GLAD Reflections

Ross Moloney, CEO of the Lifting Equipment Engineers Association (LEEA) was GLAD to see people from around the world telling their stories of what attracts them to the lifting industry, how they got here and what makes them proud about it.

On Thursday 8 July 2021, social media channels such as LinkedIn, Twitter, Instagram, TikTok and Facebook were awash with content for Global Lifting Awareness Day (GLAD), celebrating the incredible role the industry already has and continues to play.

LEEA TV transmitted for 12-hours on Zoom on the day with a packed programme of content, including a new video listing the A-Z of what makes us ‘GLAD’. The video, which can be seen on the Association’s website leeaint.com, gives a taster of the industry’s breadth and importance. The broadcast also featured learning presentations for end users and others, my discussion with LEEA chair Richard Money, and an interview by LHI’s Guy Harris with UK Member of Parliament, Jonathan Djanogly.

GLAD generated 332 tweets with almost 600,000 potential impacts. Science Animated gained ‘top mention’ tweeting about the COPSULE ensuring best practice, which earned 676 engagements. On LEEA’s socials, Linkedin experienced 375% more engagement than usual; there was 59.7% more reach on Facebook and on Twitter the Association gained 213% more mentions and 71% more profile visits than usual.

LEEA used the opportunity to launch two films that demonstrate not just what we do as an Association, but the importance of safety in the lifting world. LEEA and its members know how relevant this is, but the challenge was conveying this to an audience as simply and efficiently as possible.

The first video was a film that delivered LEEA’s message and values. For the second video, we worked in association with Sci Ani (Science Animated), who are experts in communicating research, articles and publications through animation to engage audiences. With Sci Ani, we produced a film on the LEEA Code of Practice for the Safe Use of Lifting Equipment (or COPSULE) as a resource for anyone and everyone. By making our Code of Practice freely available, we hope that more end users will be able to access it so that best practice becomes normal practice. For the first time in its history, the document is available to both members and non-members alike and can be downloaded for free at: https://leeaint.com/copsule.

Alongside our ‘Think Lifting’ films (available on our website) we are creating resources that members and others in the industry can use to promote the industry and show our core values and mission. We encourage you to download and repost these videos to spread the message and show the relevance of our industry.

I am delighted to see GLAD really taking off. When it was introduced for the first-time last year the world was getting to grips with the Covid Pandemic, which gave the industry an added reason to come together. Looking forward now, we can see GLAD2021 as a further step forward to what is becoming an important annual event, where everybody in our industry raises our voices in unison. It was fantastic to see content from as far afield as Australia, the Middle East and North America exemplifying the global nature of our industry. It was particularly great to hear Industry members relating their own stories on videos to give powerful, firsthand testimony of what attracts them to this sector.

I am immensely grateful to LHI Magazine, Bridger Howes and all the partners that participated. Informing the world of what we do and where we fit in the economy, makes it much easier to raise awareness and make the case for higher standards to stakeholders and policy makers across the world. The brand is now firmly established for this industry event and anybody with an interest in the lifting industry needs to support GLAD in 2022.