BURGLAR PROOF GLASS

Protection and safety with glass

Glass is one of the most interesting and popular building materials. It can be used in a huge variety of applications. As with any other material, building with glass calls for some fundamental safety considerations. This aspect is sufficiently taken into consideration thanks to the continuous further development of glass technology. However, safety with glass must be planned, which requires meticulous clarification, depending on the task for which the glazing is intended. Serious safety planning always starts with an agreement on utilization that defines the safety requirements concerning the various types of glazing.

Passive and active safety

In practice a distinction is made between passive and active safety; different types of glass are generally used accordingly. However, glazing often has to assume both passive and active safety functions.

Passive safety

Passive safety involves providing projection against injury by the glazing itself. The glazing concerned is injury-reducing, e.g. doors, balustrades, table tops, partition walls, vestibules, stairwell, overhead and floor glazing (walk-on safety in this case), etc. Typical properties that must be exhibited by such glazing: Injury-reducing e.g. by crumbling when shattered (TSG) or by shard retention (LSG) Shard-retaining (LSG in the overhead area) Fall-preventing (Glazing with balustrade function)

• Injury-reducing
• Shard-retaining
• Fall-preventing
• Resistant to ball impact

Active safety

Active safety involves protection by the glazing against an external attack, the so-called attack-resistant glass. They are intended to provide protection against Thrown objects (e.g. attack with a stone) Break-in, break-out, and penetration Attacks with firearms Explosion pressure

Active safety (attack resistance)

• Thrown-object-resistant
• Penetration-resistant
• Bullet-resistant
• Explosion-pressure-resistant

For the most part, glass tested by the relevant standards is used in practice as attack-resistant glazing (active safety). Thrown-object-resistant and penetration-resistant glazing; is standardized glazing by EN 356, classified into the categories P1A to P5A (thrown-object-resistant glazing) and P6B to P8B (penetration-resistant glazing).

The matrix below provides an overview of the most important types of glass used in buildings, their relevant safety properties, and temperature change resistance. The properties “thrown-object- and penetration-resistant” are combined as “burglar-resistant” as a glass of this type is usually used to prevent break-ins. The property “bullet-resistant” is not listed as specially structured laminated safety glass is required for this purpose.