Defect type
Critical · 4–5/5
Non-Safety Glazing in Human Impact Zones (Doors, Low Panels, Wet Areas)
Compliance/glazing/standard/pre–1970, 1970–2000/annealed glass, timber windows, aluminium windows, shower screen
I identified annealed (non-safety) glass in a human impact location - most commonly a door, a side panel beside a door, a low sill window, or a shower or bath enclosure. The pane carries no Grade A safety stamp (no 'T', 'L', or compliance mark I could locate in the corner etchings). In my experience non-safety glass shatters into large shards on impact and is responsible for the majority of domestic glass-laceration injuries I see. Reference: AS 1288. Common in pre-1989 housing, unrenovated bathrooms, and owner-built extensions with salvaged glass.
Causes
- Original construction predating AS 1288-1989
- Bathroom or ensuite renovation reusing the original annealed shower screen
- Owner-builder extension with second-hand or salvaged window stock
- Broken pane replaced with annealed float glass rather than Grade A safety glass
- Low-level feature window installed without a safety-glass specification check
- French door or sliding door pane replaced off-standard
Symptoms to look for
- Door or sidelight glass carries no toughened (T) or laminated (L) mark etched in the corner
- Shower screen or bath enclosure glass unmarked or stamped as ordinary float
- Low-sill window pane with no safety stamp visible
- Broken-edge sample showing large curved shards rather than dicing pattern (toughened) or adhered fragments (laminated)
- Full-height glass panel beside an entry door with no safety stamp
Remedies
- Replace the pane with Grade A safety glass (toughened or laminated); confirm against AS 1288
- Apply a certified safety film as an interim measure on hard-to-replace panels
- Fit a physical barrier (rail, protective grille) in front of low-level annealed glass
- Commission a full glazing audit of the dwelling by a licensed glazier
- Retain AS/NZS 2208 certification documents for any replacement glass fitted
Critical
Get an inspector through this property.
Findings in this category skew high severity. If you are under contract, we can usually book inside the cooling-off window. Every inspection includes 12 months of free advice.
Same category