Hammerglass: The Cabin Glass That Saves Lives
Published: 27/9
At the recent European Demolition Association (EDA) convention in Belgrade, Serbia, one of the speakers was Roberto Agostoni, southern Europe sales manager for Swedish construction vehicle glass manufacturer, Hammerglass. This article contains a summary of Agostini’s speech.
Absurd to use ordinary glass
In such a tough environment as demolition, you wouldn’t consider wearing a party hat for protection; the absurdity is clear. Equally absurd, though far more common, is the use of ordinary glass in machinery that operates in these risky conditions. Despite widespread knowledge that glass shatters upon impact, most of the machinery is still equipped with standard glass straight from the factory. Even replacement safety windows often fail to meet the specific needs of their operational environment, chosen without the proper consideration of the risks they’re meant to defend against. As a result, these windows will most likely break, leading not only to personal injuries and insurance claims but also costly downtime.
In these challenging times, downtime due to broken glass is something the industry should do its utmost to minimize. To be honest, it’s like throwing money—and a lot of it—in the trash. One broken glass window can amount to surprisingly high costs. It’s not just the price of a new window; it includes installation, service fees, production losses, rental costs for replacement machinery, and fines for delays. And most of all, ordinary glass doesn’t protect the operator at all.
This process doesn’t feel sustainable. So why, in a field so heavily regulated, where every precaution is taken to ensure the safety and efficiency of operations, do we repeatedly use glass in a way that contradicts what we know about its properties?
The story of Sven
(Agostini shared the story of Sven, a safety manager, who had to choose a replacement glass for one of his construction company’s vehicles. His choice to use the Hammerglass hard-coated polycarbonate alternative to “normal” glass proved to be a wise decision, preventing a serious accident.)
When a 10-ton stone came towards the machine by an unforeseen slide and hit the new window, it merely pushed it inward without breaking it. Had a weaker solution been used, such as glass, the fate of Jörgen (the operator) could have been drastically different. Instead, he walked away without a scratch. A year later, he retired after more than 45 years as a machine operator.
This story is a testament to a life preserved by thoughtful material choice. In heavy machinery used in demolition, construction, or mining, there are several important tests a window needs to pass to fully guard the operator. Hammerglass meets a lot of questions regarding this, since the rules and recommendations are not published as standards, and it isn’t always easy to know what to choose. When Hammerglass educates customers on operator safety, we always focus on these tests, since combined they will be the safest choice.”
The OPG/Fops level II test
The Level II test for Operator Protective Guards (OPGs)/Falling-Object Protective Structures (FOPS)is designed to create a safe operator space by transferring the impact of a falling or thrown object to the cabin structure, a situation not entirely unheard of for an audience working in demolition. The solution is often to put an additional guard that has passed this test, such as a metal grid, in front of the window.
Unfortunately, the metal grid is not a complete operator guard, simply because a grid has unprotected spaces between the bars where stones can pass through and break the window behind. When accidents occur, like explosions and buildings caving in when they shouldn’t, you get propelling and falling stones and debris of all sizes in the air, some of them hitting the machine cab.
To be able to offer the operator a guard that will truly protect him or her from this possibility, the contractors window solution needs to be OPG/Fops Level II tested. An OPG-tested window is tested in the same way as a safety metal grid, in a cab like fixture. This is because the frame and its settings are equally important in serious accidents. They also need to hold large rocks or pressure waves. A fully certified window-and-frame safety solution eliminates the need for a metal grid, not only enhancing operator safety but also the operator’s visibility and comfort—factors that not only improve job satisfaction, but can also attract and retain skilled operators.
Workforce knows what’s in their interests
Young generations are very well informed about their rights, and they are not interested in gambling with their personal safety at work. They will choose an employer that takes responsibility for this. When you choose your new safety window, always ask to see approved documentation. Do your risk assessment. Respect nature’s unpredictability and use your material knowledge. Don’t leave the safety puzzle unfinished with one piece missing.
Hammerglass is spearheading an initiative to craft an ISO standard for rigid plastic safety screens, aiming to provide clearer guidelines and better protect machine operators worldwide. Such efforts not only promote safety but also enhance efficiency by minimizing unplanned downtime. It would also facilitate the work of those in charge of their safety - the company owners and the safety officers. There are only winners here.
Unfortunately, these things take time. Yet Hammerglass will take every opportunity it gets to spread its material knowledge and experience to those who benefit from it. Call it a goal or call it a journey, the important thing is that we work together for change and always put people before machines.
