Glazier Tools
   HOME

TheInfoList



OR:

A glazier is a
tradesperson A tradesperson or tradesman/tradeswoman is a skilled worker that specialises in a particular Trade (occupation), trade. Tradespeople (tradesmen/women) usually gain their skills through work experience, on-the-job training, an apprenticeship prog ...
responsible for cutting, installing, and removing
glass Glass is an amorphous (non-crystalline solid, non-crystalline) solid. Because it is often transparency and translucency, transparent and chemically inert, glass has found widespread practical, technological, and decorative use in window pane ...
(and materials used as substitutes for glass, such as some
plastics Plastics are a wide range of synthetic or semisynthetic materials composed primarily of polymers. Their defining characteristic, plasticity, allows them to be molded, extruded, or pressed into a diverse range of solid forms. This adaptab ...
).Elizabeth H. Oakes, ''Ferguson Career Resource Guide to Apprenticeship Programs'' (
Infobase Infobase is an American publisher of databases, reference book titles and textbooks geared towards the North American library, secondary school, and university-level curriculum markets. Infobase operates a number of prominent imprints, including ...
: 3d ed., 2006), p. 356.
They also refer to blueprints to figure out the size, shape, and location of the glass in the building. They may have to consider the type and size of scaffolding they need to stand on to fit and install the glass. Glaziers may work with glass in various surfaces and settings, such as cutting and installing
window A window is an opening in a wall, door, roof, or vehicle that allows the exchange of light and may also allow the passage of sound and sometimes air. Modern windows are usually glazed or covered in some other transparent or translucent ma ...
s,
door A door is a hinged or otherwise movable barrier that allows ingress (entry) into and egress (exit) from an enclosure. The created opening in the wall is a ''doorway'' or ''portal''. A door's essential and primary purpose is to provide securit ...
s,
shower door A shower is a place in which a person bathes under a spray of typically warm or hot water. Indoors, there is a drain in the floor. Most showers are set up to have adjustable temperature, spray pressure and showerhead nozzle angle. The sim ...
s,
skylight A skylight (sometimes called a rooflight) is a light-permitting structure or window, usually made of transparent or translucent glass, that forms all or part of the roof space of a building for daylighting and ventilation purposes. History O ...
s,
storefront A storefront or shopfront is the facade or entryway of a retail store located on the ground floor or street level of a commercial building, typically including one or more display windows. A storefront functions to attract visual attention to a b ...
s,
display case A display case (also called a showcase, display cabinet, shadow box, or vitrine) is a Cabinet (furniture), cabinet with one or often more transparency and translucency, transparent tempered glass (or plastic, normally Poly(methyl methacrylate), ...
s,
mirror A mirror, also known as a looking glass, is an object that Reflection (physics), reflects an image. Light that bounces off a mirror forms an image of whatever is in front of it, which is then focused through the lens of the eye or a camera ...
s, facades, interior walls,
ceiling A ceiling is an overhead interior roof that covers the upper limits of a room. It is not generally considered a structural element, but a finished surface concealing the underside of the roof structure or the floor of a story above. Ceilings can ...
s, and tabletops.Glaziers
(profile in the
Occupational Employment Statistics The Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics) (OEWS) survey is a semi-annual survey of approximately 200,000 non-farm business establishments conducted by the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), headquartered in Washington, DC with six regional off ...
of the
Bureau of Labor Statistics The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) is a unit of the United States Department of Labor. It is the principal fact-finding agency for the government of the United States, U.S. government in the broad field of labor economics, labor economics and ...
of the
United States Department of Labor The United States Department of Labor (DOL) is one of the executive departments of the U.S. federal government. It is responsible for the administration of federal laws governing occupational safety and health, wage and hour standards, unemp ...
.


