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Do you look at wired glass?

LGreene

LGreene

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Joined
Oct 20, 2009
Messages
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Location
San Miguel de Allende, Mexico
I've been doing a series on my blog about the hazards of wired glass, and I'd love some feedback from y'all. If this sounds familiar, I asked about prioritizing replacement of existing glass in 2010, but I'd like some more input.

a) If you're an inspector, do you look at the markings on the glass and make sure it is impact-resistant?

b) If the glass was installed when fire doors were exempt from the impact-resistance requirements, do you educate facilities about the hazards of leaving the glass in place? I know they are not required to replace it (unless it breaks), but we are all in a position to protect the public, especially kids, from this hazard. I see wired glass all the time in openings where it should never have used - like non-fire-rated doors - especially exterior doors where it was not exempt from impact-resistance and is not code-compliant.

c) The 2009 IBC allows a facility to use a certificate or affidavit stating that all of the glass in the building is code-compliant (instead of marking each piece of glass), if acceptable to the AHJ. Under what circumstances would you allow this certificate instead of the individual markings?

If you've always wanted to know more about wired glass, here are the blog posts I've published so far. My next one is about the code development process that accomplished the changes to the IBC in 2003 and 2006.

Addressing the Hazards of Traditional Wired Glass - CBS News story and recent installations I've seen (I Dig Hardware / I Hate Hardware » Addressing the Hazards of Traditional Wired Glass)

Traditional Wired Glass in the News - news articles about injuries, liability, and recommendations (I Dig Hardware / I Hate Hardware » Traditional Wired Glass in the News)

More Wired Glass in the News - 1983 news video and a letter from the mom of an injured teenager (I Dig Hardware / I Hate Hardware » More Wired Glass in the News)

IBC Requirements for Safety Glazing - Hazardous Locations - a breakdown of what locations are considered hazardous and require safety glazing (I Dig Hardware / I Hate Hardware » IBC Requirements for Safety Glazing – Hazardous Locations)

IBC Requirements for Safety Glazing - Impact Resistance - a summary of the 2 test standards for impact (I Dig Hardware / I Hate Hardware » IBC Requirements for Safety Glazing – Impact Resistance)

The Art of Wired Glass - a Wordless Wednesday post showing broken wired glass used as art photography (I Dig Hardware / I Hate Hardware » WW: The Art of Wired Glass)

Glazing Identification - how to decipher the marks (I Dig Hardware / I Hate Hardware » Glazing Identification)
 
To be honest.........no. But I will be looking at all your links and be advising my staff what they should be looking for in new, and how we can advise existing installations. Thanks.......
 
2003 IBC removed the exemption for wired glass in educational and athletic facilities and set forth that the federal safety glazing standards applied in those buildings. In the 2004 IBC Supplement and the 2006 IBC code, restrictions were taken one step further. The result was that traditional wired glass is no longer exempt from meeting safety standards when used in any potentially hazardous location. This applies to all new construction and in all types of occupancies (see Sec. 2406.1.1 in the 2003 and 2006 IBC).
 
mark handler said:
2003 IBC removed the exemption for wired glass in educational and athletic facilities and set forth that the federal safety glazing standards applied in those buildings. In the 2004 IBC Supplement and the 2006 IBC code, restrictions were taken one step further. The result was that traditional wired glass is no longer exempt from meeting safety standards when used in any potentially hazardous location. This applies to all new construction and in all types of occupancies (see Sec. 2406.1.1 in the 2003 and 2006 IBC).
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The problems are:

a) Non-compliant glass is still being supplied because people don't know or don't want to pay the price for impact-resistant glazing. I just saw some on one of my own projects - in non-fire-rated doors!

b) Even though the exemption (before 2003) was only for fire door assemblies, traditional wired glass was installed in lots of other hazardous locations. I just saw a photo from the Sandy Hook exterior courtyard that showed a pair of doors and big sidelites all with wired glass.

c) The glass that was allowed by the exception will be in place waiting for an accident to happen for decades. There are more than 2,000 wired glass injuries each year - just in schools. The insurance companies don't seem to have addressed it yet, but facilities should start prioritizing the removal of this hazard. JMO
 
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"Under what circumstances would you allow this certificate instead of the individual markings?"
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When the "powers-that-be" tell me to not worry about it!Risk Mangement = costs to the building/property owner vs. potential & actual

injuries......Unfortunately, here in Code Land, the Green Idol still rules!

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Witnessed a classmate in high school put both arms completely through a full-light wire glass door. He was running and missed the panic bar. Not fun.
 
TJacobs said:
Witnessed a classmate in high school put both arms completely through a full-light wire glass door. He was running and missed the panic bar. Not fun.
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The progress that has been in the last 10 years regarding wired glass has been in large part due to Greg Abel, the father of a young adult who missed the panic bar and put his arm through wired glass. His dedication is inspirational. Most people who are unfamiliar with code development wouldn't know where to start, or would have given up when the wired glass industry pushed back. But he rallied some help and the codes were changed in his home state (Oregon) and the IBC. This article by Ron Geren is about Greg's efforts:

http://www.specsandcodes.com/Articles/The%20Code%20Corner%20No.%205%20-%20How%20Can%20you%20Change%20a%20Building%20Code.pdf

I would love to find a way to continue Greg's work and inspire facilities to address the existing hazard. I think the only way to do this is through the insurance companies. We shouldn't have to wait for a high-profile case like a child bleeding to death from their injuries before someone sounds the alarm.
 
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