Investigation Guideline

Appendix 52
ARCHITECTURAL GLASS AND GLAZING MATERIAL
1.
BACKGROUND. Most accidental injuries involving flat glass are limited to certain
glazed installations or areas classified as "hazardous locations." These hazardous locations
are glazed installations which present a barrier in the normal path people travel as well as
those located in areas such as bathrooms and shower rooms, where accidental falls are very
likely. Other areas of high risk include windows and storm windows and doors.
2.

DEFINITIONS.

a.
Glazing Material. Glazing material is glass or a glass-like material,
including rigid plastics, intended to be installed in prepared openings such as doors, windows,
enclosures, and panels. Such installations are defined as having been glazed.
b.

Ordinary Glazing Material.

(1)
Annealed Glass. Ordinary annealed glass has been manufactured
in such a way that it can be cut or subjected to other fabrication. Regular plate, float, sheet,
window crystal, rolled and patterned surface glasses are examples of annealed glass.
(2)
Wired Glass. Wired glass is annealed glass containing a wire
mesh embedded in the body of the glass during manufacture. Broken pieces tend to remain
attached to the wire.
c.
Safety Glazing Material. Safety glazing material minimizes the
likelihood of accidental cutting and piercing injuries resulting from human contact after
breakage of the glazing material.
(1)
Laminated Glass. Laminated glass is composed of two or more
sheets of glass (usually annealed glass) bonded to an intervening layer or layers of resilient
plastic material. When broken, the pieces of glass tend to adhere to the plastic material..
(2)
Tempered Glass. Tempered Glass has been treated to make it
stronger than annealed glass. It cannot be cut or drilled, and when it is broken at any point,
the entire piece of glass immediately breaks into small fragments.
(3)
Rigid Plastic. Some rigid plastic has glass-like properties (like
transparency) and is used like glass. Some glazing plastics are polystyrene, acrylic, and
polycarbonate.
3.

INVESTIGATIVE PROCEDURES. Determine the following:

a.
Status of the glass at the time of the accident: Whether the glass was installed,
stored, or being transported.

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b.
Condition of the glass at the time of the accident: Whether the glass was
normal, cracked, broken, or poorly supported.
c.
Reaction of the glass to the impact: Whether the glass broke into jagged
pieces, cracked (glass intact in opening), or broke into small fragments (crystals).
d.
Accident that caused injury: Whether the injury was caused by scraping or
impacting a sharp edge or a sharp point of glass.
4.

SPECIFIC PRODUCT FACTORS.
a.

Doors With Glazing Material. Determine:
(1) Type (entrance, patio, interior, other).
(2) Operation (sliding, single action, double action, double action).
(3) Construction materials (wood, aluminum, steel, combination).
(4) Location of glazing within the door.
(5) Location of the window or fixed panel in relation to the door.

b.

c.
Describe

Windows. Determine.
(1)

Type (casement,double hung, awning, hopper, sliding, deadlight, bow).

(2)

Construction materials (wood, aluminum, vinyl, steel, combination).

(3)

Type of support (spring loaded, counterweights, vertical, horizontal,
other).

(4)

Operating condition of the window at the time of the accident (good,
painted shut, difficult to operate open).

(5)

Condition of door framing (good, loose, broken, missing).

Hardware and Condition (Window - Doors).
(1)
(2)
(3)
(4)

Hinges
Locks
Handles
Operating levers.

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d.

Dimensions (Windows - Doors). Describe:
(1)
(2)
(3)
(4)

e.

Height
Width
Thickness
Height of the unit from the floor; distance to adjacent structures.

Glass. Determine:
(1) Type (annealed, tempered, laminated, wired, plastic, other).
(2) Dimensions:
(a) Length
(b) Width
(c) Thickness in inches (1/32, 1/16, 1/8, 1/4, 3/8, other).
(3)

Method of securing:
(a) Glazing compound
(b) Striping
(c) Other

5.

SPECIFIC HUMAN FACTORS
a.

Presence of Glass. Determine the victim's knowledge of the presence
of glass.

b.

Installation.

c.

Expectations. Determine the victim's expectations about the glass
strength (expected glass to be weaker at this location; expected glass to
be stronger; expected glass to be unbreakable).

d.

Activity. Determine what the victim was doing at the time of the
accident.

Determine the victim's familiarity with glass installation.