Safety Harness Saves Window Washer

Toronto Star

Mar 28, 2007 11:48 AM Betsy Powell Staff Reporter

A window washer says he was “lucky today” after an accident in Don Mills left him dangling by a safety harness five storeys above the ground.

Giorgi Samkharadza was cleaning windows at a highrise on Havenbrook Blvd, near Don Mills Road and Highway 401, when the scaffolding on which he and another man were standing plunged two storeys at about 9:30 a.m.

While his co-worker scrambled to safety on a nearby balcony, Samkharadza was left hanging by his safety harness for about 30 minutes.

When fire crews arrived and raised a ladder, a seemingly nonplussed Samkharadza climbed to the ground.

"Something went wrong," he said with a shrug after shaking his rescuers' hands.

Paramedics examined both window washers, neither of whom was injured.

Samkharadz, who has been washing windows for six years, said today's incident wouldn’t stop him from continuing his high-level work.

Witness Gary Budgell said he was in the midst of morning maintenance chores when he heard a loud crash. When he looked up, he saw the upended platform and a man hanging from a safety harness.

He said Samkharadz seemed undisturbed by the incident, even as he dangled high above the ground. "He wanted me to take his picture," Budgell said.