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Legislation

REGULATION 7

The Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1992 stipulate that all indoor workplaces must have moderate temperatures. The duty to comply is the employer's. These regulations state that all reasonable steps should be taken to ensure that 'comfortable' temperatures are maintained of at least 19°C in general offices.

Hot weather comfort is recognised as being 24°C or lower and over 24°C work concentration drops by 30 - 35%. Staff can become more vulnerable to accidents and their mental performance declines accordingly.

Installing Solar Control Window Film on windows can significantly reduce workplace temperatures. It works all year round to even out temperature highs and lows. Many films are able to reflect back the worst of the sun's heat and reduce glare whilst still allowing light through. In the winter the film retains some of the escaping heat and reflects it back into the building, this can save on energy costs all year round both on air conditioning and heating.

REGULATION 14

It is a legal requirement to have all relevant existing glazing made impact-safe and be so marked.

IT IS ALSO INCORPORATED INTO BUILDING REGULATIONS BS 6262 PART 4, SAFETY, HUMAN IMPACT.

THE NEW REGULATIONS STATE...

Workplace Health, Safety and Welfare Approved Code of Practice L24 Regulation 14 is a legal requirement from I January 1996. It is also incorporated into the Building Regulations BS 6262 Part 4, Safety, Human Impact. Its effect is to prevent serious injury to persons through accidental collision with glazing at work:

• Every window or glazed area in a wall, partition, door, or gate shall be of safety material or be protected against breakage -ie, it should not break on impact or should break safely.

• Safety glazing material must meet BS 6206 Class B in doors and side panels over 900mm wide, and Class C in those less than 900mm wide. Low level glazing must meet a minimum of BS 6206 Class C.

• This entails the use of laminated, toughened or safety-wired glass, or plastic glazing sheet that meet BS 6206, or glass with plastic film applied so that the pane of glass with the film meets BS 6206 Class A or B.

THE MANIFESTATION OF GLAZING

• Existing glazing must also be appropriately marked or featured so as to make it apparent and thus avoid the risk of collision because it is not properly visible.

• In particular, large uninterrupted areas of glazing where people might reasonably think they can walk straight through.

• For more details on 'The Manifestation of Glazing', please see our manifestation page.

WHAT GLAZING IS AFFECTED.

'Critical locations' is the term given to describe of internal and external walls, doors and partitioning which are of primary concern in terms of glazing safety. These areas are depicted here and described in the two categories below:

CRITICAL LOCATIONS ARE...

Between the finished floor level and 1500mm (shoulder height) above that level in doors, and in side panels which fall within 300mm of either edge of the door.

Between the finished floor level and 800mm (waist height) above that level in the case of walls, partitions and windows.

It is important to note that any part of a glass pane affected must meet the requirements in its entirety and not just in the relevant section.