We often speak about various types of glass, as well as quality requirements in the glass industry. However, we rarely pay attention to the problems of safety. No, we don’t mean to say here that Chandler Glass does not care about safety. On the contrary, it is safety and quality that have historically been the primary areas of our concern. What we mean is that our customers and partners do not really imagine the scope of the glass safety problem. Here, we would like to speak about glass injuries resulting from unsafe glass and the legal consequences, to which they may lead. We also want to provide some safety tips for those, who want to avoid these complexities by all means.
First, imagine how many people get injured by unsafe glass on a daily basis. We constantly think about the need to develop safety glazing materials, but the seriousness and frequency of glass injuries continue to grow. The history of legal claims resulting from glass injuries is quite extensive and interesting. We at Chandler Glass decided to look deeper into the nature of the problem.
Now, in the 21st century, it is difficult to think that dozens of claims were filed to U.S. Courts in the previous millennium, just because people faced injuries from unsafe glass. In 1972, a judge of a district court expressed his opinion on the problem: “every year, according to experts, 40,000 American households face glass injuries due to shattering glass falling to the floor and disintegrating in such a way that it may even lead to death!” The opinion was part of the Moody v. Southland Inv. Corp. case, which was filed in 1972 by a person who had suffered from an injury caused by a non-tempered glass door. That was one of the first times in the history, when experts publicly admitted that non-tempered glass was rather dangerous in use. On the contrary, tempered glass was recognized as safe and reliable in use, simply because it would not break easily. Even if broken, tempered glass would never come in jagged pieces that increase the likelihood of injuries.
One of the most interesting facts is, probably, that the dangers of non-safety glass had been known before the discussed court case. Those dangers were even made public! At the beginning of the 1960s, a series of pamphlets and articles about non-safety glass and its risks was published. They were mostly intended for public education magazines and journals, but the information quickly leaked to other published sources. Many school principals had to reconsider the use of non-safety glass in their facilities. Still, even in the new century, non-safety glass remains extremely popular among users. Therefore, one of the most essential questions is what to do to avoid injuries.
We at Chandler Glass realize that the risks of glass injuries cannot be totally eliminated. We are part of the environment, and we cannot isolate ourselves from the influences of the world. In a similar vein, we can never secure ourselves from the risks of glass failures, simply because glass is everywhere. We face these risks as long as we use or encounter glass products in our daily routines. What we can do is take reasonable precautions and be very careful, while dealing with glass. For example, never forget to wear gloves, if you are dealing with broken glass. Also, use brush or heavy paper to collect occasional glass breakage. Think twice before you make a bad step – it may cost you health!
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