What is safety glass?

Safety glass is a broad category of glass designed to be less likely to break and less prone to causing injury when it does break. The two most common types are tempered glass and laminated glass. Standard annealed glass, when broken, shatters into long, razor-sharp shards that can cause severe or even fatal injuries. Safety glass is engineered to mitigate this risk through various manufacturing processes. Tempered glass achieves this by breaking into small, blunt granules, while laminated glass does so by bonding glass layers to a plastic interlayer that holds the pieces together. Other types of safety glass include wired glass, which uses a metal mesh to hold fragments, although it is less common in modern architectural applications due to the superiority of tempered and laminated options. Safety glass is required by law in 'hazardous locations' such as sliding doors, glass near floor levels, stair landings, and bathroom enclosures. Beyond meeting building codes, safety glass provides peace of mind in high-traffic environments like schools, hospitals, and commercial offices. Choosing the right type of safety glass depends on the specific threat, whether it's accidental impact, extreme weather, or intentional intrusion.