At some time in your life, a situation will happen where you have to deal with broken glass. Whether it is the ever popular baseball through the window or an accidentally dropped piece of dinnerware, the important thing is to know how to deal with these situations. Mishandling broken glass can lead to injury. It is no joke to say a cut from broken glass can require medical attention! Be sure to handle broken glass with care and follow these simple steps to make sure you and your loved ones remain unharmed.
How To Properly Handle Broken Glass Situations
#1 Protect Yourself & Your Loved Ones
When glass breaks, many people’s first instinct is to crowd the area and clean the mess. In fact, you should do the exact opposite. Try and clear the area of friends, family, and pets to avoid injury to any of them. Thank them for their desire to help and direct them to another room. You are actually doing them a favor and saving them from injuring themselves. As for yourself, protect your hands with rubber gloves is available. This will prevent the glass from piercing your hands as easily during clean-up.
#2 Assess The Situation
Take a look at the broken item. No matter the object, you need to assess the damage. Certain items, like drinking glasses, may be completely obliterated. Other items, such as window panes, may still be salvageable. How bad is the damage? Can you patch it temporarily until a repair can be completed? Do you need to replace it immediately? These are all questions you need to ask yourself prior to cleaning to get the full picture.
#3 Use The Right Tools
Firstly, do not use your vacuum. Not only can you injure yourself if the vacuum flings little shards of glass, but you can completely break down your vacuum. Your best tools are your hands, a broom, and duct tape. Pick up the larger pieces with your rubber gloved hands. The rubber will protect you from damage. Once the bigger pieces are gone, go ahead and sweep the area to gather all of the little pieces. Be sure to sweep the entire area as little glass fragments can scatter over a wide range when the glass is smashed. If you do not have a broom, you can also use duct tape, lightly pressing it on the area with small glass. Lift up lightly and throw away the glass shards.
#4 Do You Need Replacement?
As per your previous assessment, you should have already determined your course of action. If your glass has been broken beyond repair, you will need a replacement. Contact your closest glass repair or replacement source for services as soon as possible.
These simple steps will keep you and your loved ones safe from damage, disposing of glass carefully and without hazard. Armstrong’s Glass & Mirror offers glass repair options for you in Fort Worth, TX and the surrounding area. Let’s get started today! Dial 817-937-6267 for Armstrong’s Glass & Mirror in Fort Worth, TX!