The Lifting Equipment Engineers Association (LEEA) is inviting completed surveys from stakeholders involved in procurement decision making, as a new white paper takes shape ahead of publication on Global Lifting Awareness Day (GLAD) on July 2, 2026.
The campaign website has also been updated: https://globalliftingawarenessday.com
The theme for GLAD is, ‘Not all lifting equipment is created equal’, and LEEA, with members in over 80 countries, is bi-focal in conducting a global spring survey campaign, with product suppliers and those making buying decisions central to the body of research. A questionnaire has been delivered with the message that the most consequential decision in a lifting operation happens before anything is lifted – at the point of purchase.
Lifting accessories and equipment are routinely purchased without the grade information, environmental constraints or duty rating data that determines whether a product is actually suitable for the application it will be used in, LEEA says. When procurement decisions are made on load rating alone, the gap between what the documentation says and what the operation needs is where the risk sits.
Matt Barber, Director of Membership at LEEA, said: “We are running a global consultation on product marking and documentation. We are building a white paper presenting the findings of a worldwide consultation, establishing, for the first time, an industry consensus on best practice for the sourcing and procurement of lifting equipment.”
The survey takes just five minutes and answers are anonymous. Barber urged all recipients to take part, reminded that the evidence shows that three things happen when documentation fails: equipment is used beyond its environmental limits; components are not recognised as lifting equipment; and slings are selected without grade verification. Significantly, this is a global pattern.
Barber added: “Our end goal is to bring suppliers and buyers together on 2 July to make a collective pledge to do better.”
Meanwhile, a series of LEEA Roundtables continues apace, co-located with the association’s regional events and industry conventions.