Glass can be tricky to transport due to many factors such as the weight, size and fragility of the glass. There are two types of glass transport equipment, they are known as mechanical and manual handling equipment.

Transporting glass can be extremely dangerous in the glazing industry, which is why it is essential that you have the correct equipment when carrying out this task. It is a fact that every year 300,000 people in the UK alone suffer from back pain due to manual handling accidents.

We have a range of glass transport accessories available here at GGR Glass. Using our transport accessories reduces back pain and increases productivity. Interested in what glass transport accessories we have available? If so, click here.

During this blog, we will be discussing a guide to glass transport equipment. Read on to find out more.

 

Glass Lifting

 

Mechanical Lifting

Mechanical lifting is an important piece of equipment for lifting glass. An example of a mechanical lifting aid is a glazing robot. A glazing robot is a piece of equipment with suction cups attached to the ends.

This is to allow for a stronghold to ensure the glass is secured to the machine. This machine offers a safer and more productive way of installing large glazing units.

A glazing robot has little to no negative impacts if you are concerned about the environmental impacts of our vehicle. But what are the benefits of mechanical glass lifting and what makes them better than manual handling?

There are many reasons why mechanical glass lifting beats manual handling. For example, using a mechanical method of lifting glass makes your job easier and increases safety and prevents people from injuring themselves.

Manual handling affects a lot of people physically by increasing back pain as well as putting more pressure on their joints. Mechanical lifting can be used for lifting many different types of objects such as glass frames, glass doors and glass panels.

There are many benefits of using mechanical lifting equipment such as:

 

Minimising the Risk of Injury

Using a mechanical lifting aid reduces the need for manual handling on projects, therefore, keeping employees safe. The purpose of a lifting aid was invented to allow people to move objects such as glass, from one place to another without putting strain on the human body.

 

Safety

The main concern when working with glass is the safety of the employees. Glazing robots can help by preventing hazards that glaziers face on a worksite. Using a mechanical lifting aid reduces the need for lifting and is perfect for lifting the glass up to hard-to-reach places.

 

Less Manpower in One Location

When using a lifting aid, it reduces the number of people needed for that job. For example, lifting glass normally takes a group of people to ensure it is done safely.

However using a mechanical lifting method will reduce the number of people needed for one job, therefore allowing more jobs to be done at a quicker rate.

 

Disadvantages of Mechanical Glass Lifting Equipment

Although mechanical glass lifting has many benefits, it also has its downsides. For example, servicing and repairs. Mechanical lifting equipment does not come cheap and on top of that you have to consider servicing and repairs too!

However, if you look after your equipment and allow for regular servicing, then this can help reduce the potential impact of any future repair costs.

Next, you have the limitations of the machine. When purchasing any lifting equipment, it is important that you always ask for advice to make sure it is the correct model for your intended use. Always check the safe workload of the model you have chosen to ensure it meets your requirements.

Although there may be some disadvantages of mechanical glass lifting, many of these can be prevented by servicing your machines regularly, looking after your equipment correctly and ensuring that you invest in the right type of equipment.

 

Manual Handling

Manual handling is the transport of objects by hand or bodily force. The benefit of manual handling is that it teaches your employees how to lift heavy objects correctly. This is more likely to reduce any injuries in the workplace as employees know how to lift objects correctly without injuring themselves or others in the workplace.

Workers also become more cautious when handling heavy objects as they are aware of the risks. This will therefore motivate them to be more cautious and mindful of the risks that can be caused by their own negligence.

Although manual handling has a few benefits, the disadvantages outweigh them. Although employees may have the correct amount of training when it comes to manual handling, injuries aren't always preventable.

For example, repetitive lifting of heavy objects can cause long-term health problems such as back pain and strain on the employee's muscles.

Not only does this affect employees' health long term it also has short-term effects such as cuts, bruises, small fractures, sprains and muscle strain. This will therefore have a knock-on effect on the workplace if the employee has to take time off work due to these problems.

However, with our quality glass lifting equipment at GGR Glass, we can ease the process. Check out our range of manual 'Glass Lifting' accessories. We offer glass lifting slings - continuous slings, webbing slings and carrying straps. These can help you lift glass safely and with ease.

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Conclusion

Now you are aware of the different types of lifting options available, it is quite clear that mechanical handling is much more effective in the glazing industry. Whether or not a mechanical glass lifting aid is suitable for your business can be determined by a range of factors.

The benefits and drawbacks listed allow you to see how a glazing robot may add value to your business. There may be drawbacks to using mechanical glass lifting equipment, however, this can be controlled by looking after your equipment correctly.

Manual lifting is a much more cost-effective option however, it is not as effective as using mechanical lifting aids.

For more information on the different types of lifting options, we have available make sure to check out our ‘lifting accessories’ section to find out more!

If you have any questions or would like to speak to one of our team members, you can contact us by filling in our online form or simply call us on 0161 683 2580.