This year’s Global Lifting Awareness Day, which takes place on 13 July, will kick-off with an event at UK Parliament on the eve of #GLAD2023 and lead into a packed programme of content, delivered by the Lifting Equipment Engineers Association (LEEA).
It will be an emphatic statement to industry that #GLAD2023 — and everything it stands for — is worthy of its place among policymakers.
The parliamentary event is a focal point, but the association is in ongoing conversations with the UK Government’s Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy (BEIS), principally regarding UK Conformity Assessed (UKCA) marking.
Ross Moloney, CEO at LEEA, said: “The event will be the de facto #GLAD2023 launch, demonstrating the increasing role LEEA plays in representing the voice of our members at the highest level by continuing a good relationship with government departments, and working alongside them to create constructive solutions to the issues faced by the lifting sector. We are a trusted voice to those in the corridors of power and the event should energise activities that begin as #GLAD2023 dawns only hours later in some parts of the world.”
Now in its fourth year, #GLAD2023 harnesses the power of social media to promote videos, articles, and in-person activity, while pointing people to a dedicated website — https://globalliftingawarenessday.com — where information about apprenticeships, military recruitment, diversity, sustainability, and technology has been posted since the concept’s 2020 launch.
Anyone with a stake in the industry can help, from individuals to the largest corporations. By participating on social media using the hashtag and sharing the rallying call — ‘We promote safe lifting, so we support GLAD’ — or holding in-person and digital events, it is easy to put your hand up and make the case for professionalisation and standards.
LEEA’s #GLAD2023 programme
LEEA has announced a programme of events — https://globalliftingawarenessday.com/schedule — that includes webinars on the nuclear industry and accredited training; the official launch of a new Supporting Structures training course and LEEA Connect app 2.0; and a Digital Roundtable that will discuss the future of the industry. A guidance video on BS 7121 standards and an update from LEEA’s Technical Forum are just two other highlights.
LEEA will reiterate that education about supporting structures in the lifting industry is crucial for ensuring the safe and efficient movement of heavy loads, assessing structural integrity, complying with regulations, and effectively managing risks associated with lifting operations. Students that successfully complete the course will acquire knowledge that will assist them to perform the thorough examination of supporting structures in service and validate or otherwise assess their fitness for a further period of service.
Moloney added: “With live elements, such as the webinars and technical forum, in addition to scheduled announcements throughout the day and repeated references to ongoing military recruitment and apprenticeships, #GLAD2023 is primed to achieve its objective, chiefly to raise the profile of our industry by sharing material that promotes safe and high quality load lifting.”
#GLAD2023 will also provide a platform for LEEA’s chosen charity, the Motor Neurone Disease (MND) Association, as it continues to raise crucial funding to support research work and improve access to care for those people living with or affected by MND. The charity will attend LiftEx and the LEEA Awards in Liverpool later this year.
