Know Your Glass Fast

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30 April 2014 | Updated 01 January 1970

The Counter Terror Exhibition, held this week at Olympia, London, played host to a number of seminars, including ones presented by the Glass and Glazing Federation (GGF).

John Agnew, Chairman GGF Glazing Executive, and Ian Penfold Chairman GGF Window Film Group, presented separate papers on the role and choice of glass to cope with bomb blast; the former approaching it in terms of designing in the appropriate glass at the design stage and the latter, the use of window film in retrofitting.

Tied in with Agnew’s presentation and also available from the GGF is a weighty tome dealing with wider issues and which was available on its stand. Entitled the GGF Safety and Security Glazing Good Practice Guide, one of its sections highlights how building owners are, unless otherwise proved, responsible for knowing the kind of glass that has been installed. Not to, can have huge implications if something goes wrong, e.g. when insurance claims are made.

The Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1992 – Regulation 14

This Health and Safety Regulation applies to glass and glazing and relates to a wide range of workplaces including factories, offices, shops, schools, hospitals, hotels and places of entertainment. However, it does not apply to domestic premises used for work, or to construction sites.

Requirements

The Regulation requires that every window or other transparent or translucent surface in a wall, partition, door or gate should, where necessary for reasons of health or safety, be of a safety material or be protected against breakage of the transparent or translucent material, and be appropriately marked or incorporate features to make it apparent.

What the duty holder needs to do

The Regulation only expects action ‘where necessary for reasons of health or safety’. The building owner, via a risk assessment, needs to assess every window or other transparent or translucent surface in a wall, partition, or door or gate to establish whether there is a risk of anyone being hurt if people or objects come into contact with it, or if it breaks.

ggf.org.uk

Pictured: John Agnew, Chairman GGF Glazing Executive

Article written by Mike Gannon | Published 30 April 2014

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