Is this the year of waterfed and pure water cleaning? April 15 2014

Will you be switching to waterfed pole in your cleaning operation?

If you live in Ontario and are a self employed window cleaner or tradesperson then you've probably been trying to sort out what to do about the WSIB rules that came out in 2013 and are now being enforced in 2014. Up until 2013 a self employed contractor didn't need to have WSIB coverage and could get by with their own private insurance to put clients at ease.

Now that has all changed. A self employed window cleaner needs to have WSIB if they are going on any ladder (even a foot stool) when cleaning windows for businesses or as a sub contractor. If your business is solely residential you are still able to carry on without WSIB…but for how long is anyones' guess.

In the last several weeks I have been swamped with calls and visits to my shop inquiring about waterfed cleaning supplies and a great number of these inquiries are coming from the self employed contractor. I'm guessing for some this is the loophole to get around the WSIB issue for now. Keep your feet on the ground and you're good to go, right? Only time will tell if this is a long term solution.

If you're new to waterfed pole cleaning, you must remember that this isn't a magic wand. It's really just another tool in your arsenal. With the right technique, quality equipment and dedication to learn the variables you can make it a powerful addition to your business. And who knows, maybe permanently keep those WSIB folks at bay.

The Management