Glass Safety & Requirements
We at Trade Windows conform to all existing regulations as stated in Fensa and Bsi
The following short guide is necessarily worded in a general way and cannot cover every circumstance. It is intended only as a guide for manufacturers, suppliers and installers of new and replacement glass and glazing products for domestic use. Additionally the content is relevant to UK - domestic situations only (including any low 'e' information)
Where glass and glazing products are supplied for domestic use (such as conservatories, garages, double glazing, porches) they must comply with the 'General Safety Requirement' of the General Product Safety Regulations 1994 (GPSR) . This requires consumer products to be reasonably safe and this may be achieved by conforming with British Standard BS 6262: Part 4: 1994 (as detailed below) with reference to the Approved Document N of the Building Regulations 1991 .
WHAT GLAZING MUST BE SAFE?
The updated British Standard "BS 6262: Part 4: 1994 Code of Practice for Glazing for Buildings", introduced new requirements that glazing fitted in 'critical locations' in domestic buildings must be safe.
This may be achieved for example by fitting glass which breaks safely; small panes of ordinary glass; thicker ordinary glass; by protecting the glass with a permanent robust screen; or using plastics glazing sheet. Further details are given below.
The GPSR and the standard apply to all domestic glazing installations whether new build, replacement or refurbishment.
WHAT IS A CRITICAL LOCATION?
Certain internal and external areas are considered 'critical locations' in terms of the safety of vertical glazing, as they are at risk from accidental human impact. The critical locations defined by the standard are similar to the Approved Document N of the Building Regulations 1991.
The 'critical locations' in any internal or external domestic area are: |
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Doors |
Any glazing or part of that glazing in a door, which is between the finished floor level and a height of 1500mm above the floor level, is in a 'critical location'. |
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Side Panels to Doors |
Any glazing or part of that glazing, which is within 300mm of either side of a door edge and which is between the finished floor level and a height of 1500mm above the floor level, is in a 'critical location'. |
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Windows, partitions, and walls |
Any glazing or part of that glazing, which is between the finished floor level and a height of 800mm above the floor level, is in a 'critical location'. |
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EXAMPLES OF LOCATIONS
Diagram 1 below gives examples of glazing in windows, partitions, walls, doors and side panels. 'Critical locations' are shaded grey. Any glazing within a shaded area must comply with BS 6206.
In Diagram 1, glazing unit No. 10 falls wholly within a 'critical location' and so the glazing must comply with BS 6206.
Where only part of a glazing unit falls within a 'critical location' the whole of that unit must comply with BS 6206. In Diagram 1 this applies to units Nos. 2, 3, 5, 6, 7, 9, 11 and 12.
In Diagram 1 only glazing units Nos. 1, 4 and 8 fall wholly outside the 'critical location' and need not comply with BS 6206.
WHAT SHOULD I LOOK FOR ON SAFETY GLAZING?
'British Standard 6206: 1981 (1994)' requires that each piece of safety glazing used within 'critical locations' should be marked with the all of the following: |
