Technician Guide: Working with Glass
It has long been an aim of the ASE Technicians' Committee to provide colleagues some help within the area of training.
Hands-on courses are the ideal training for a practical subject, however, the results of a 2024 survey by Preproom.org* suggests that only 30% of technicians are encouraged to attend CPD regularly and up to 20% of technicians struggle to access any professional learning. Nearly 47% of technicians feel they do not receive enough training. This series of Technicians' Guides aims to go some way to redressing the balance and compensating for the difficulties encountered in attending face to face CPD.
Working with Glass
Working with glass is an extremely important task for the school or college technician.
Not only does the technician need to be aware of the personal risks from hot and sharp materials, but also of the risks to teachers and students who will handle the equipment. The technician has a duty of care to provide safe equipment for teachers and pupils to use. Working with Glass provides information for the technician on preparing simple glass objects and threading glass tubing and thermometers through rubber bungs. It will be particularly useful for the new technician and for anyone who is working towards qualifications. It will also help experienced technicians from other disciplines to widen their skills.
Below you'll find a set of videos which are supported by our Working with Glass guidance document (login required).
Working with Glass: videos series
Blowing a hole in a test tube
In this video Paul Cook will be blowing a hole in a test tube.
Inserting a thermometer (or glass tubing) through a rubber bung
Watch as Paul Cook inserts a thermometer through the hole bung that he made in the previous video.
'Drilling' a hole in a rubber bung
In this video Paul Cook drills a hole into a rubber bung.
Cutting and flame-polishing glass rod or tubing
In this video Paul Cook cuts glass tubing and then flame polishes the cut ends.
We’d like to thank members of the Technicians Committee and our Health and Safety Committee for their help in putting this guidance together.
The ASE is grateful to the Worshipful Company of Glass Sellers Charity Fund, whose funding has made this resource and accompanying films possible. The Worshipful Company of Glass Sellers has had no input into the content or delivery of the resources or films.