Standard annealed glass breaks easily, fracturing into dangerous shards and splinters that pose a safety risk. You can reduce the risk of injury and/or death by using safety glass in your home and/or business.
What is safety glass?
Safety glass is a specialty glass designed to be less breakable and less likely to cause injury. When it’s struck, it bulges or shatters into tiny, harmless fragments. It’s made by laminating sheets of ordinary glass around a thin layer of plastic or by using a heat treatment. Some safety glass is also manufactured for fire resistance.
Why use safety glass in your home and/or office?
There are many valid reasons to use safety glass in the home and office.
- Creates a barrier: Safety glass is a great way to control foot traffic in a business while keeping the area open and airy. This is a technique often used in schools and institutions.
- Increases safety: Safety glass enhances domestic and commercial security. It’s made to withstand blows and remain safely within its frame. To break this specialty glass you need four times the amount of force needed to break untreated glass. If it does break, it’s constructed to crumble into small pieces instead of shatter. Safety glass:
- Resists penetration and forced entry.
- Withstands repeated blows from heavy objects.
- Has improved resistance to accidental impact.
Where is safety glass used?
Safety glass is used in businesses, schools, homes, child care centers and retirement homes.
- Glass doors (fixed, operable, swinging, sliding and bifold)
- Door side panels
- Glass cabinets
- Windows that are larger than 9 feet square (ie. storefronts)
- Bathrooms (shower doors, shower enclosures, steam shower enclosures,
- Around stairs (railings, balustrades, infill panels, nearby ramps and landings)
- Areas that can be mistaken for openings (e.g. floor to ceiling glass)
- Low-level glass
- Skylights
- Glass tables
- Near hot tubs, whirlpools and saunas
- Safety glasses/diving masks
- Display cases
- Refrigerator trays
- Glass walls
- Glass floors
- Glass fences
- Glass pool enclosures
- Plates and cookware
Without proper treatment, the glass will shatter into razor-sharp fragments creating a safety hazard. Safety glass is an answer to this problem. It limits danger without compromising aesthetics. Modern building codes have requirements regarding the use of safety glazing in the home and at businesses. Many people choose to use safety glass in areas where safety is an issue, even if not required by code.
Do you need a safety glass feature in your home or business? Looking for custom-designed glass elements? Call Calgary’s premier glass and mirror company, House of Mirrors & Glass (403) 253-3777 or email us at info@houseofmirrors.com. Our helpful team of associates can assist you in finding the look that works for you. Check out our showroom today! Our knowledgeable and efficient team provides excellent customer service with a focus on custom design.
