Fibrin glue

substantially disrupted work and one in three required treatment in an accident and emergency department.Clearly, this level of injury from sharp objects would be unacceptable in a laboratory or other working environment.What should be done?Firstly, safety standards need to be developed to protect consumers and bar workers.Glassware in many countries bears a government stamp to signify that the capacity of the glass conforms to certain standards of volume.This should also signify adherence to standards of safety.In Britain an obvious objective is that every half pint or one pint beer glass should bear the British Standards Institution's "kite mark."Secondly, a code of practice should be developed regarding the type of glass that should be used in particular environments-for example, in pub gardens and urban pubs.Thirdly, the safety of disposable and reusable plastic containers should be acknowledged.Although levels of injury do not warrant wholesale replacement of glass, plastic has obvious advantages in some environments-for example, at beer festivals and sporting occasions.And lastly, licensees should ensure that empty bottles and glasses are regularly collected and that worn glasses are replaced before they break in use.9Jonathan Shepherd's group received a research grant to study risk factors for urban violence from the glass manufacturers, J G Durand.