Got glass coffee tables?

[giza]

If so, the watchdogs at Consumer Reports would like to remind you that they can pose a serious safety hazard. This is because there is no requirement that glass tables be made from tempered glass--the kind that breaks into many small shards when broken. Untempered glass breaks into very large, jagged shards, which can literally impale people and cause them to bleed out in a matter of minutes. This leads to about 20,000 emergency room visits each year.

The story linked to above also contains a video showing what happens when untempered glass breaks, and it ain't pretty.



Jeez, look at the size of that thing!

Comments

[ex-purpleca.livejournal.com]

I was under the mistaken assumption that my glass desk used tempered glass. I was surprised (but lucky!) when a .. er, 'rapidly misplaced' heavy object landed in just the right way and turned it into so many JAGGED DAGGERS instead of nice little cubes... while I was sitting right under the piece that shattered.

I'm debating getting replacement (tempered) glass for it, or just chucking it and getting a real desk.