Basic Safety in Hot Glass Blowing:

Safety is number one priority. All participants should know the risks of glassblowing. Glassblowing is inherently a dangerous activity. The following rules created by various studios and teachers, are meant to help keep the glass blowing experience as safe as possible. Be aware of your position in the studio. When you are walking behind someone, be sure to let them know that you are there. Participants will be intensely focused on the piece of hot glass at the end of their pipe, please be aware of their potential movements.

• Do not swing a pipe in the direction of another person.
• Do not give the pipe a full swing no more than shoulder height.
• Never raise the blow pipe higher than your head.
• You should always move around the shop with the hot glass end of the pipe angled towards the floor. ALWAYS LOOK BEFORE TURNING AROUND WITH A HOT BLOWPIPE. While blowing glass always be aware of any person in other area of the studio.
• Safety glasses must be worn at all times. We will provide eye protection. If you have prescription eye wear or prefer your own ordinary sunglasses, please feel free to bring them. You are responsible for keeping your safety glasses on at all times.
• All classes will start with an explanation of the safety rules. Only authorized personnel are permitted to adjust studio equipments. If there are any problem, contact the instructor.

Unannealed Glass:

Shards and other pieces of unannealed glass can be extremely dangerous and may explode without warning. Under no circumstances should any pieces of glass be removed from the studio, unless it has been properly annealed. Shards and unannealed glass pieces will occur from the glass blowing process. These pieces of glass, called drops, are usually cut off from the piece that a participant is working on. They rest on the floor and will retain their heat for many minutes. Please do not try to pick up these pieces. Instructors will dispose them throughout the class.

Teamwork:

We make glass in teams. The person making the work is in charge of the team, and is known as the Gaffer. The two assistants help the Gaffer by getting pieces of glass, arranging tools, providing bench blows, etc. Gaffers will not always need two assistants, allowing time for one assistant to rest. Team members should take care of each other. Help your fellow participants to follow the rules of safe behaviour and not work beyond their abilities.

Clothing:

Do not wear synthetic material or plastic fibre. Proper dress should include a cotton long sleeve shirt with a short sleeve undershirt, long pants, closed toe shoes, no open toed footwear or flimsy shoes. Sturdy hard soled shoes are recommended. Do not wear metal exposed such as, jewellery, metal buttons, watches, etc. Individuals with long hair needed to bring something to tie their hair back.

Liability Waiver:

All participants are required to read and sign a liability waiver and agree to abide to the standards of safety and conduct that “Glass Sutra” studio has outlined. All participants should know the risks of glassmaking. We attempt to run a safe working studio, but cannot protect you from everything. Participants under the age of 18 will require a parent or guardian signature on the liability waiver. Parents are encouraged to read and review the safety procedures with their children. Please print, sign and send with your reservation fee. Otherwise the form will be provided.

Health:

All participants must be in good health and ability to withstand the heat and the physical demands of glassmaking. Participants who wear contact lenses are advised to remove and were a regular glass before starting hands on practice. Please check with your doctor, if you have any questions.

Participant’s Work:

Finished pieces must cool overnight when you are working in Hot Glass and Kiln Glass. You will need to pick them up later, or if desired, we can ship them for a reasonable packing and shipping fee. Work done in the area of Flamework or Cold work can be taken on the same day.We cannot hold your pieces indefinitely, so please pick them up promptly or make arrangements for shipping. We are not responsible for participant’s work that is left in the studio for more than one week.

Photography:

“Glass Sutra” and its associates reserve the right to photograph on site, students and their artwork for public relations work in promoting “Glass Sutra” and its programs. Participants can take pictures only of their work and for anything else require permission from Studio Glass Sutra.

Personal Property:

“Glass Sutra” is not responsible for the security of property belonging to any participants including instructors or staff.

Burns & Cuts:

Participants might receive minor burns or cuts as a natural part of learning to blow glass/ make glass. Many objects are hot, tools, Torches, pipes, punties, furnace doors, annealing ovens, Kilns, assume that all surfaces are hot., even surfaces (such as, the rails of the bench) that are not directly in contact with glass. Report all burns and cuts to a staff member. We have first aid kit available. All of these issues will be covered in the safety instructions at the beginning of the class.

Customer Satisfaction Policy

The Studio Glass Sutra, strives to provide its customers with a pleasurable creative experience and a resulting project that exceeds their expectations. We do all we can to help guide the process of glass creation, and help our customers realise their vision.

The Glass Blowing/Flame working/ Kiln Firing process is not an exact science or can be controlled completely. So, glass projects do become somewhat altered during the process of making. We view this process as one of the beauties of glass. However, occasionally there are problems with the finished pieces due to many reasons not in ones control.

In the instance of breakage, we offer our customers credit towards a replacement “make-it-yourself” project. Because we are providing our customers with an “experience” at The Studio Glass Sutra, we do not offer money-back refunds for any reason.

Customers who break their glass creations at home may contact us about a possible repair. We can attempt to repair it for an additional fee.

Refund/Cancellation Policy

If a participant must cancel and cancellation is received 72 hours prior to the class start date, you will receive a full refund less a 10% processing fee. If cancellation is received 48 hours prior to the class start date, a 75% refund will be given,. There is no refund for cancellations received between 48 hours and 24 hours before the class start date only 50%  of the fee will be refunded. If for any reason it is necessary for us to cancel a class, and we are not able to offer another time, a full refund will be given. If there is a weather issue or any emergency, the class will be postponed to another date.

For Event or Group programme, the above refund/cancellation policy is not applicable.