A new study conducted by researchers from Rutgers University has found that many consumers are experiencing severe injuries at the hands of glass tables. They explained that while tempered glass is the standard when making doors, regulations for tables aren’t as strict. In the event of an accident, the team says injuries tend to be more serious with untempered glass. 

The researchers are hoping that these findings prompt changes to current regulations regarding glass-made items so that fewer consumers are hurt by these products.

“It is imperative to push for stricter regulation as consumers of glass tables should not be incurring life-threatening trauma injuries due to neglect of manufacturers in not using tempered glass,” said researcher Stephanie Bonne. 

A safer option

To understand the severity of the injuries incurred from untempered glass, the researchers analyzed injury data from two sources: two dozen cases at a level 1 trauma center and over 3,200 cases from the National Electronic Injury Surveillance System. With more than 2.5 million glass-related injuries occurring each year, these types of incidents are certainly a cause for concern and can affect consumers’ in countless ways.

Surgery was necessary for half of all of the injuries involved in the study, while 15 percent were classified as severe injuries. The researchers explained that young kids and men were the most likely people to receive these types of injuries. 

Regardless of whether someone falls from a glass table or is by glass shards when the table breaks, these types of injuries shouldn’t be taken lightly. Patients experienced everything from organ damage to minor lacerations, and eight percent of all these injuries ended in death.