National baseline
The NBC defines hazardous locations for glazing and references CAN/CGSB and CSA standards for safety glazing performance.
Canadian building code question
What are the building code requirements for safety glazing in Canada?
Safety glazing is required in hazardous locations where glass is subject to human impact, including doors, sidelights, shower enclosures, guards, and low-level glazing near floor level or walking surfaces. The glazing must meet CAN/CGSB or CSA referenced standards for safety performance.
Safety glazing requirements protect occupants from injury due to accidental impact with glass. The code defines hazardous locations where standard glass creates an unacceptable risk, and mandates tempered, laminated, or other safety glazing in those locations. The specific locations and glazing types are defined by the NBC and referenced standards.
What to check first
- Hazardous locations include doors, sidelights adjacent to doors, shower and bath enclosures, guards, and glazing near floor level or walking surfaces.
- Safety glazing types include tempered glass, laminated glass, and wired glass in specific applications.
- Referenced standards define the testing and performance requirements for each safety glazing type.
Jurisdiction notes
Province and edition check
Some provinces expand the list of hazardous locations or impose additional requirements for specific building types.
Guard and barrier applications
Glazing used as a guard or barrier has additional structural performance requirements beyond safety glazing classification.
Work through it in this order
- Identify all glazing locations on the project and determine which qualify as hazardous locations under the NBC.
- Select safety glazing types that meet the referenced standards for each hazardous location.
- Verify whether any glazing serves as a guard or barrier, which triggers additional structural requirements.
- Check provincial adoption for any amendments to hazardous location definitions or referenced standards.
Common questions
Is safety glazing required in all windows?
No. Safety glazing is only required in locations the code defines as hazardous — such as doors, sidelights, shower enclosures, and low-level glazing near walking surfaces.
Can wired glass be used as safety glazing?
Wired glass has limited applications as safety glazing. In many hazardous locations, it does not meet current safety glazing standards and has been restricted or prohibited. Verify the referenced standard.
What about glass used as a guard?
Glass guards must meet both safety glazing requirements and structural load requirements for guards. The design must account for impact loads and the glass type must be appropriate for the guard application.