Product Overview

This Glass Manufacturing SWMS is a site-ready Safe Work Method Statement designed to identify hazards, assess risks, and implement controls for glass production and processing activities. It is a comprehensive document that covers multiple aspects of glass forming, coating, bonding, and finishing to support WHS compliance and safer management of high-risk glass manufacturing work.

Activities & Specific Tasks Covered

This document includes specific risk controls for:

• Making glass tubes, including handling of hot glass, molten materials, and forming equipment
• Mirror manufacturing processes, including glass cutting, backing application, and edge finishing
• Patterned glass manufacturing, including mould use, pressing operations, and surface texturing
• Pyrolytic coating application, including high-temperature coating systems, fume control, and ventilation requirements
• Silvering application, including safe handling of chemicals, mixing, spraying, and curing processes
• Soldering during stained glass creations, including hot work controls, burns prevention, and fume extraction
• Stained glass application, including cutting, grinding, leading, assembly, and manual handling of panels
• Tempered glass creation, including furnace loading/unloading, quenching operations, and thermal shock controls
• Tempering glass work, including inspection, handling of large panels, and managing breakage risks
• Use of diamond point tools, including safe cutting techniques, guarding, and eye and hand protection
• Using silicone or UV curing adhesives, including chemical exposure controls and UV light protection
• Manual handling and mechanical lifting of glass sheets, racks, and finished products to minimise sprains and crush injuries
• Housekeeping, storage, and disposal of glass offcuts, shards, and waste to reduce cuts and trip hazards
• Emergency response for glass breakage, chemical spills, and worker injury in glass manufacturing areas

Who is this for?

This SWMS is designed for glass manufacturers, mirror and stained glass producers, glazing workshops, fabrication facilities, and site supervisors overseeing glass production or processing work.

Specific Job Steps & Hazards Covered

Legislation & References

This document was researched and developed to align with:

• Managing Risks of Hazardous Chemicals in the Workplace Code of Practice: Guidance on safe storage, handling, and use of chemicals used in coating, silvering, and adhesive processes
• Managing the Risk of Falls at Workplaces Code of Practice: Controls for working around large glass panels and elevated storage systems
• Managing Noise and Preventing Hearing Loss at Work Code of Practice: Requirements for noisy glass cutting, grinding, and manufacturing environments
• Managing Risks of Plant in the Workplace Code of Practice: Safe use of furnaces, cutting machines, lifting equipment, and other plant used in glass manufacturing
• First Aid in the Workplace Code of Practice: Requirements for first aid arrangements for cuts, burns, and chemical exposure
• Safe Work Australia – Guide for Managing the Risks of Chemicals in the Workplace: Additional guidance for managing chemical hazards in coating and bonding processes
• AS/NZS 1337 Personal eye protection: Selection and use of eye protection for cutting, grinding, and hot work with glass
• AS/NZS 2161 Occupational protective gloves: Guidance on glove selection for handling glass and chemicals
• AS/NZS 1715 Selection, use and maintenance of respiratory protective equipment: Requirements for respiratory protection during coating, silvering, soldering, and grinding
• AS/NZS 1716 Respiratory protective devices: Performance standards for respirators used in glass manufacturing environments
• Work Health and Safety Act 2011
• Work Health and Safety Regulations 2017