Glazing Safety in Critical Locations

What This Requirement Covers

The requirements for safety glazing are now contained in Approved Document K, Section 6 (previously Approved Document N). These requirements protect building occupants from injury caused by impact with glazing in critical locations - areas where people are most likely to come into contact with glass.

Key Requirements

Critical Locations

Glazing must be safety glazing in the following critical locations

1. In doors and side panels: Any glazing within a door leaf, or in a side panel within 300 mm of a door edge
2. Low-level glazing in walls: Any glazing with its lowest point less than 800 mm above the finished floor level in internal or external walls

Safety Glazing Options

Safety glazing must comply with BS EN 12600 (Glass in building - pendulum test) and achieve one of the following classifications

1. Class 1 (toughened or laminated): Suitable for all critical locations
2. Class 2 (toughened or laminated): Suitable for critical locations where the area of glass is limited
3. Class 3 (annealed with limited size): Suitable only for small panes

Acceptable safety glazing types

1. Toughened (tempered) glass: Breaks into small, relatively harmless fragments
2. Laminated glass: Cracks but remains held together by the interlayer; preferred for security applications
3. Polycarbonate or glass blocks: Inherently safe materials

Marking

1. Safety glazing must be permanently marked (etched or sandblasted) with the standard number (BS EN 12600) and the classification
2. Alternatively, the Building Control Body may accept a certificate from the glazier confirming that safety glass has been used

Large Glazed Areas

1. Large areas of frameless glazing (glass walls, full-height windows) must be made apparent to avoid people walking into them
2. This can be achieved by:

- Manifestation (contrasting marks) at 850-1000 mm and 1400-1600 mm above floor level - Mullions, transoms, or other framing elements that make the glazing obvious - Furniture or planting positioned to prevent direct approach

Practical Compliance Tips

1. Check all glazing in critical locations at the design stage and specify safety glazing in the window schedule
2. When replacing windows or doors, ensure that new glazing in critical locations meets current safety standards even if the original glass did not
3. Retain safety glazing certificates for Building Control sign-off
4. In commercial buildings, specify manifestation on all full-height glass partitions and doors
5. Glass balustrades must use laminated safety glass (toughened laminated for structural glass balustrades)
6. When in doubt about whether a location is critical, use safety glazing; the cost difference is small compared to the risk of injury
7. Photovoltaic glass, fire-rated glass, and specialist glazing products must also meet safety glazing requirements if used in critical locations