In order to prevent accidental breakage and injuries, building codes require glass within doors, and large lights within windows that are near enough to the floor or to doors to be mistaken for open doorways, to be made of breakage-resistant material. Tempered glass is most often used for this purpose, but laminated glass and plastic glazing sheets are also permitted. For more information, see the discussion of safety glazing in the previous chapter.
In residences, buildings codes require at least one emergency escape and rescue opening in each bedroom, consisting of either a door to the exterior or a window that can be opened to an aperture large enough to permit occupants of the bedroom to escape through it and firefighters to enter through it. In the International Building Code, where a window is used for this purpose, it must have a net clear opening area of at least 5.7 square feet (0.53 m2), a clear width of at least 20 inches (510 mm), a clear height of at least 24 inches (610 mm), and no sill higher than 44 inches (1.12 m) above the floor.
Where operable windows in apartments, residential dwelling units, and similar residential occupancies are more than 6 feet (1829 mm) above the exterior finished grade, the International Building Code requires that they be designed to minimize the risk of a child accidentally falling through them. Such windows must have sills not less than 24 inches (610 mm) above the interior finish floor. Alternatively, where glazing in such windows is located below this level, it must either be fixed, it must have openings sufficiently limited in size that a 4-inch (102-mm)-diameter sphere cannot pass through, or it must be protected with guards or other fall prevention devices.
Casement and awning windows should not be used adjacent to porches or walkways, where someone might be injured by running into the projecting sash. Similarly, inswinging windows should not be used in corridors unless they are above head level.
Leave a Reply