Shoutout to my aunt's clumsy boyfriend for a safety tip I use now

Last month, my aunt brought her new boyfriend to see my glassblowing studio. He was eager but kept stepping too close, nearly tipping a shelf of cooled pieces. I was mid-demo on a simple bowl when his sudden move made me jerk the pipe. My friend across the room saw it and yelled 'back up' before I could say anything. After that, I started putting bright yellow tape on the floor to mark a clear no-go zone. Now I tell all visitors to stay behind that line if they want to watch. It cuts down on surprises and keeps everyone safe from hot glass or tools. That weird visit gave me a simple fix that works every time.

4 comments

4 Comments

jordan_henderson131mo ago

Honestly, reading that your aunt's boyfriend almost tipped over a shelf of glass pieces really shocked me. Tbh, I can't get over how close he was to causing a huge mess or worse, someone getting badly hurt. Cooled glass might not be hot but it can still break easily and send sharp bits everywhere. His quick move making you jerk the pipe is just as scary because working with hot glass needs full focus. That yellow tape on the floor is such a smart and simple fix, it's wild that a clumsy visit led to it. Ngl, I'm relieved you found a way to stop surprises and keep your studio safe now.

amy_coleman1mo ago

The back corner shelf in my studio holds all the cooled glass pieces. When @jordan_henderson13 mentioned the near tip, it really made me remember my own scare. I still feel uneasy about how close we came to a bad accident with sharp glass everywhere. That yellow tape is a simple line but it stops people from wandering into the work zone. You need total focus when handling hot glass, so no surprises are allowed. We even added more tape and a verbal warning for every visitor now.

max5641mo ago

Your tape idea could be overkill. I've watched shops where signs blend into the background. Training beats tape every time.

zara_sanchez1mo ago

Yeah, that part about the yellow tape being a simple fix for a clumsy visit... it's like we keep adding these little barriers because people just don't get it. You see it everywhere, like those signs on wet floors or ropes at museums. It feels like common sense gets left at the door sometimes, and we have to literally draw a line to stop the chaos. Makes you wonder how many accidents are just waiting to happen until someone puts down the tape.