If you drop a glass cup or picture frame, how far can shards of that broken glass travel? Keep reading to find out.
How Far Does it Go?
After glass has been broken it can travel several feet at a high velocity in all directions. This means that there’s a chance you could be injured by glass shards even if you’re feet away from where a glass cup or plate has broken.
Hazards of Glass Shards
Broken glass can not only cause small cuts and scrapes, but it can also be highly dangerous or even fatal if not taken care of in a timely manner. Some of the dangers of coming into contact with loose glass shards include:
- Lacerations – Accidentally stepping on or touching broken glass can cause slivering and cuts, and in more serious cases those cuts can be deep enough to require surgery or stitches in order to heal.
- Infection – If cuts caused by glass shards aren’t treated they can grow infected, which can pose a number of additional health risks.
- Injury to pets – Large glass shards can cause deep, serious cuts if pets are allowed near a shattered dish or window. Additionally, smaller glass shards can imbed themselves into the paws of your furry friends and cause a number of painful complications.
- Digestive issues – If glass is broken in the kitchen it’s possible that food could be contaminated with glass shards. If ingested these glass fragments could cause digestive issues, and even more serious problems like internal bleeding.
- Fatality – In some extreme cases, deep lacerations can cause severe, unstoppable bleeding which can result in bleeding to death.
What Should You Do?
Now that you know the risks stray glass shards can pose on you and your loved ones, let’s discuss what you should do if you come upon a broken window or dish. If there’s broken glass around it’s best to clean it up as quickly and thoroughly as possible. Here are some helpful tips:
- Wear protective gear – Put on shoes with rubber soles and protective rubber or leather
gloves as well.
- Remove large shards – With your gloves on begin to pick up larger shards of glass and throw them away in a lined trash can.
- Clean up smaller shards – Small, even dust-like shards of glass will likely be left behind after a break. Sweep or vacuum the area, then wipe it down with a wet rag.
- Take out the trash – After all of the glass has been cleaned up, make sure to take out the trash containing the shards of glass to limit any further damage.
Let Murray Glass HelpIf you’ve got broken glass in your home, don’t wait until it causes damage before cleaning it up. Then for all of your glass repair and replacement needs, contact the experts at Murray Glass. We pride ourselves in using the highest quality materials to We have served the Northern Utah area including Salt Lake City, Ogden, and West Valley for decades.
