Stained Glass Workshop Safety Suggestions
Safety in the workplace is a big subject, but when one is working with glass, it becomes a very big topic. The crafts person or artisan who works with stained glass has particular dangers to be conscious of. As we all know, glass can be sharp, and if you cut glass the dust is very dangerous and old stained glass can contain dangerous chemicals for pigmentation and lead to hold the pieces together.
The first piece of advice is never to take small children to a stained glass workshop. This is because of the danger of them cutting themselves on broken glass and inhaling the powder of perilous chemicals. So, if the children are involved with choosing a design, take the catalogue to them in the car, do not take them to the workshop.
If you have to carry a sheet of stained glass to the car for self-installation, wear gloves that have rubberized surfaces so that you can obtain a decent grip without having to grip the sheet of glass tight. Hold the sheet of glass by the side edges if you possibly can. If you hold it top and bottom ant it breaks, the arm at the bottom might get hit by falling, jagged glass.
If you are working with stained glass at home as a hobby, make certain that your environment is spotless. It is usually easier to score and break glass on a soft surface like a bed sheet. A blanket is too thick and gives too much, which may cause the glass to break in a manner that is unwanted.
While cutting glass, always wear a mask and safety glasses. or even safety goggles for improved protection. This is especially the case if you would like to cut the glass with an angle grinder. The glass dust created by a grinder is very dangerous.
While you are soldering the lead strips to hold the pieces of stained glass in place, make sure that you follow safety procedures with the soldering iron. Put it into a holder, so that when you reach for the soldering iron, you can only seize it by the cool handle with no opportunity of you being able to grip it by the hot end.
Solder fumes are not healthy for you, so make certain that your workplace is well ventilated with extractor fans. Wear gloves too so that your skin does not suffer from repeated contact with toxic lead. If you have a cut or a wound, put a plaster on it so that the lead does not get into you too easily.
If you do not have a workplace or even a garden shed, do not be tempted to work in your home, because the fumes and the glass dust will build up and you will never really be rid of them. The dust and fumes are significant pollutants and will build up in fabrics, so if you have curtains in your workshop, wash them regularly and vacuum everywhere at least one time a week.
Owen Jones, the writer of this article, writes on several subjects, yet is now concerned with RX Safety Glasses. If you want to know more, go to our site at Safety Glasses Bifocal
Recent Comments