Accidents involving the handling of annealed glass have heightened interest in standards that could improve safety in the glass industry. In response, ASTM International Committee E34 on Occupational Health and Safety has approved a new standard, ASTM E2875/E2875M, Guide for Personal Protective Equipment for the Handling of Flat Glass. The new standard was developed by Subcommittee E34.35 on Safe Handling of Glass.
The goal of ASTM E2875/E2875M is to aid in the selection of personal protective equipment that will best protect a specific employee from hazards that cannot be mitigated through other means than (for example, through engineering, administrative or work practice controls).
The new standard highlights the critical areas of risk to the body from glass handling, highlights the need for risk assessments - particularly to the neck and other major artery areas, explains cut test standards and describes personal protective equipment materials of construction.
"ASTM E2875/E2875M will be helpful to end users, particularly glass companies or locations that may not have as much exposure/awareness regarding available personal protective equipment in the industry," says Michael Marsala, safety and loss control manager, Guardian Industries Corp. "It can also be helpful to anyone who handles glass in that these risks can exist with glass installers and replacers as well."
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ASTM Committee E34 Next Meeting: Oct. 24-25, 2012, October committee week, Atlanta, Ga. Technical Contact: Michael Marsala, Guardian Industries Corp., Auburn Hills, Mich., Phone: 248-340-2322; mmarsala@guardian.com ASTM Staff Contact: Kevin Shanahan, Phone: 610-832-9737; kshanahan@astm.org ASTM PR Contact: Barbara Schindler, Phone: 610-832-9603; bschindl@astm.org
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