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In England, Approved Document K asks for safety glass in the places people are most likely to walk into glass: doors and the panels beside them up to 1500 mm from the floor, and other glazing up to 800 mm from the floor. Glass that guards a drop always needs it. Thickness alone does not make a pane suitable: the position, the use and the support all count. Every shower and bath panel, glass splashback and table top we make is toughened.
Which places count as critical locations?
Approved Document K calls them critical locations. Heights are measured from the finished floor to the lowest part of the pane.
| Where the glass is | The zone that needs safety glass |
|---|---|
| Glass in a door | Any part within 1500 mm of the floor |
| A side panel within 300 mm of either edge of a door | Any part within 1500 mm of the floor |
| Any other glazing in a wall or partition | Any part within 800 mm of the floor |
| Glass that guards a change of level | Wherever it guards the drop |
A side panel more than 300 mm from the door is judged as ordinary wall glazing, so the 800 mm zone applies to it. Our glass safety checker asks these questions in this order and names the rule it used.
How do I check a pane in my house?
Step 1: Find the finished floor level
Measure from the floor surface as it will be when the job is finished, including tiles or boards not laid yet. A raised floor moves the zone up with it.
Step 2: Say what the glass sits in
Note whether the pane is in a door, a panel beside a door, ordinary wall glazing, or a barrier. Write it down for each pane.
Step 3: Measure to the lowest edge of the glass
Measure from the floor to the lowest edge of the visible glass. For a side panel, also measure the gap between the panel and the nearest edge of the door.
Step 4: Compare it with the table
If any part of the pane falls inside its zone, it is a critical location and needs safety glass or a permitted exemption.
Step 5: Tell us when you order
Say where the glass is going, and send any architect's, engineer's or building control specification with it. The toughened, laminated and annealed guide explains the difference between the types.
What counts as safety glass?
Glass tested and classified under BS EN 12600, the pendulum impact test. Toughened glass made to BS EN 12150 and laminated glass made to BS EN 14449 are the two usual kinds. The toughened glass we supply is made to BS EN 12150. A safety marking is evidence about the glass; it does not certify the installation, the wall or the fixings.
Approved Document K also allows a few exemptions, such as small panes of thick annealed glass. The limits are set out in the document itself, so read it before you rely on one. You can read Approved Document K on gov.uk.
Why are showers and bath screens always toughened?
Glass in a bathroom is judged by its position like any other glazing, and a shower door is a door. Shower enclosures also have their own product standard, BS EN 14428, and our safety checker treats a shower screen as needing safety glass wherever it is. Every shower and bath panel we make is toughened with polished edges, and the configurator does not let you turn that off.
The same goes for glass splashbacks, which are 6 mm toughened (mirror splashbacks are mirror glass, which is not toughened), and table tops, which are 10 or 12 mm toughened. See thicknesses and spans for the full list.
What about balustrades and Juliet balconies?
Glass that holds people back from a drop is always safety-critical. It has to resist a horizontal load as well as an impact, so the panel is designed for the building it is in. Read balustrade loads and BS 6180 before you choose a thickness.
A barrier is assessed as a whole system: the glass, its supports, the fixings and the structure they go into. Do not use a shower-panel thickness for a barrier. This is general guidance. For your project, follow the regulations that apply, and ask your building control body or engineer where needed.
Where to go next
- Check one pane: open the glass safety checker
- Toughened, laminated and annealed glass
- Balustrade loads and BS 6180
- Glass types we cut
Questions we get asked
Does a glass panel next to my front door need safety glass?
If it is within 300 mm of either edge of the door and any part is within 1500 mm of the floor, yes.
Is a kitchen splashback a critical location?
It is not one of the Approved Document K locations. Our glass splashbacks are 6 mm toughened in any case.
Do the same rules apply in Wales, Scotland or Northern Ireland?
This page follows Approved Document K for England. The other UK nations publish their own building guidance, so check with your local building control body.
Who confirms my glass is compliant?
Your building control body has the final word. Our checker is guidance only: it does not inspect the site or design the fixings. Keep the agreed glass, sizes and any product information with your order.
Contact the team with your order reference and the step you need help with, or search all help topics.