Wind, rain or snow – we all hate working outdoors in the winter months – but please do consider the weather conditions as part of your daily safety check before using one of GGR’s glass, cladding or stone vacuum lifters.

It might be tempting to wrap up warm and brave the elements when the weather takes a turn for the worse but it is important to remember that wintry conditions can dramatically affect the performance of your vacuum lifting machine.

Vacuum lifters should not be operated in below freezing temperatures as a cold snap could cause any moisture in the machine to turn to ice and expand which would damage the vacuum components. Hand cups should also only be used in temperatures above -12°C due to the risk of vacuum leakage and the rubber pad becoming hard.

GGR also recommend that vacuum lifters should never be used in the rain as exposure to water may have a detrimental effect on any electrical or electronic control systems which are not 100% waterproof. Before attempting a lift, it is essential that the load and suction pads are clean and dry to avoid any slippage.

In wind speeds of over 29 km/h, it can be very difficult to control loads when using a below-the-hook vacuum lifter so we suggest that you wait until the wind dies down before starting work. You can measure wind speed using an anemometer or just look around you – if trees are swaying in the wind then the lifter will be unsafe to use. To make lifting in light winds safer, use draw lines fitted to hand cups to help guide the glass load into position

If you have any questions about operating vacuum lifting equipment in the winter weather contact our technical support team on help@ggrgroup.com or call 0161 683 2580.