An act that can result in fatal tragedy

Sharjah

A few days ago, I came across a shocking sight in the Al Qasimia area of Sharjah. I went to the kitchen to grab something and as I looked out of the window I saw this horrifying sight (as seen in photograph). A woman was standing on the window sill and cleaning the window, without any form of support. She must have been on the eleventh floor.

This poses a dangerous threat as she could lose her balance at any time. She was there for more than fifteen minutes and the entire time I was praying for her. After she safely went inside, I felt relieved.

Life is precious and such carelessness and negligence can result in fatal accidents. We should never compromise our safety. She seemed like a maid, who was not thinking of the consequences and just wanted to finish the job as soon as possible. But, the result of a small mishap could be horrifying.

When young children see such acts, they might also try to climb out ontp the window sill as they can be very inquisitive about things around them and try to imitate actions without thinking about the results.

The authorities have in the past done a lot to raise awareness against such habits, whether it is in residential areas or industrial areas. Many rules are in place and people have been requested to follow them to ensure our safety. But, there is still a long way to go. A harness or some kind of support is required to avoid any accidents.

Activities such as cleaning the exterior of the windows in buildings should be done by highly trained individuals with full safety gear. It is the responsibility of the building management to get the cleaning done. People shouldn’t try to do it themselves for the sake of their safety.

The reader is a student based in Sharjah.

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