Window-cleaner at the Zuidas: Risky Business

Read in: Nederlands

Together with his colleagues, 54-year old Rinse – a certified window-cleaner working for Ruitenheer Gevelonderhoud – makes sure all residents and visitors of the nine towers of WTC Amsterdam can enjoy the magnificent views. A rewarding task but not one without risks.

“Oh no, it’s not dangerous at all. It doesn’t help if you’ve got vertigo but if you do it’s simply a matter of not looking down”, Rinse laughs. “WTC Amsterdam and Ruitenheer have strict safety standards in place. The cradle is held in place by four cables and is secured to the building. We always wear fall protection and we’re safely attached to the cradle.”

Window cleaner: best job there is

“I’ve had a lot of jobs in my life but this is the best of them all. I’ve been doing this work for 34 years now; it gives me a wonderful sense of freedom. I’m out and about on the Zuidas all day. The best part about this job? People are always happy to see me! When I’m hanging in front of their window they know they’re going to get a super clean view.”

“It depends on the weather but usually my working day starts at 6 a.m. My colleagues and I kickstart the day with our leaf-blowers. In the autumn we gather the fallen leaves, the rest of the year we remove hundreds of cigarette butts each morning. At 7 a.m. we start cleaning the windows – up to 5 Beaufort (20 knots) we work outside, otherwise inside. We are responsible for all the windows of the nine towers of WTC Amsterdam. We clean them four times a year so it’s quite a job! When I’m on the pavement looking up 30 floors (90 metres, 300 feet) and I see the glittering tower… well, that just gives me lot of fulfilment.”