A clear guide to where safety glazing is typically required, how “critical locations” work, and which glass to specify.
“Safety glazing” usually means glass designed to reduce injury risk if it’s impacted. In practice, that’s most often:
• Toughened (tempered) safety glass – breaks into small, blunt granules
• Laminated safety glass – holds together on impact thanks to an interlayer
Both are commonly specified in areas people can walk into, fall against, or slip near.
UK guidance identifies critical locations where glazing is more likely to be hit. The common rule-of-thumb locations are: 
1) Glazing in doors
If any glass in a door is up to 1500mm from floor level, it should be safety glazing. 
2) Glazing next to doors (side panels)
If a fixed panel is within 300mm of the door edge and up to 1500mm from floor level, it should be safety glazing. 
3) Low-level glazing elsewhere
Any glazing (not already covered above) that is up to 800mm from floor level is typically treated as a critical location and should be safety glazing. 
Tip: These heights are measured from the finished floor level, not the subfloor.
Toughened safety glass
Best for:
• Internal doors and partitions
• Table tops and shelving (when specified correctly)
• Some balustrade systems (system-dependent)
Pros:
• Strong and impact-resistant
• Clean break pattern
Things to know:
• Once toughened, it can’t be cut or drilled — all shaping must be done first.
Laminated safety glass
Best for:
• Shopfronts and commercial glazing
• Overhead/roof glazing and canopies (spec dependent)
• Areas where you want post-breakage retention (it stays together)
Pros:
• Holds together if cracked
• Added security and noise reduction benefits in many builds
Things to know:
• Usually heavier/thicker like 6.4mm (two 3mm panes + interlayer) and up depending on spec.
Not sure which one?
If the glass is acting as a barrier/guarding (balustrades, stair panels, Juliets) or is overhead, the correct specification can be more involved than “toughened vs laminated”. Ask for advice before ordering.
Safety glass should be produced and supplied to recognised standards, and permanently marked so it can be identified after installation.
Common references include:
• BS EN 12150 – thermally toughened safety glass
• BS EN 14449 – laminated safety glass
• BS EN 12600 – impact performance classification used for safety glazing identification
You may also see UKCA / CE documentation depending on the product supply chain and application.
We regularly cut safety glass for:
• Door panels and side screens
• Office partitions and internal screens
• Shopfront repairs and upgrades
• Shower screens and wet-area panels
• Balustrade and stair glazing (to provided specifications)
• Shelving and table tops (with polished edges if required)
(If you tell us the use, we can sanity-check the usual requirements — but final compliance sits with the installer/specifier.)
• Provide sizes in millimetres (mm)
• If you need holes, notches, cut-outs or edge polishing, include a sketch or marked-up photo
• For toughened glass: confirm all machining before manufacture (changes after toughening aren’t possible)
• If the glass needs to match existing, tell us: thickness, tint, obscurity pattern, and any markings you can see
Send us:
• Use (door / side panel / low window / shopfront / shower / balustrade etc.)
• Size (mm)
• Thickness if known
• Any edgework or holes
We’ll quote supply-only glass cut to size and highlight any common compliance points to double-check before you place the order.
Our team is ready to help with any questions you may have.
