guidance below, then follow the relevant steps wherever a risk is present.

  • Overhead

    Electricity & Long Reach

    Look for lines, service cables and anything long equipment could approach.

  • Access

    Height, Ground & Surroundings

    Check access, ground conditions, public areas, traffic and fragile surfaces.

  • Equipment

    Condition & Suitability

    Inspect poles, clamps, hoses, electrical equipment, PPE and attachments before use.

  • Conditions

    Weather & Work Area

    Wind, visibility and changing site conditions can alter the original plan.

  • Prepared

    Emergency Readiness

    Know how to stop work, keep others clear and summon the correct emergency help.

    • Critical Electrical Safety

    Overhead Lines: Follow A Safe Decision Sequence

    HSE says work near overhead power lines must be carefully planned to avoid accidental contact or dangerous close proximity. Treat this as a decision process, not a distance you can guess on site.

    1. Step 1

      Stop, Look Out, Look Up

      Scan the work area and access route before unloading long equipment.

      • Look for overhead lines, service cables, poles, pylons and nearby electrical equipment.
      • Do not rely on memory or the customer’s description.
      • Repeat the check if the work area changes.

    2. Step 2

      Assume Lines Are Live

      Treat overhead lines as dangerous unless their owner has confirmed otherwise.

      • Do not assume covered or low-looking lines are safe.
      • Close approach can cause flashover without direct contact.
      • Seek competent advice when the line or risk is uncertain.

    3. Step 3

      Avoid The Hazard First

      Choose a method that removes or reduces the need to work near the line.

      • Reposition the work where possible.
      • Consider diversion or isolation where appropriate and arranged with the line owner.
      • Do not rely on PPE or insulation as permission to work closer.

    4. Step 4

      Contact The Line Owner Or DNO

      Get the site-specific information needed before work continues.

      • Confirm the line owner and relevant site information.
      • Ask about the required safe clearance and controls.
      • Build the advice into the work plan.

    5. Step 5

      Control Access And Movement

      Keep people, equipment and the full working envelope outside the confirmed safe area.

      • Allow for pole length, attachments, flex, carrying, raising and lowering.
      • Use barriers, supervision or other controls where required.
      • Keep long objects low and horizontal while carrying them.

    6. Step 6

      Stop If The Risk Cannot Be Controlled

      Reposition, reschedule or decline the work rather than forcing the job.

      • Review the risk assessment before restarting.
      • Record significant changes or decisions where required.
      • Do not proceed simply because the task is short or commercially important.

    This page is an awareness resource. Follow current HSE guidance, the line owner or DNO’s site-specific advice, manufacturer instructions and your own competent risk assessment.

    Read HSE Overhead Line Guidance

    Safe Clearance

    Do Not Guess The Distance

    There is no single website number that can safely replace site-specific line information. HSE says the required safe clearance should be obtained from the owner of the line or Distribution Network Operator.

    1. First question

      Could Long Equipment Enter The Danger Area?

      Consider the full possible movement of poles, attachments, vehicles and other equipment-not only where you intend to hold them.

      • Include carrying, raising and lowering.
      • Allow for wind, flex and unexpected movement.
      • Stop before unloading if the situation is unclear.

    2. Confirm

      Get The Required Safe Clearance

      Use the line owner or DNO to establish the clearance and any additional controls needed for the particular site.

      • Confirm the advice before the task starts.
      • Discuss avoidance, isolation, diversion or other controls where relevant.
      • Record significant advice in the work plan.

    3. Working envelope

      Plan For How The Equipment Can Actually Move

      The safe area must account for the full reach and possible movement of the equipment throughout the job.

      • Consider pole length and every attachment.
      • Do not rely on visual judgement alone.
      • Keep long objects low while moving around the site.

    4. Site control

      Set And Supervise The Boundary

      Make sure everyone understands the controlled area and that the controls remain effective.

      • Control public and vehicle access where necessary.
      • Brief the team before equipment is raised.
      • Stop if the boundary or controls cannot be maintained.

    Emergency Response

    If Equipment Contacts Or Gets Too Close To A Line

    Do not improvise. Keep people away, call the emergency services where there is danger to life, and involve the electricity network operator.

    1. Immediate

      Keep Everyone Away

      Assume equipment, vehicles, poles and the surrounding area may be electrically dangerous.

      • Warn others to stay back.
      • Do not touch or retrieve equipment.
      • Remember that a line may re-energise automatically.

    2. Get help

      Call 999 And The Network Operator

      Call 999 where there is danger to life. In Great Britain, 105 connects you to the local electricity network operator.

      • Give the exact location.
      • Explain what has happened and what may be in contact with the line.
      • Follow the instructions you are given.

    3. Do not re-enter

      Wait Until The Area Is Confirmed Safe

      Keep the area controlled until the line owner or competent responders confirm it is safe.

      • Do not return for tools or equipment.
      • Keep other people away.
      • Record and review the incident or near miss afterwards.

    Real Survivor Story

    Jason Knight: A Life Changed In Seconds

    On 6 April 2024, window cleaner Jason Knight was working near overhead electricity lines when a 33,000-volt flashover occurred. The pole did not need to touch the line for electricity to arc across the gap.

    33,000V Flashover survived
    4+ months Spent in hospital
    22 Operations during treatment
    Awareness Shared to help protect others

    Jason survived after extensive hospital treatment and rehabilitation. He and his family now share his story through Look Up Look Out to help other workers understand how quickly an ordinary job can become life-changing.

