Manual and Mechanical Glass Handling Procedure

Purpose. Sets out how workers move, lift, rack and transport glass sheets and processed panels at the Bayswater plant, on trucks and on customer sites to prevent cuts, crush injuries and back injuries.

1.Personal protective equipment

Anyone handling glass must wear cut-resistant gloves, wrist and forearm guards, safety glasses, steel-capped boots and a leather apron when carrying sheets against the body. Loose clothing and jewellery must be removed. Personal protective equipment must be inspected before each shift and replaced when cut or worn.

2.Manual handling limits

One person may carry a panel up to 25 kilograms and no larger than 1200 millimetres in any dimension. Larger or heavier panels require two people or mechanical assistance. Panels must always be carried vertically, never flat, and edges must be checked for chips and fractures before lifting because a damaged edge can shatter under load.

• One person: up to 25 kilograms and 1200 millimetres
• Two people: up to 60 kilograms with a clear route agreed first
• Above 60 kilograms or 2400 millimetres: vacuum lifter or crane

3.Mechanical handling

Block and bulk glass must only be moved with the overhead crane, the freefall rack or the vacuum lifter by workers listed as authorised in the training matrix. Suction cups must be tested on the pad before lifting and the load must never be moved over people. Cranes and lifters must be inspected daily and serviced under the plant register.

4.Racking and storage

Sheets must be stacked on A-frame or harp racks with interleaving and never leant against walls or benches. Racks must not be loaded beyond the rated capacity shown on the rack, and heavier and larger sheets go to the outside of the stack. Floors around racks must be kept clear of cullet and offcuts.

5.Transport

Panels on the truck must be secured on the glass frame with straps and corner protection. The driver must check the load after the first ten minutes of travel. On site, panels are moved on a glazing trolley where possible and the route to the installation point is walked and cleared before the panel leaves the truck.

6.Breakage and cullet

If a panel breaks, stop, keep others clear and put on gloves and glasses before touching any fragment. Large pieces go into the cullet bin, small fragments are swept with a brush and pan, never with hands. Every breakage that causes or nearly causes injury must be reported under the incident reporting procedure.