Ray,
I usually use leather gloves and wear safety glasses just in case the tube breaks.
Good call there, mate.
I learned that lesson when I first started my time as a sparky, removing an old T12 (series start) tube from a fitting.
As was common, the end cap that holds the pins had jammed in the lampholder and as I twisted it, I must have squeezed the tube, because it exploded into pieces.
I have had a scar on my left hand ever since that took years to heal properly.
I've worn gloves ever since that day, when working with fluoro tubes and as Ray stated, safety glasses.
Getting a shard of phosphorus coated glass in your eye would not be fun at all.
I'm glad that they don't use mercury in fluoro tubes anymore, but the risk is there with older tubes.
Be careful.
