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February 15, 2012
Icy Swedish rooftops could be deadly
Published: 10 Jan 10 13:59 CET | Double click on a word to get a translation
Online: http://www.thelocal.se/24304/20100110/
The Great Chill enveloping Northern Europe shows signs of lessening, but Sweden faces another type of problem. Far too much snow and ice on rooftops must be removed immediately–and there are laws about this. But there aren’t enough skilled roof cleaners to do the job, reports the national daily Dagens Nyheter.
- Malmö murders linked to fake online firms: report (12 Feb 12)
- More snow set to blanket much of Sweden (11 Feb 12)
- One presumed dead in snowmobile drowning (10 Feb 12)
Even though there are specialized companies for shoveling rooftops, there’s a shortage of skilled cleaners, according to Bengt Wånggren, development manager at the Swedish Real Estate Owners Association (Sveriges Fastighetsägare).
Amateurs shouldn’t attempt to do the job, “which itself can be dangerous,” said Joel Wennerström from a company called Rope Access. “There’s a risk they’ll end up being speared by an icicle.”
None of which offers much solace for pedestrians. The best advice is to steer somewhat clear of older multistory buildings for the time being.
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Swedish word of the day
fin
adjective
Fin means anyhting from sweet to proper. When someone says, Du är så fin it's quite a compliment.
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This is because removing ice blocks is not the government's job but a function that the market provides. All property owners are required by law to remove ice blocks and icicles from their properties. The property owner is liable if somone is injured or killed. something to think about if you are in a BRF - it is the association's responsibility to get the ice cleared
@ Davey-jo
Are you serious? have you been in Sweden?
In the past few years several people have been killed and serious injured by falling ice and snow including:
- a baby in a pram who was killed instantly when ice and snow fell from a roof
- a 14 year old boy who was killed by an icicle in central Stockholm in 2002 - a case that led to the Director of the company responsble for clearing the roof to be convicted in Court of negligence
Do you know who's function it is to keep sidewalks etc clear of ice (or, at least, sanded)? As I watch people carefully slip-slide along in Stockholm, I'm starting to reconsider whether living in place where they'll slam you with a lawsuit at the drop of a hat is such a bad thing.