Ensuring Glazier Safety Procedures

The Bottom Line: There is a vital need for updated and comprehensive safety training in glazing, focusing on both fall protection and standardized glass-handling procedures to address the evolving risks glaziers face, particularly with larger glass installations.

The article in the November/December 2023 issue of Glass Magazine, “Glass Handling Safety” emphasizes the importance of care and attention in glass handling. However glazier safety and training should encompass not only fall protection methods but also comprehensive glass and crate handling procedures.

Fall protection training: An evolving landscape

It is essential to recognize the significant changes in fall protection training and equipment since the updates to the American National Standards Institute’s Z359 standards in 2012 and 2014. While fall protection  equipment manufacturers have responded to these recommendations, it appears that glazier fall protection training and equipment updates may not have kept pace with these industry changes.

Glazing is a safe trade when the best available practices are adopted. However, those best practices are not routine and standard throughout the glazing construction industry. 

Glass handling methods in commercial construction

Glazing safety should extend beyond fall protection and address the specific challenges of glass handling in commercial construction. Best practices for safe glass handling should be adopted from the moment the glass arrives at the construction site, continuing through fabrication shops and final installation. Unfortunately, these best practices are not standardized across the glazing construction industry, and comprehensive training often falls short.

To ensure the safety of glaziers, specific procedures should be followed sequentially throughout the glass handling process.

1 | Receiving and temporary storage

• Remove glass crates from delivery trucks.
• Move crates across construction sites to designated temporary storage locations.
• Safely stock and secure crates for temporary storage.

2 | Preparing for installation

• Move crated glass to stock on the structure for temporary storage.
• Secure crates temporarily until openings are prepared, and frames are ready for glass installation.
• Later, safely remove glass from the crates.

3 | Installing glass

• Transport glass to its opening.
• Lift the glass into its frame and install clips for secure placement.
• Manual lifting is often involved, as mechanical means to lift and insert the glass into the opening are not always applied.

Challenges in large glass installations

The glass industry is witnessing a trend towards larger lites of glass, necessitating the use of fall protection equipment during installations. Glaziers handling glass and crates continuously face crushing hazards and the risk of lifting sprains and strains.

Glazier safety is a critical aspect of the construction industry that requires urgent attention. The current training provided falls short of addressing the comprehensive scope of hazards faced by glaziers during glass handling. To ensure the well-being of glaziers, it is imperative to adopt standardized and updated best practices throughout the industry.