Duties and tools

The ''
Occupational Outlook Handbook The ''Occupational Outlook Handbook'' (''OOH'') is a publication of the United States Department of Labor's Bureau of Labor Statistics that includes information about the nature of work, working conditions, training and education, earnings and jo ...
'' of the U.S. Department of Labor lists the following as typical tasks for a glazier:Glaziers
''
Occupational Outlook Handbook The ''Occupational Outlook Handbook'' (''OOH'') is a publication of the United States Department of Labor's Bureau of Labor Statistics that includes information about the nature of work, working conditions, training and education, earnings and jo ...
'', United States Department of Labor.
*Follow
blueprint A blueprint is a reproduction of a technical drawing or engineering drawing using a contact print process on light-sensitive sheets introduced by Sir John Herschel in 1842. The process allowed rapid and accurate production of an unlimited number ...
s or specifications *Remove any old or broken glass before installing replacement glass *Cut glass to the specified size and shape *Make or install sashes or moldings for glass installation *Fasten glass into sashes or frames with clips, moldings, or other types of fasteners *Add weather seal or putty around pane edges to seal joints.
The National Occupational Analysis recognized by the
Canadian Council of Directors of Apprenticeship The Canadian Council of Directors of Apprenticeship is a partnership between Canada's federal, provincial and territorial governments. It supports the development of skilled trades in Canada and manages the Interprovincial Standards Red Seal Progra ...
separates the trade into 5 blocks of skills, each with a list of skills, and a list of tasks and subtasks a journeyman is expected to be able to accomplish:
; Block A – Occupational Skills ; Block B – Commercial Window and Door Systems ; Block C – Residential Window and Door Systems ; Block D – Specialty Glass and Products ; Block E – Servicing
Tools used by glaziers "include cutting boards, glass-cutting blades, straightedges, glazing knives, saws, drills, grinders, putty,scrapers, sandpaper, sanding blocks, 5 in 1's respirator/dust mask and glazing compounds." Some glaziers work specifically with glass in motor vehicles; other work specifically with the
safety glass Safety glass is glass with additional safety features that make it less likely to break, or less likely to pose a threat when broken. Common designs include toughened glass (also known as tempered glass), laminated glass, and wire mesh glass (als ...
used in aircraft. Others repair old antique windows and doors that need glass replaced.


Education and training

Glaziers are typically educated at the
high school diploma A high school diploma (sometimes referred to as a high school degree) is a diploma awarded upon graduation of high school A secondary school, high school, or senior school, is an institution that provides secondary education. Some secondary s ...
or
equivalent Equivalence or Equivalent may refer to: Arts and entertainment *Album-equivalent unit, a measurement unit in the music industry *Equivalence class (music) *'' Equivalent VIII'', or ''The Bricks'', a minimalist sculpture by Carl Andre *'' Equiva ...
level and learn the skills of the trade through an
apprenticeship Apprenticeship is a system for training a potential new practitioners of a trade or profession with on-the-job training and often some accompanying study. Apprenticeships may also enable practitioners to gain a license to practice in a regulat ...
program, which in the U.S. is typically four years. In the U.S., apprenticeship programs are offered through the National Glass Association as well as
trade association A trade association, also known as an industry trade group, business association, sector association or industry body, is an organization founded and funded by businesses that operate in a specific Industry (economics), industry. Through collabor ...
s and local contractors' associations. A large portion of glaziers in the United States are members of the IUPAT, the
International Union of Painters and Allied Trades The International Union of Painters and Allied Trades (IUPAT) is a trade union representing about 100,000 painters, glaziers, wall coverers, flooring installers, convention and trade show decorators, glassworkers, sign and display workers, asbes ...
which offers its own apprenticeship program which consists of 8000 hours of on the job training and 4 years of classroom education. Because of this, IUPAT Glaziers tend to be well rounded in all aspects of the trade, and therefore carry a higher production rate, face fewer health & safety risks and command a higher pay rate. In Canada, glaziers usually go through a formal
apprenticeship Apprenticeship is a system for training a potential new practitioners of a trade or profession with on-the-job training and often some accompanying study. Apprenticeships may also enable practitioners to gain a license to practice in a regulat ...
which includes about four years of on-the-job experience combined with classroom study in order to get certified. Unions and many employers offer these apprenticeships. To become an apprentice, one must be at least 18 years old and have a graduated high school. Once a person is certified, they will be eligible to apply for the Red Seal allowing the person to work anywhere in Canada without re-certifying. In
Ontario, Canada Ontario is the southernmost Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Canada. Located in Central Canada, Ontario is the Population of Canada by province and territory, country's most populous province. As of the 2021 Canadian census, it ...
, apprenticeships are offered at the provincial level and certified through the
Ontario College of Trades The Ontario College of Trades was the regulatory body that governs skilled trades in Ontario. The College officially opened on April 8, 2013 and its activities are mandated by the ''Ontario College of Trades and Apprenticeship Act, 2009'' (OCT ...
. In Australia, while you do not need formal qualifications to work as a glazier, it is usual for apprentices to complete a Certificate III in Glass and Glazing as part of their training. Most apprentices choose to do the Certificate III in Glass and Glazing (MSF30418) part-time (three years). You can also choose to do the course full time (one year study). The Certificate II in Glass and Glazing (MSF20413) is also available for those who need additional study.


