What is a safety glazing survey?

What is a safety glazing survey?

A safety glazing survey is essentially an audit of the glass of a building in critical locations, where the glazing, glass and fixings are reviewed for compliance and the risks are assessed against Building Regulations Approved Document K.

The overall goal of the survey is to identify any area of risk and to propose to your client any remedial works that will need to take place to mitigate the risk of an accident occurring.

Why are safety glazing surveys important?

Whilst older buildings generally have a higher risk of non-compliant glazing, the age of a building is irrelevant. The Workplace (Health Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1992 regulation 14, states:

“Every window or other transparent or translucent surface in a wall or partition and every transparent or translucent surface in a door or gate shall, where necessary for reasons of health or safety –
(a) be of safety material or be protected against breakage of the transparent or translucent material; and;
(b) be appropriately marked or incorporate features so as, in either case, to make it apparent.”.

Undertaking a survey will allow for the most cost-effective risk reduction strategy to be developed.

Generally, critical glazing zones apply where the transparent or translucent surfaces are at shoulder level or below in the case of doors and gates and any side panels to them. It applies at waist level or below in the case of windows, walls, and partitions (except in glasshouses).

The survey will give you peace of mind that your building is compliant with the current legislation and will ensure that building users are not put in harm’s way when it comes to the breakage of glazing materials. They will ensure your liability is reduced.

What are the most commons issues you come across?

Typical issues concerning glazing in critical locations can be as follows:
• Door and window openers do not have safety glazing installed
• Doors are replaced in a combination frame, but glazing in the side lights is not replaced with safety glass
• Glazing below 800mm not having safety glazing installed
• No markings on the glazing to identify its safety rating

The overall goal of the survey is to identify any area of risk and to propose to your client any remedial works that will need to take place to mitigate the risk of an accident occurring.

How can Concertus help?

At Concertus, we have experienced members of staff who have performed countless surveys across the country. All surveyors are trained to use the glazing testing kit, which identifies the type and thickness of glass. The information that we gather is inputted on an electronic template, which has pin locations on the floor plan and provides a unique reference for each glazing location surveyed, making it easy for clients to understand.