Back-To-Basics: Cleaning Up Broken Glass

Posted on 07 June 2019 Print

Sometimes, going back to the basics can make the difference between a quality repair and a failed repair. When it comes to making sure the passenger compartment is cleaned of debris, especially glass, there are some things to consider.

Broken glass is dangerous if not handled or cleaned up properly. When glass in a vehicle breaks, there are several places that the shards and broken pieces will go. If broken glass is not removed from the interior of the vehicle, it could be a hazard to the occupants.

One example of broken glass being dangerous is when it settles into air vents. If glass is not cleaned out of the air vents, the broken pieces may become airborne when the vents are turned on. Shards can injure passengers by either being blown into their eyes or imbedding in their clothing, which could irritate or abrade their skin.

Broken glass can also be dangerous if left on the seats and carpet, as broken glass is very sharp and could be painful if you come in contact with it. If glass shards fall into a seatbelt retractor, it could begin to cut the webbing and damage the seatbelt. Keep in mind that the broken door glass can fall inside and start to abrade the interior surface of the door shell causing a corrosion hotspot. The importance of fully repairing a vehicle is to ultimately keep the passengers safe, so don’t forget to keep the passenger compartment free and clear of hazardous debris.

Make sure all broken glass is cleaned up and out of the vehicle in order to achieve a complete, safe, and quality repair.

Related I-CAR Courses

Course Damage Analysis of Stationary Glass

Course Movable Glass Removal and Installation

Course Stationary Glass Removal and Installation


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