Occupational hazards

Occupational hazard An occupational hazard is a hazard experienced in the workplace. This encompasses many types of hazards, including chemical hazards, biological hazards (biohazards), psychosocial hazards, and physical hazards. In the United States, the Nation ...
s encountered by glaziers include the risks of being cut by glass or tools and falling from
scaffold Scaffolding, also called scaffold or staging, is a temporary structure used to support a work crew and materials to aid in the construction, maintenance and repair of buildings, bridges and all other human-made structures. Scaffolds are widely u ...
s or ladders or lead exposure from old lead paint on antique windows. The use of heavy equipment may also cause injury: the
National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH, ) is the List of United States federal agencies, United States federal agency responsible for conducting research and making recommendations for the prevention of work-related occ ...
(NIOSH) reported in 1990 that a
journeyman A journeyman is a worker, skilled in a given building trade or craft, who has successfully completed an official apprenticeship qualification. Journeymen are considered competent and authorized to work in that field as a fully qualified employee ...
glazier died in an
industrial accident A work accident, workplace accident, occupational accident, or accident at work is a "discrete occurrence in the course of work" leading to physical or mental occupational injury. According to the International Labour Organization (ILO), more th ...
in Indiana after attempting to use a manlift to carry a thousand-pound case of glass which the manlift did not have capacity to carry.Journeyman glazier dies after being catapulted from manlift - Indiana
National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH, ) is the List of United States federal agencies, United States federal agency responsible for conducting research and making recommendations for the prevention of work-related occ ...
(April 1990, 1-7), NIOSHTIC No. 20024470.


In the United States

According to the ''Occupational Outlook Handbook'', there are some 45,300 glaziers in the United States, with median pay of $38,410 per year in 2014. Two-thirds of Glaziers work in the foundation, structure, and building exterior contractors industry, with smaller numbers working in building material and supplies dealing, building finishing contracting, automotive repair and maintenance, and glass and glass product manufacturing. Among the 50
states State most commonly refers to: * State (polity), a centralized political organization that regulates law and society within a territory **Sovereign state, a sovereign polity in international law, commonly referred to as a country **Nation state, a ...
, only
Connecticut Connecticut ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. It borders Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, New York (state), New York to the west, and Long Island Sound to the south. ...
and
Florida Florida ( ; ) is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern region of the United States. It borders the Gulf of Mexico to the west, Alabama to the northwest, Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia to the north, the Atlantic ...
require glaziers to hold a
license A license (American English) or licence (Commonwealth English) is an official permission or permit to do, use, or own something (as well as the document of that permission or permit). A license is granted by a party (licensor) to another part ...
.


See also

*
Architectural glass Architectural glass is glass that is used as a building material. It is most typically used as transparent glazing material in the building envelope, including windows in the external walls. Glass is also used for internal partitions and as an a ...
*
Glazing in architecture Glazing, which derives from the Middle English for 'glass', is a part of a wall or window, made of glass. Glazing also describes the work done by a professional " glazier". Glazing is also less commonly used to describe the insertion of ophthalmi ...
*
Insulated glazing Insulating glass (IG) consists of two or more glass window panes separated by a space to reduce heat transfer across a part of the building envelope. A window with insulating glass is commonly known as double glazing or a double-paned window, ...
*
Stained glass Stained glass refers to coloured glass as a material or art and architectural works created from it. Although it is traditionally made in flat panels and used as windows, the creations of modern stained glass artists also include three-dimensio ...
*
Glass manufacturing Glass production involves two main methods – the float glass process that produces sheet glass, and glassblowing that produces bottles and other containers. It has been done in a variety of ways during the history of glass. Glass container ...
*
Glassblowing Glassblowing is a glassforming technique that involves inflating molten glass into a bubble (or parison) with the aid of a blowpipe (or blow tube). A person who blows glass is called a ''glassblower'', ''glassmith'', or ''gaffer''. A '' lampworke ...


Notes


External links

* {{Authority control Construction trades workers Glass engineering and science Windows