Glass Community

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Eye protection is essential for glass working.  Your eyes are almost the most important aspect of your ability to perform glass working so if you damage them, the implications are devastating.

You can pickup a simple heavy duty plastic eye glasses at the hardware for less than $10.  Or you can pickup more comfortable rubber rimmed or fitted eyewear, which are better for long periods of work for not much more.

This is absolutely essential in a studio where you are working with hot glass, gases and electrical equipment.

You can usually pick up a small multi-purpose fire extinguisher very cheap at the local hardware store.  Remember to store it in an easily accessible location and have it tested annually.

Ensure your kit has:

• Eye wash
• Bandages
• Burn cream
• Fire blanket

Mark on your calendar to check it every year for any items that need to be replaced from use or expiry.

When working with flames and heat, you should wear natural fibres so if they do catch on fire, you have a better chance of them not flaming up or sticking to your skin if they burn.

Working with and cutting glass means you will have tiny shards of glass everywhere.  From experience, open toed shoes are not fun - or sensible - in a glass studio.

Also when working on glass cutting and grinding machines, an apron is a good idea to protect your clothes.

Varies

Glass artists tend to have a number of electrical tools, so keeping cables and cords tied away from walking areas and away from hot work areas is essential.

You can pickup cable ties at a local hardware store very cheaply.  Alternately if you don't want the permanent ties, go to the local computer shop and purchase the flexible computer cable ties - these just wrap around your cables elastically.

Disposal gloves are essential when handling particulate matter such as thin-fire paper & board, or mixing particulate matter such as plaster and kiln wash.  Some of these elements can cause skin irritation.

Heat proof gloves should be used performing tasks such as opening hot kiln doors with metal handles, and handling hot glass.

Must, must, must be used when handling particulate matter such as fired thin-fire paper, or mixing particulate matter such as plaster during cast glass development. Breathing is essential and looking after your lungs is a given.

The preference is for a plastic respirator that blocks fumes and physical matter, and covers your nose and mouth with no gaps. You can usually buy these at the local hardware store.

Keep these masks stored in an air-tight container as the replaceable inserts break down after a period of time in air.  Storing it this way will make it last longer.

However for short periods of work - if you absolutely have no other option - use disposable masks.  These can be picked up in the local hardware store and are a good to keep in a drawer for backup to your regular face mask.

For quickly cleaning up spills and drips.

Also keep a metal garbage bin and plastic bags handy for cleaning up at the end of the day.

Used to pull away contaminated air from your face, kilns and heat sources and pass it outside.

There are all sorts of ventilation and air-flow sources such as:

• Natural - open windows
• Portable - can be wheeled to the contaminant source
• Fixed - installed above the heat source or work surface
  

Your studio design is an essential safety mechanism.  If possible, the best materials for a studio include:

• Concrete or tile floors - easily swept and kept clean. Carpet is a nightmare and not recommended with tiny glass shards being deposited around the studio, or from a flammable point of view.
  
• Concrete or double-brick walls - to protect against fire.  If you do have other types of walls, it's best to fix a fire resistant board from your local hardware store to the walls where you are working with heat.
• No curtains, papers or flowing materials near hot work areas.
  
• Designated storage areas for glass - to ensure it isn't tripped over, kicked or otherwise smashed.
• Designated storage areas for flammables - ensure any flammable material or liquids are stored well away from hot work areas or electricals.
• Clean work areas - the most annoying thing in the world is placing your hands on a table and realising you didn't clean up tiny glass shards. Keeping your workspace clean not only prevents injury but also helps you manage your work more efficiently.
• Qualified electrical work - ensure your studio is fitted with electricals installed by a qualified electrician.