Keep Kids Safe from Glass Injuries

Young children can be hurt by broken glass a number of ways, including stepping on glass shards, falling through windows, or running through sliding glass doors. The most common childhood injuries involving glass are severe cuts when a child picks up pieces of glass after a drinking glass, window, light bulb or lamp breaks. On their own, children often find stray pieces of glass on sidewalks, sports fields, parking lots and playgrounds. Even though injury prevention is best, you can use the Glass Safety tips below to teach children what they should do after glass breaks, when adults may or may not be nearby.

G – Get a parent.
L – Let the parent pick up the glass.
A – Avoid the area of the broken glass.
S – Stay clear of the area until it is cleaned up.
S – Safe habits will keep you safe.

Glass Doctor can replace broken glass or older, dangerous glass with new laminated glass or tempered safety glass. When these newer types of glass panes break, they form fragments instead of dangerous shards. Laminated glass has a layer of polyvinyl butyral (PVB) between two or more glass panes. If broken, the glass “sticks” to the PVB. This is the same principle behind laminated glass windshields.

If installing laminated or tempered safety glass is not possible, consider tinting films that can protect against breakage and shattered glass. Films also can reduce ultraviolet light, glare and heat in a room, which saves energy. You can even tape your child’s artwork to glass doors and windows at eye level to remind them about glass safety.

Safe Windshield Replacement in less than 1 hour?

Saw someone on Twitter complaining that it would take 4 hours for their windshield replacement, and that when they had a windshield replaced once before it only took an hour.

If I was that person, I'd wait the 4 hours. Hopefully that time includes the safe driveaway time. That's the time it takes for the adhesive to cure. The adhesive that holds the glass to the vehicle frame actually chemically bonds with the glass structure, it's not just glue. If the adhesive doesn't cure long enough, that windshield could slip.

The slippage can cause leaks, but even worse, it weakens the bond between the glass and the frame. Get in a wreck, and the passenger side air bag can blow the windshield out. Or get in a rollover, and the windshield will fly out.

If you want to know more about windshield adhesive, check out this little video from Sika, a preferred adhesive vendor for Glass Doctor. Find out more about safe windshield replacement from AGRSS.