Category Archives: 4.0-Safety

4.3-Glass dust

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As I have mentioned, the combination of sawing and grinding of the faceted glass results in the generation of significant amounts of glass dust. The dust is composed primarily of silica and the materials used in the pigments that give color to the glass. The dust, if inhaled in significant quantities, can possibly damage your lungs. Masks are available which will block the dust and if you use a vacuum cleaner it must be equipped with an appropriate filter to prevent the glass particles from passing through the collection bag and becoming airborne. If you sweep or dust an area it is important to first spray the area with water which will wet the dust and allow it to be more safely collected. It is also preferable to use damp cloths or paper when cleaning dust from the glass but change them frequently since when the cloth or paper dries the dust may be released into the air the next time they are  used. It is also helpful to provide shields for the saws and grinders to contain the spray       ( the spray  includes glass dust which is then liberated when the water dries ).  I should also mention that I have two HEPA filters running in the area whenever I am working and I also frequently use the exhaust system that I describe in the post on lead if I think that there is noticeable dust in the air.

 

4.2-Glass chips

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When faceting a slab of glass with the carbide tipped chisels very sharp glass chips of varying size are produced often flying off of the block of glass with considerable force.

IT IS IMPERATIVE THAT EYE PROTECTION, WITH EITHER HIGH QUALITY SAFETY GLASSES, GOGGLES OR A FULL FACE SHIELD BE USED AT ALL TIMES. 

I wear safety glass whenever I work with glass ( sawing, grinding, soldering, cutting and faceting ) When I facet glass I also wear a hat since chips tend collect in my hair, a shirt that I only wear in my studio since glass chips may lodge in the cloth and then if the shirt is worn elsewhere the chips may end up in an unwanted location,  a fairly heavy rubber apron which protects me from the chips ( covers my pants ) and keeps me dry when I use the water cooled saws and grinders and boots the tops of which reach above the bottom of the apron which keeps the chips away from my socks. I never wear the shoes or boots that I use in the studio outside of the studio. Even with all of my precautions, unfortunately, glass chips still tend to migrate outside of my work space.

On a number of occasions the flying chips have caused minor cuts on my hands so if you are concerned you can wear work or kevlar gloves ( I sometimes use the kevlar gloves sold in sporting good stores intended for filleting fish ).

The substantial amount of glass dust ( discussed in a separate  post ) generated when cutting and sawing the dalles tends to be ubiquitous so when sweeping up the glass chips ( which should be done frequently ), the area to be swept should initially be sprayed with water in order to reduce the possibility of the dust becoming airborne.

4.1- Lead

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Although, as I have previously noted, I am assuming prior experience with foiled glass, but given the toxicity of lead, I felt that I should provide access to information on the proper handling and disposal of lead.The Stained Glass Association of America provides, for a nominal price, both a booklet giving recommendations for safety in a stained glass studio and a DVD on lead safety. There is also a nice summary the issues surrounding the use of lead published on the web by the Australian Government.

As I noted in post 3.5 on Foil and solder since I do not like the fumes generated by soldering and there is also some question as to it’s possible toxicity, I have built an exhaust system which vents the fumes to the outside. It is a simple design using a bathroom exhaust fan and the hose and adaptors used in clothes dryers. I also employ the system when I think that glass dust may be a problem.