Which statement is true about tempered glass and breaking glass during extrication?

Which statement is true about tempered glass and breaking glass during extrication?

• A. Hydraulic shears are the preferred method to break tempered glass.
• B. A spring-loaded center punch, a pickhead axe, or a screwdriver can break tempered glass.
• C. Only wooden tools can break tempered glass.
• D. Tempered glass cannot be broken during extrication.

Answer: (B)

Tempered glass is strong because of its heat-treated surface, but when it does break it tends to crumble into small, dull fragments rather than large sharp shards. To break it safely during extrication, you want a focused, high-energy impact that starts a crack and directs the break. A spring-loaded center punch delivers a quick, concentrated impulse, and a pickhead axe or a screwdriver provides a sharp point to initiate fracture—usually at an edge or corner. Once a crack starts, the glass will break apart in a controlled way, allowing you to remove the pane with less risk to the patient and rescuers. Hydraulic shears are not the best fit for tempered glass because they’re designed for cutting metal and don’t reliably create the controlled fracture you need. Wooden tools alone aren’t sufficient to initiate the break reliably, and tempered glass can indeed be broken during extrication when needed.

Tempered glass is strong because of its heat-treated surface, but when it does break it tends to crumble into small, dull fragments rather than large sharp shards. To break it safely during extrication, you want a focused, high-energy impact that starts a crack and directs the break. A spring-loaded center punch delivers a quick, concentrated impulse, and a pickhead axe or a screwdriver provides a sharp point to initiate fracture—usually at an edge or corner. Once a crack starts, the glass will break apart in a controlled way, allowing you to remove the pane with less risk to the patient and rescuers.

Hydraulic shears are not the best fit for tempered glass because they’re designed for cutting metal and don’t reliably create the controlled fracture you need. Wooden tools alone aren’t sufficient to initiate the break reliably, and tempered glass can indeed be broken during extrication when needed.