Breaking Non Tempered glass safely

[abonus]

I am working on a building that was built by my employer in in 1963.
It's a monastery that is being converted into a shelter for battered women. We have some 1/4" non tempered glass units that are being upgraded to Igu's and we need to demo these before installation of new glass. These are housed in wood frame jambs/stops that the sup does not want to surgically demo. The plan is to break the glass and install new composite stops over the existing stops both outside and inside. My demo plan was to use carpet shield over both sides of the glass and hang a moving blanket to contain the broken glass as well. I feel that the careful demo would be safer, but the sup doesn't want to spend the time. As the carp foreman on the job I want to make sure myself and my fellow workers don't get hurt. If any one has any ideas on the subject I'd appreciate it

[Ottoman]

Re: Breaking Non Tempered glass safely

How large of panels are we talking about?

[abonus]

Re: Breaking Non Tempered glass safely

The largest panel is 20"x 72". I may be overly nervous about this, but again I don't want anyone making a trip to the ER.

[LIHR50]

Re: Breaking Non Tempered glass safely

You're not overly cautious, just being safe and smart.

We did a very large window last year and removed the stops of each light, (about 30-40) and safely removed the glass. Broke a couple.

I would completely tape all the glass. The supper must allow you to do it the safest way possible. I would come up with the best plan you feel comfortable with and go with it and tell the supper to stand down.

[dgbldr]

Re: Breaking Non Tempered glass safely

The plan is to break the glass and install new composite stops over the existing stops both outside and inside.

How do you get new glass in between existing stops on both sides? Especially thicker IGU panels?

As to breaking, like others said. Tape and blankets.

[abonus]

Re: Breaking Non Tempered glass safely

Existing glass is 1/4", new stops will be nailed over existing stops, shrinking the viewable glass by 1 1/2" height and width. Wall thickness is 8",existing interior stop is 5", exterior stop is 3", new 1x2 stop shouldn't look too overpowering?

[dgbldr]

Re: Breaking Non Tempered glass safely

Seems like a cheesy way of doing things, but if this is for a shelter and minimum price is the main or only goal, I can see that. Especially if your company is doing it at reduced "charity" rates, I wouldn't worry too much about it looking "overpowering".

[FesFool]

Re: Breaking Non Tempered glass safely

I have seen guys use contact paper - the kind with flowers and patterns for kitchen cabinet shelves. They just peeled it, stuck it to the glass and demoed the glass. They said it helped to contain the glass fragments.
Large glass panels like that always make me nervous but I have been lucky so far they all have made it to the dumpster in one piece.

Good luck
Dan

[abonus]

Re: Breaking Non Tempered glass safely

Cheesy is one way to put it, if I was a project manager for the largest commercial contractor in the Minneapolis St Paul area I would call it value engineering. The point is that removing the exterior stops would disturb lead paint and demoing the interior stops would require ripping all the stops to accommodate for the new glass, after removing the 1x2 oak casing carefully to allow for reinstallation.This process would be very labor intensive, would the time spent demoing carefully be made up in energy savings resulting from the more asthetically pleasing way?
I'm not sure but I have to turn the building over in 2 weeks and if you've been there you know the feeling.

[dlhunter]

Re: Breaking Non Tempered glass safely

Have the crew steal their kids BB guns and have some fun at lunch.



Just kidding by the way.
1/4" plate glass is pretty heavy and works great as a guillotine so if possible I would try to break it from above on a scaffold or something. A pointed piece falling from 6' onto your foot is gonna have you walking funny for a while if you know what I mean.

[NW Architect]

Re: Breaking Non Tempered glass safely

Get the kevlar gloves glass technicians use.

Assuming you have access from both sides, get one of those big, plastic, wheeled tub things and park it next to the wall, below the glass. Chock it in place. Put a piece of plywood in it and lean or tape the plywood on the window sill. Bang the glass from the opposite side and most of the shards will go directly into the tub. Clean up the escapees with broom and dustpan.

[dave_k]

Re: Breaking Non Tempered glass safely

Just kidding by the way.
1/4" plate glass is pretty heavy and works great as a guillotine so if possible I would try to break it from above on a scaffold or something. A pointed piece falling from 6' onto your foot is gonna have you walking funny for a while if you know what I mean.

I agree. I got 20 some stitches across my knuckles a few years ago removing a tempered glass storefront. That was tempered "safety" glass. It shattered into 1/2" squares like it was supposed to but a foot square razor sharp chunk of little squares came down like a guillotine and sliced my hand as I was lifting the glass from the frame.

The demo guys I work with set up a screen, like NW Architect described then stand back and throw a small sledge tied to a rope to shatter the glass. Then they use a shovel to break it further. kevlar gloves are the first choice or at least heavy leather, safety glasses, long pants and steel toed boots.

Accidents with glass can be horrible and very serious. I know a guy who nearly bled to death when a sheet of glass he was carrying out of an elevator broke and sliced his femoral artery. He was a young super right out of college. He never went back out in the field, he works in the office now.

I was standing outside a drywall hoarding once in a busy shopping mall having a conversation. The demo guys were breaking and removing what they assumed was tempered glass. There was the sound of breaking and then the pointed end of a 5' piece of glass sliced through the drywall at about shoulder height sticking out about 18" a couple of feet from where we were standing. Luckily no one was walking by there right at that moment. At some point in time someone replaced a tempered glass panel, which is required by code, with a piece of ordinary float glass. The demo guy came out white as a ghost. He thought for sure he killed someone.

[abonus]

Re: Breaking Non Tempered glass safely

Just an update, I experimented breaking the glass today with carpet shield on both side and it worked great. Very minimal shards and 95% of the pane stayed connected by the carpet shield film.Thanks for all the input.