Overview
- The UBC — Uniform Building Code — has specific requirements for the use of safety glass and for egress.
- The theory behind the use of safety glass is just that — safety.
- It is required where someone is most likely to slip and fall against the window, ie: running towards a door or falling in a bathroom.
- Egress is established to allow a fireman to enter a bedroom window fully loaded with gear.
- Some local jurisdictions have developed their own codes — check for these prior to making recommendations.
- CAUTION: It is the customer's responsibility to check that local building codes are met.
Building Codes
- Tempered or laminated glass must be used in the following locations:
- Glazing in doors and enclosures for hot tubs, whirlpools, saunas, steam rooms,
bathtubs and showers. Glazing in any portion of a building wall enclosing these compartments where the bottom
exposed edge of the glazing is less than 60 inches above a standing surface and drain inlet.
- Glazing adjacent to a door where the nearest exposed edge of the glazing is
within a 24-inch arc of either vertical edge of the door in a closed position and where the bottom exposed edge
of the glazing is less than 60-inches above the walking surface.
- EXCEPTION: Tempered is not required when there is an intervening wall or other.
permanent barrier located between the door and the glazing.
- Glazing in fixed or operable panels, other than those locations described in the 2 items above, that meets all of the following conditions:
- Exposed area of an individual pane greater than 9 square feet.
- Exposed bottom edge less than 18 inches above the floor.
- Exposed top edge greater than 36 inches above the floor.
- One or more walking surfaces within 36 inches horizontally of the plane of the glazing.
- EXCEPTION: Tempered is not required when a protective bar is installed
on the accessible sides of the glazing 34 inches to 38 inches above the floor. The bar shall be capable of withstanding a
horizontal load of 50 pounds per linear foot without contacting the glass and be a minimum of 1-1/2 inches in height.
- Glazing in any hand railing regardless of height above a walking surface.
- Glazing in walls and fences used as the barrier for indoor and outdoor swimming
pools and spa when all of the following conditions are present:
- The bottom edge of the glazing is less than 60 inches above the walking surface on the pool side of the glazing.
- The glazing is within 5 feet of a swimming pool or spa deck area.
- Glazing in walls enclosing stairway landings or within 5 feet of the bottom
and top of stairways where the bottom edge of the glass is less than 60 inches above a walking surface.
- NOTE: Refer to Section 2406 - Safety Glazing, 1994 Uniform Building
Code for reference of the above information.
Skylights
- Skylights must be tempered or laminated glass.
- Skylights must use laminated glass if:
- More than 16 square feet OR
- More than 12 feet above the floor.
Egress
- All basement windows.
- All bedrooms below the fourth story.
- Minimum clear openable dimensions:
- Width = 20"
- Height = 24"
- Area = 5.7 square feet
- Finished sill height = 44" maximum
- Rough opening height of sill = 42" maximum
- NOTE: The minimum area requirement prevents you
from using minimum height and minimum width on the same window.
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