Posted By Richard Forster Do any organisations have experience of having to,for whatever reason, take measures to protect Georgian wire glass,provided as a fire protection route, from shattering ? ..For the record GW glass has been getting slightly thicker (probably due to Building Regs ?) So you may have glass that fits the bill with regard to fire safety, but could shatter if hit hard enough. It then becomes a forseeable risk and may need protecting against breakage.

Posted By Edward Georgian wired does not usually met the std for Safety Glass. Indeed it is weaker than ordinary Float Glass of the same thickness [the wires act as flaws]. Not only is it weaker but the injuries resulting from someone putting their hand/fist/arm thro GWG are much worse, ordinary glass once broken falls away, however GWG holds the shards in contact with the flesh and very serious injuries can be caused when the victim attempts to pull their arm back out. Many schools, post Workplace regs, have successfully upgraded their existing glass fire panels by the application of safety film. Local Fire Prev Officers have been consulted and they are happy that such films do not sig affect the surface spread of flame behaviour of the fire door/panel. If your prev respondent has found that HSE have been willing to accept GWG then he has been very lucky to find an insp that obviously hasn't read the guidance!

Posted By Richard Forster All very interesting stuff - I set the question in the first place following a fatality and subsequent HSE investigation. An elderly person in sheltered housing fell down some stairs and hit a georgian wire panel with such force that he partially went through it. The glass formed part of the fire resistent material to provide a protected route for the stairwell. The HSE found nothing untoward regarding the stairs and concluded that the incident was not reportable under RIDDOR (we did not notify them the police did) So they are not proposing to take any further action. However,whilst accepting that the glass is used as a fire resistant material to provide a protected route for stairwells,HSE state that the glass shattering is a foreseeable risk and requires consideration of ways to reduce the risk eg. protecting the glazing. So, the glass was not a factor in the fatality, the fatality did not require the attention of HSE, the glass meets fire safety standards and Building Regulations. The Glazier replacing the glass commented that there was nothing at all unusual with the glass and "it is everywhere...." Any comments ?????????????????????????????