Precautions handling neon signs
High voltage can injure you! Never clean or attempt a neon sign repair without unplugging it first!!!!
Another good rule if you missed the first:
Unplug the sign's transformer before cleaning or repairs.
Get that? Good!
Be safe.
A neon sign transformer is capable of producing voltage that can injure you.
Amps will stop your heart. That means you could die. Fortunately, neon sign transformers have very low amp outputs. That does not mean it's safe to touch a bare wire by any means! The high output voltage could knock you away or leave you "stuck" holding the wire unable to let go. That is not good. So, unless it's up on display, UNPLUG it!
Now safety on the glass itself..... Glass is heated when manufactured. A neon sign's glass tube was re-heated again to shape it. This means the glass tubing is more than fragile, it is also extremely brittle. If it breaks, shards of glass can go flying. This means it can stick in your skin or go into an eye. Owww! So, when handling neon tube glass, respect the tube. Believe it or not, a neon tube will flex to a very slight extent. Not a good practice however. Remember when a colored sign tube breaks, there was a trace amount of Mercury in it. Mercury is toxic. You do not want any skin contact with Mercury.
Another thing to remember, insulate or cover those connections after performing any repairs. Arcing wires can and will start fires!