Having being involved in the glazing industry for many years I have many memories and a few nightmare experiences of the bad old days and just when life was getting better we may be stepping back to the dark ages. In the last few weeks I have spoken to two different glazing crews, each was a four man crew, sub contractors working for different contractors on sites that were governed by two separate principle contractors and proof that the following practise is condoned or ignored by more than one contractor, principle contractor on more than one site. Both crews had the very same grievance as they felt compromised and pressured into manually handling very large glazed units weighing between 180 to 230 kilo’s and each individual felt the need to complain but feared complaining as they were in fear of losing their jobs. In both cases these units were lifted to the second and third floor via a scissor lift, where the units were first manually handled and rested upon a home made shelf that was clamped to the outside of the scissor lift. The scissor lift was then raised to the required height and the four men would then struggle to glaze the unit with two of the men having one leg outside of the scissor lift to bridge the gap between the home made shelf and the window opening. A MEWP being used, as a crane is a “no no” but they often are and no doubt a few members of the forum will have experience and expertise to contribute to this thread regarding the misuse of MEWP’s. I would like to educate the forum regarding the capabilities and limits of professional hand held suction cups. “Woods” are the favoured manufacturer and the most common hand held suction cup to be found within the UK and most glaziers will be working with a “Woods” suction cup that is capable of lifting just under 50 kilo’s but they do make several models that are safe for heavier loads and I believe the top of the range Daddy is a suction cup that is capable of lifting 150 kilo’s but still well below the lifting capacity or SWL of the 180 and 230 kilo units mentioned above. In any lift plan 4 x 50 does not make 200 and very recently one member of the glazing crew has received 8 stitches to his hand when his suction cup of 47 kilo SWL slipped from a glass unit weighing 180 kilo. For those forum members that are involved in the construction industry all that I ask is, ask the weight of the glass and the SWL of the hand held suction cups and intervene if necessary. There are numerous safe working methods and mechanical aids but still there is bullied compromise and accidents waiting to happen.

James You are talking of glass only arn't you? Not glass AND frame? Badger