Results Good Practice Competition 2000
The European Week Turn your back on musculoskeletal disorders concluded on 27 November with a European summit on physical overloading in Bilbao, Spain. The prize winners of the European Good Practice Award were announced at this conference. From all the EU member states 16 were nominated for the Good Practice Award.
The Dutch entry by the Arbouw Foundation won a European Good Practice Award. In total 16 entries received the Good Practice Award on 27 November.
Arbouw Foundation wins European Good Practice Award 2000
Lifting solutions for glaziers, such as the glass trolley, alleviate the heavy tasks of the glazier. Photograph: Dick Vader
The A-sheets published by The Arbouw Foundation 'Platform elements' and 'Lifting solutions for glaziers' were nominated for the European Good Practice Award in Safety and Health at Work nominated by the Dutch Focal Point. 'Lifting solutions for glaziers' was finally presented with the Award in the category 'Small and medium-sized enterprises' by the international jury. The Focal Point commented: “Without doubt a major contribution to safer and healthy working. Highly instructive information material.” The project is the result of remarkable cooperation between the Arbouw Foundation and employer and employee organisations, TNO (Netherlands Organisation for Applied Scientific Research), various industry organisations and manufacturers.
The A-sheets published by The Arbouw Foundation 'Platform elements' and 'Lifting solutions for glaziers' were nominated for the European Good Practice Award in Safety and Health at Work nominated by the Dutch Focal Point. 'Lifting solutions for glaziers' was finally presented with the Award in the category 'Small and medium-sized enterprises' by the international jury. The Focal Point commented: “Without doubt a major contribution to safer and healthy working. Highly instructive information material.” The project is the result of remarkable cooperation between the Arbouw Foundation and employer and employee organisations, TNO (Netherlands Organisation for Applied Scientific Research), various industry organisations and manufacturers.
The problem that glaziers are often confronted with in practice is the weight of most of the panes. For many among them this cause problems with their back, arms and legs. Absenteeism due to illness among glaziers is often higher than for other professions in construction. 'Lifting solutions for glaziers' describes the work methods and mechanical aids that make lifting movements unnecessary during the whole process of transport and positioning. A not insignificant number of the glaziers (13 to 59%, depending on the type of aid) are already profiting from these solutions, including the glass hoist that can be used to move panes of to 200 kilos from a car or trailer onto a glass trolley or glass carrier. These two easy-to-use aids are equipped with wheels and facilitate horizontal transport. Using the glass carrier the glazier can lift panes relatively easily on staircases that are often narrow. Vertical transport is facilitated by the building front hoist and there is a glue removal device for the removal of glue and putty – a difficult job. This electrically operated, handy device eliminates a lot of difficult preliminary work.
