Safety glazina

[Matthew Barnicle]

Are windows supposed to be safety glass if the bottom edge of the window is lower than 18" to the walking surface?

[Jerry Peck]

Sometimes. Read the underlined R308.4.7 requirements.

Depends on it it meets the following:


- R308.4 Hazardous locations. The following shall be considered specific hazardous locations for the purposes of glazing:
- - 1. Glazing in swinging doors except jalousies.
- - 2. Glazing in fixed and sliding panels of sliding door assemblies and panels in sliding and bifold closet door assemblies.
- - 3. Glazing in storm doors.
- - 4. Glazing in all unframed swinging doors.
- - 5. Glazing in doors and enclosures for hot tubs, whirlpools, saunas, steam rooms, bathtubs and showers. Glazing in any part of a building wall enclosing these compartments where the bottom exposed edge of the
glazing is less than 60 inches (1524 mm) measured vertically above any standing or walking surface.
- - 6. Glazing, in an individual fixed or operable panel adjacent to a door where the nearest vertical edge is within a 24-inch (610 mm) arc of the door in a closed position and whose bottom edge is less than 60 inches (1524 mm) above the floor or walking surface.
- - 7. Glazing in an individual fixed or operable panel, other than those locations described in Items 5 and 6 above, that meets all of the following conditions:
- - - 7.1. Exposed area of an individual pane larger than 9 square feet (0.836 m2).
- - - 7.2. Bottom edge less than 18 inches (457 mm) above the floor.
- - - 7.3. Top edge more than 36 inches (914 mm) above the floor.
- - - 7.4. One or more walking surfaces within 36 inches (914 mm) horizontally of the glazing.
- - 8. All glazing in railings regardless of an area or height above a walking surface. Included are structural baluster panels and nonstructural infill panels.
- - 9. Glazing in walls and fences enclosing indoor and outdoor swimming pools, hot tubs and spas where the bottom edge of the glazing is less than 60 inches (1524 mm) above a walking surface and within 60 inches
(1524 mm) horizontally of the water’s edge. This shall apply to single glazing and all panes in multiple glazing.
- - 10. Glazing adjacent to stairways, landings and ramps within 36 inches (914 mm) horizontally of a walking surface when the exposed surface of the glass is less than 60 inches (1524 mm) above the plane of the adjacent walking surface.
- - 11. Glazing adjacent to stairways within 60 inches (1524 mm) horizontally of the bottom tread of a stairway in any direction when the exposed surface of the glass is less than 60 inches (1524 mm) above the nose of the tread.

(the above is followed by 10 exceptions)