When Arnold Redmond fell to his death Wednesday while washing windows on the eighth floor of a Baltimore building, he was using safety equipment that was nearly 40 years old, according to his supervisor.
When asked if the 55-year-old window washer was protected by any backup equipment in case the window belt rope he was using snapped, James Hunter, president of Buddy Window Washing Service Inc., said, “no, because you just hang from one hook.”
Baltimore City Detective Richard Purtell said the harness Redmond was using malfunctioned or totally failed when he fell from the United States Appriasers Building. Purtell said Redmond died of internal injuries as reported by the medical examiner.
The stationary window belt Redmond was using was made in 1967 of rope that hooks to both sides of the window and can handle up to 1,000 pounds of pressure, Hunter said. It costs about $400 compared to U.S. Window Washers Inc. which spends about $3,000 on equipment, such as backup safety ropes and platforms to protect their employees from a fall. U.S. Window Washers never experienced a death, said President Tom Wiester.
Redmond leaves behind his wife, Sally Clark Redmond, mother, Delores Redmond, two daughters, one son and seven grandchildren and brother, Tyrone Jackson.
“He was a loving father,” Jackson said. “He just got married about six months ago.”
In addition to his 12-year career as a window washer, Redmond owned a lawn care business.
“He would do anything the seniors needed done,” Jackson said. Redmond, a 50-year resident of Hanlon Park Association, was known for cutting grass and shoveling snow for local senior citizens.
Jackson and Redmond?s son, Damon Redmond, 34, are taking over the business and naming it Redmond?s Lawn Care and Handy-work.
“He was a good-hearted person. Everyone knew him,” he said. “It?s hard to believe he?s not alive. I?m still waiting for him to come through the back door.”
