Section 2406.4/Hazardous Glazing Locations
IBC 2406.4 identifies hazardous locations where safety glazing (tempered or laminated) is required to protect against human impact injuries.
Safety glazing conforming to CPSC 16 CFR 1201 or ANSI Z97.1 is required in the following hazardous locations: glazing in swinging doors and fixed panels immediately adjacent to doors where the nearest vertical edge of the glazing is within 24 inches of the door in a closed position on the same plane; glazing in enclosures for bathtubs, hot tubs, whirlpools, saunas, showers, and steam rooms regardless of size; glazing adjacent to stairways and ramps within 36 inches horizontally of a walking surface where the exposed surface is less than 60 inches above the walking surface; glazing in guards and railings; glazing in walls and fences enclosing swimming pools, hot tubs, and spas; and large panels of glazing in locations subject to human impact where the bottom edge is less than 18 inches above the floor, the top edge is more than 36 inches above the floor, the panel exceeds 9 square feet, and the walking surface is within 36 inches of the glazing. Each piece of safety glazing must have a permanent manufacturer's label identifying the standard, manufacturer, and type.
Why this section exists
Human impact with annealed glass causes severe laceration injuries and fatalities. The CPSC estimated that glass-related injuries resulted in over 200,000 emergency room visits annually before safety glazing requirements were widely adopted. Tempered glass breaks into small, relatively harmless granular pieces. Laminated glass holds together when broken, preventing pass-through. The hazardous location criteria target areas where people are most likely to fall into or walk through glass: adjacent to doors (mistaking a sidelight for a doorway), in wet areas (slipping in a shower), near stairs and ramps (tripping), and large panels near walking surfaces (walking into glass). The requirements in IEBC 706 extend these requirements to replacement glazing in existing buildings.
What plan reviewers look for
Plan reviewers check the glazing schedule, door schedule, and floor plans for glass in hazardous locations. They measure the distance from glazing panels to adjacent doors (24-inch rule), stairs (36-inch rule), and walking surfaces. They verify that all shower and bathtub enclosures specify safety glazing. They check large glass panels near walking surfaces against the combined criteria (bottom less than 18 inches, top more than 36 inches, area more than 9 square feet, walking surface within 36 inches). They verify the glazing schedule includes the safety standard designation for all hazardous locations.