    Jason’s story is shared with respect, focusing on recovery, awareness and helping to prevent another life-changing incident.

    The lesson for long-reach work

    Look up before the pole goes up. Treat overhead lines as live, get advice where safe clearance is uncertain and stop work if the risk cannot be controlled.

    Read Jason’s Full Story Visit Look Up Look Out
    Shared with respect
    Jason Knight in hospital during treatment after surviving an overhead power-line flashover

    Source: Look Up Look Out survivor story

    Before Every Job

    Risk Assessment: Identify, Assess, Control, Review

    Turn safety information into a practical plan for the actual site, people, equipment and conditions in front of you.

    1. Identify

      Identify The Hazards

      Look for anything with the potential to cause harm before equipment is unloaded.

      • Overhead lines, traffic, unstable or slippery ground, weather and unsafe access.
      • Consider operatives, the public, customers and property.
      • Record significant hazards where appropriate.

    2. Assess

      Assess Who Could Be Harmed And How

      Consider the likelihood and potential severity of the harm.

      • Ask what could realistically go wrong.
      • Consider today’s weather, access and work area.
      • Decide whether the risk is acceptable with controls in place.

    3. Control

      Set Controls Before Work Starts

      Choose measures that avoid or reduce risk rather than relying on PPE alone.

      • Use suitable ground-based methods where appropriate.
      • Maintain the electrical clearances and site controls established for the job.
      • Inspect equipment and brief the people involved.

    4. Review

      Brief, Record And Review

      Make sure the plan is understood and remains effective throughout the job.

      • Confirm competence and responsibilities.
      • Review after changed conditions, incidents or near misses.
      • Stop when the plan no longer controls the risk.

    Risk assessment should be a practical working process, not paperwork completed after the important decisions have already been made.

    Final Working Checks

    Safe Operation: A Practical Checklist

    Once the method is planned, use a short working checklist to keep the site and equipment under control.

  • Inspect Equipment Before Use

    Check poles, clamps, hoses, filters, cables, generators and attachments before work begins.

  • Maintain The Confirmed Safe Clearance

    Do not allow long equipment to enter the electrical danger area established for the site.

  • Control The Work Area

    Manage pedestrians, vehicles, pets, open doors, fragile surfaces and trip hazards around the job.

  • Use Trained, Competent Operators

    The person using the equipment should understand safe setup, operation, shutdown and emergency actions.

  • Monitor Conditions While Working

    Wind, visibility, access and the position of other people can change during the task.

  • Stop Before The Plan Fails

    If equipment, conditions or the site no longer match the safe method, stop and reassess.

    • Follow manufacturer instructions and your own work procedures. Remove damaged or unsuitable equipment from service rather than improvising a repair on site.

    External Safety Campaign

    Look Up, Look Out Safety Campaign

    Look Up Look Out shares practical overhead-line awareness and survivor stories for people using long-reach equipment.

    The central message is simple: before the pole goes up, look up. If the situation does not feel safe, stop.

     Visit Look Up Look Out

    Helpful Answers

    Health & Safety FAQs

    Practical answers on overhead lines, ground-based work, equipment checks and safe planning.

    Does a gutter vacuum remove all working-at-height risk?

    No. Gutter vacuums and telescopic systems can reduce ladder access on suitable jobs, but every task still needs suitable planning, competent operators, equipment checks and safe procedures.

    Are anti-conductive poles safe to use near power lines?

    No. Anti-conductive poles do not make it safe to work close to power lines. Maintain the safe clearance confirmed for the site and never use insulation as permission to work closer.

    What should I do if overhead power lines are present?

    Stop and assess the site before long-reach equipment is unloaded or raised. If the work could approach the lines, obtain the line-owner or DNO advice needed to establish safe clearance and controls. If the risk cannot be controlled, do not proceed.

    Can electricity arc without the pole touching the line?

    Yes. Electricity can flash over, or arc, across a gap when equipment gets close enough to an overhead line. Direct contact is not required for a serious or fatal electric shock.

    How often should equipment be inspected?

    Check equipment before use and maintain it in line with manufacturer instructions, your risk assessment and business procedures. Damaged poles, cables, hoses, clamps, plugs or attachments should be removed from service.

    Who is responsible for site safety?

    Legal duties depend on the work and who controls it. Employers and self-employed people must assess and control risks from their work, and other people controlling the work or site may also have duties. Use current HSE guidance or competent advice for your circumstances.

    Before The Pole Goes Up

    Four Things To Remember Before Starting

    A short memory aid at the end of the guide. It does not replace the detailed planning above.

  • Plan The Method

    Choose the safe method before unloading or raising equipment.

  • Look Up

    Check overhead hazards and access routes before long equipment is used.

  • Brief The People

    Make sure everyone understands the controls and emergency actions.

  • Stop If Unsafe

    If the controls cannot be maintained, do not proceed.

    • Equipment Support

    Need Help Choosing Equipment For The Job?

    GVS can help with equipment selection, reach and compatibility once the safe method and site controls have been established.

    Tell us the work type, working height and equipment you already use. We can help narrow down suitable products, but we cannot determine electrical clearances or declare an individual worksite safe.

    Get Equipment Advice

    UK-based equipment advice for exterior cleaning professionals.