Safety glass is a catch-all term for various types of glass used to protect people and property from damage or injury that may otherwise be caused by damaged glass.
Versions of safety glass have been used in practice since 1874, and depending on the building or specific location of the glass, are often a legal requirement to ensure the safety of property and individuals within it.
Because safety glass is often more expensive than standard glass, using it is generally optimised to key areas of efficacy.
So, when do you need to use it, and what are some of the key things you should know – both according to the law and for installation? We’ll explain all of these points below:
What types of safety glass are available?
There are several types of safety glass available that can be useful in different environments, and are as follows:
Toughened glass
Produced by subjecting glass to thermal or chemical processing, toughened glass is not only stronger than standard glass but will also shatter into safer ‘chunks’ rather than sharper shards.
Because of its ability to reduce the risk of injury, you can find this type of glass in many places, including cars and lorries, as well as in shower screens, and glass walls or doors in office spaces.
Laminated glass
Constructed using a composite of glass and an interlayer made of transparent vinyl.
When heat is applied to this glass, the vinyl, essentially sticking both panes together, prevents the glass from shattering into shards upon impact or exploding due to fire damage.
This glass is often used in skylights and car windscreens to protect those within a home or vehicle.
Wired glass
Also known as Georgian Mesh Glass, wired glass works as steel might in a concrete structure.
Particularly prominent in older public buildings and office spaces, this kind of glass has fallen out of favour in recent years due to its lack of durability compared with other types of toughened glass.
Now that we know more about what safety glass and its available iterations, let’s look at how and why it’s used.
Why do I need safety glass?
As you may have surmised from its name, safety glass is designed to protect people and property. It is used in potentially hazardous environments to protect against various elements of danger, including fires or projectiles.
Due to the additional steps required in its production, safety glass is generally more expensive than standard glass. For this reason, its use is often optimised in key areas, mostly locations of high risk, with high densities of people and/or locations containing expensive items.
Safety glass legal regulations
Safety glass is rarely used voluntarily. Depending on where the installation’s location (within the building and the country itself) it is often legally required.
In the UK, areas of requirement are referred to as ‘critical locations’ as Part K4 of the UK’s Building and Regulations Act considers certain parts of a building to be of vital importance to avoid injury.
These critical areas include:
- Low-level areas
- Doors
- Side panels adjacent to doors
- Bathroom areas
- Protective Barriers
- Furniture and Cabinets
In the UK, regulation safety glass is classified under BS EN 12600, which stipulates a pendulum impact test to determine if and how the glass will break.
Additionally, Part N stipulates that safety glass should:
- Exhibit resistance to the impact without breaking
- Failing to resist without breaking, it should break in ways that minimise the risk of injury.
- Stays shielded or protected from the impact.
Correct installation is the responsibility of the glass user. So, how is the installation of safety glass managed?
Building Regulations
In terms of building regulations for the installation of safety glass in doors and windows, here are the instructions:
Window: Gap of 800mm between the floor.
Doors: 1500mm between the floor, and 300mm on both sides of the door.
How is safety glass installed?
Safety glass installation is relatively straightforward with the right know-how and is generally achieved in the same way as installing any other pane of glass. However, if you’re not sure where to start, we can help.
At Forsyth, not only do we offer glass products for your home or workplace, we also provide installation services within a localised area.
To learn more about the glass we have on offer, visit our website or contact us directly, and we’ll be happy to answer any questions you may have.
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