​​​WORKS OF ART IN KILN-FORMED GLASS

HEALTH & SAFETY - NON-IONIZING RADIATION

For non-ionizing radiation, Infrared (IR) is the frequency of most concern to kiln glass artists.

• Occurs whenever there is radiant heat (glowing)
• Eyes are most affected
  
• IR is absorbed by iris, cornea, lens
  
• Can result in: “Dry Eye” or “Glassblower’s Cataracts” with high, long term exposure
  
• Goal is to minimize IR transmission
  

Protection:
​Wear appropriate protective lenses. ANSI (American National Standards Institute) has standard shades for blocking IR and visible light transmission:

Remember - the goal is to minimize IR transmission, so the LESS the IR transmission, the better. However there is a trade-off. Decreased IR transmission means decreased visible light transmission so the more protection you get, the harder it will be to see through them.

Basic Rules for Infrared Radiation Exposure:

• A periodic “peek” in the kiln is not a problem
• The main exposure risk is viewing > 1 minute at a time
  
• Wear appropriate protective lenses if you are going to be looking at molten glass for more than one minute.