From onion rings to vaccines, there is no shortage of headlines about product recalls due to glass contamination. When we purchase food at the grocery store, buy medications and cosmetics at local pharmacies, we expect that the products are free of any foreign material, which could be a safety hazard. But because food and medicines can be physically contaminated at any stage of production, the federal government has put stringent regulations in place to help minimize this risk.

There are three types of hazards in the manufacturing process: physical, chemical and biological. This article focuses on glass – one the most common physical hazards in manufacturing – and explores best practices to help minimize glass contamination caused from lighting products.