A glazier is a tradesman responsible for cutting, installing, and removing glass (and materials used as substitutes for glass, such as some

plastics Plastics are a wide range of synthetic polymers, synthetic or semi-synthetic materials that use polymers as a main ingredient. Their Plasticity (physics), plasticity makes it possible for plastics to be Injection moulding, moulded, Extrusion, e ...

).Elizabeth H. Oakes, ''Ferguson Career Resource Guide to Apprenticeship Programs'' ( Infobase: 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 windows,

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 security b ...

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 have temperature, spray pressure and adjustable showerhead nozzle. The simplest showers have a ...

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 Open ...

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 bu ...

s, display cases, mirrors, facades,

interior wall A wall is a structure and a surface that defines an area; carries a load; provides security, shelter, or soundproofing; or, is decorative. There are many kinds of walls, including: * Walls in buildings that form a fundamental part of the super ...

ceiling A ceiling is an overhead interior surface 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 ...

s, and tabletops.Glaziers
(profile in the Occupational Employment Statistics 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 U.S. government in the broad field of labor economics and statistics and serves as a principal agency of t ...

of the United States Department of Labor. Stamps of Germany (Berlin) 1986, MiNr 754

Duties and tools

The '' Occupational Outlook Handbook'' of the U.S. Department of Labor lists the following as typical tasks for a glazier:Glaziers
'' Occupational Outlook Handbook'', United States Department of Labor.

*Follow blueprints 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 Program ...

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 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 or high school degree is a North American academic school leaving qualification awarded upon high school graduation. The high school diploma is typically obtained after a course of study lasting four years, from grade 9 to gra ...

or equivalent level and learn the skills of the trade through an apprenticeship program, which in the U.S. is typically four years. In the U.S., apprenticeship programs are offered through the

National Glass Association The National Glass Association is the largest trade association for the auto glass, architectural glass, and window and door markets. The NGA was founded in 1948, and currently has close to 3,000 member companies. This international association ...

as well as trade associations 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 union representing about 100,000 painters, glaziers, wall coverers, flooring installers, convention and trade show decorators, glassworkers, sign and display workers, asbestos wor ...

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 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, apprenticeships are offered at the provincial level and certified through the Ontario College of Trades. 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 hazards encountered by glaziers include the risks of being cut by glass or tools and falling from scaffolds 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 (NIOSH) reported in 1990 that a journeyman glazier died in an industrial accident 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 (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 An automobile repair shop (also known regionally as a garage or a workshop) is an establishment where automobiles are repaired by auto mechanics and technicians. Types Automotive garages and repair shops can be divided into following categor ...

and maintenance, and glass and glass product manufacturing. Among the 50 states, only Connecticut and Florida require glaziers to hold a

license A license (or licence) 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 party (licensee) as an element of an agreeme ...

Notes

External links