Take responsibility
Since building codes only spell out the required fire rating and general class of protection for a given location—not the material—building teams have great freedom to seek out products that also satisfy design and performance goals. Such latitude makes it crucial to take responsibility and gather all the details to avoid making a costly or dangerous mistake.
Whichever type of fire-rated glazing is specified, a best practice is to ensure it has passed all testing requirements, and is listed by a credible third-party agency such as Underwriters Laboratories of Canada (ULC). For example, the National Building Code of Canada (NBC) underscores the importance of third-party testing in article 3.1.7.1., which explains that fire-resistance ratings shall be determined on products tested in compliance with CAN/ULC S101. Be wary of any material that does not pass all required testing or has specific limitations on use. Multiple parties involved in the selection, specification, approval, and installation of products that fail to provide the necessary fire and life safety protection can be held liable.
After examining the building application and the materials, one must review codes and the manufacturer’s or supplier’s product literature in detail. Where any doubts remain, the supplier, manufacturer, or code official should be contacted—many have educational resources and tools available to help guide the design and specification process.
To ensure proper use, the manufacturer or supplier can be consulted when:
- it is the design or installation team’s first time using a given fire-rated glass system;
- fire-rated curtain wall needs to visually match a neighbouring non-fire-rated curtain wall;
- a multi-storey curtain wall is required;
- using an exterior fire-rated glazing system (i.e. curtain wall or roof assembly);
- impact-resistant, bullet-resistant, or energy-efficient glass is required; or
- custom application may require additional testing.
| Fire and Wire in the 21st Century |
| In the last 30 years, the role of traditional polished wired glass has shifted dramatically. When the Canadian General Standards Board (CGSB) first published its fire safety codes, wired glass was the only glazing material that could offer adequate fire protection for a reasonable length of time. The catch was it could only resist 4.8 kN/m2 (100 ft/lb) of impact—equivalent to a five-year-old running into the glass.While building codes typically restrict the use of low-impact safety glazing products in high-traffic areas, the absence of a fire-rated glazing material with the desired impact safety performance led to an exemption. The board deemed wired glass suitable for use in areas requiring fire protection and high-impact safety protection.
Today, although traditional wired glass has a proven track record when it comes to fire safety, there is no reason for building teams to trade fire safety for impact safety in hazardous locations. Over the last two decades, clear and wireless fire-rated products with superior impact safety have emerged. Building teams now have access to wireless fire-rated glass alternatives that can resist approximately 19 kN/m2 (400 ft/lb) of impact—similar to withstanding the impact of an adult. Such glass can meet CPSC 16 CFR 1201 (Category II), which is a classification similar to CAN/CGSB 12.1 (Category II). Despite these developments, CGSB performance guidelines for wired safety glass have remained lenient. However, recently publicized injuries from traditional wired glass are challenging the board’s impact safety stance, and a review of the national standards are in process. In June 2014, Pierre-Alan Bujold of Public Works and Government Services Canada (PWGSC), was quoted in the article, “Canadian Glass Committee Working to Revise National Wired Glass Standard,” that appeared in the magazine, USGlass. “The committee determined that in the future, wired glass in Canada should only be used in non-hazardous situations due to the manner in which wired glass fails,” he said. |
Ron Pitts is the Canadian sales manager for Technical Glass Products (TGP), a supplier of
fire-rated glass and framing systems, along with other specialty architectural glazing products.
He has served as a glazing-industry professional in Canada for more than a decade. Pitts can be reached at ronp@fireglass.com.
