July 5, 2017
Over recent months we have received a number of enquiries regarding the types of marking required on safety glass to show compliance with British Standards. This blog will help clarify the legislative requirements relating to this.
Why Safety Glass?
To comply with the glazing requirements of the Building Regulations Approved Document K, there must be safety glass or guards in place to protect people from injury through impact with glazing. The requirements state that safety glass is fitted in all “Critical Locations” meaning doors or within 300mm of a door below 1500mm from floor level, plus windows that are lower than 800mm from floor level.
These requirements are covered by BS 6262-4:2005 – the code of practice for glazing buildings, with Part 4 specifically focusing upon safety related to human impact. This British Standard not only provides recommendations on the class of safety glass to be used, but also how to identify it.
The Marking of Safety Glass
According to section 7 of BS 6262-4:2005, the safety glass needs to be permanently marked so that it is clearly visible after installation. By marking glass, consumers and Building Control Officers have confidence that it conforms to standards and regulatory requirements.
Only recently Pilkington UK, a major supplier of glass to the fenestration industry, have issued guidance advising that manufacturers should avoid omitting safety marks, even if requested by clients. This applies to both pieces of glass within double-glazed sealed units and also replacement glazing in historic properties. If the glass is not marked sufficiently then Building Control can insist that it has to be replaced.
What Does The Mark Need To Do?
To demonstrate conformity, the mark must:
(i) Identify the manufacturer with their name or trademark; and
(ii) Reference the relevant product standard.
What is meant by ‘reference the relevant product standard’ is to include one of the following standards that safety glass can comply with:
- BS EN 12150 – to identify toughened glass
- BS EN 14449 – to identify laminated glass
- BS EN 14179 – to identify heat soaked, thermally toughened glass.
If you require further information regarding glazing requirement, please email contactus@georgebarnsdale.
