How to clean up broken glass safely

Ya sea en casa o en el trabajo, su prioridad al limpiar vidrios rotos es su seguridad y la de los demás. Si se manipulan incorrectamente, los vidrios rotos pueden causar cortes, laceraciones y heridas punzantes.

Hay diferentes maneras de hacerlo. Todos los métodos seguros tienen algo en común: eliminan cualquier contacto entre el vidrio roto y la piel, ya sea mediante equipo de protección individual (EPI), herramientas o una combinación de ambos. Esto aplica tanto si se limpian fragmentos grandes como pequeños o cualquier otro tipo de material.

Dos

1. Do secure the area so other people avoid injury.
   
   
2. Do wear appropriate shoes and protective gloves. Gloves should be made from a heavy material. Nitrile, vinyl and latex gloves aren't up to the task.
   
   
3. Do use tools. This could be a dustpan and broom, tongs, tweezers or forceps. You can also use heavy paper or light cardboard to scoop up fragments.
   
   
4. Do put broken glass into a sturdy container like a plastic bucket or cardboard box. This should be labelled "broken glass" before you dispose of it.
   
   
5. Do put broken glass in the general waste bin or a skip.
   
   
6. Do contact the council or recycling centre if you're dealing with a large quantity of broken glass.
   
   
7. Do clean up tiny shards using a wet paper towel, an absorbent pad or adhesive tape.
   
   
8. Do clean your shoes before leaving the clean-up area. Failure to do this can mean spreading fragments of broken glass to other parts of the building.
   
   
9. Do use a vacuum cleaner for small pieces of broken glass.

NO HACER

1. Don't clean up glass barefoot or bare-handed.
   
   
2. Don't kneel. Stand and bend at the waist or sit on a low stool instead.
   
   
3. Don't put broken glass in your recycling bin.
   
   
4. Don't forget to check the room for remnants of glass. Shattered glass can travel farther than you might expect. This may involve moving furniture around.
   
   
5. Don't use a broom unless you have no choice. Glass fragments can get caught in the bristles and are hard to dislodge.
   
   
6. Don't ignore any waste disposal guidelines in your office or company.

Otros métodos para limpiar de forma segura vidrios rotos

Si se trata de una pequeña cantidad de vidrio roto, puede usar un trozo de vidrio o media papa. Coloque la herramienta contra los fragmentos y colóquelos directamente en un recipiente.

También puedes envolverte la mano con cinta adhesiva, con el lado adhesivo hacia afuera. Esto puede servir para recoger fragmentos.

Para cantidades grandes de vidrio roto, debe utilizar herramientas para mantenerse seguro. 

Founded in 1993, ToughGlaze has grown to become one of the UK's leading commercial glass suppliers. For more tips and guides, visit our blog.