Safe Glass-Handling Tips From CMS North America

Nov 21, 2017

Glass products have long had a high demand, with glass cutting serving a wide range of industries. CMS North America offers CNC machining centers to make your industrial glass-cutting tasks quicker, more accurate and easy to repeat. However, handling large glass sheets for glass cutting on CNC equipment takes special care to ensure the safety of your employees and the materials.

Manual Glass Handling

Lifting and transporting glass always poses the potential for breakage and human harm. The less you handle large pieces of glass or glass lites, the better. When manually lifting and transporting glass, always wear the appropriate personal protective equipment. Also, know exactly how much a piece of glass weighs prior to lifting to ensure you have enough manpower. In a team lift, both people should be on the same side to safely escape should the glass fall.

For safety, use a glass dolly to transport glass sheets from racks to the CNC glass-cutting table when possible. If you must hand-carry sheets, use vacuum cups. Like any heavy object, lift with your legs, not your back, and keep sheets as vertical as possible. When depositing your sheet onto a CNC glass-cutting table, use the table’s edge as both a pivot point and support while you’re maneuvering the piece into place.

Mechanical Glass Handling

Using slings and hoists provides a safer alternative to lift and transport cases of glass. Inspect the mechanical lifting equipment to confirm it’s in good working order and designed to handle the task. Never jerk or swing loads and use guide or tag lines to prevent swinging. Attach slings to cases so there isn’t an angle of more than 45 degrees from horizontal and always avoid angles less than 30 degrees. Never exceed the manufacturer’s safe working load indicated on a hoist. Always check the load balance and position the hoist directly over the load.

Loading And Unloading Glass

When unloading sheets of glass from glass packs, crates or racks, never hold or support multiple sheets while another person retrieves a lite further back. Each sheet dramatically increases the load, which could suddenly tilt and crush you. Instead, move lites you don’t want to a temporary storage location. Ensure crates or racks are on a level surface before unloading and stand aside before loosening straps or ties. Always have an escape path and never attempt to catch falling glass. Always move and allow it to fall.

Every glass machining application is different and requires the right machine. CMS North America offers a full line of state-of-the-art CNC glass-cutting machines for high-speed production. Contact us to find the perfect solution for all your glass machining applications.