7.4   Window Safety Specifications

Windows have special requirements for breakage-resistance in areas that are prone to glass breakage, and for fire escape in bed­rooms.

7.4.1   Windows Requiring Safety Glass

Safety glass is required in locations that the IRC 2012 considers hazardous to the building’s occupants. Safety glass must be either laminated glass, tempered glass, organic coated glass, or annealed glass bearing a permanent label identifying it as safety glass, manufactured in compliance with CPSC 16 CFR 1201 or ANSI Z97.1.

Instead of safety glazing, glazed panels may have a protective bar installed on the accessible sides of the glazing 34 to 38 inches above the floor. The bar must be capable of withstanding a hori­zontal load of 50 pounds per linear foot without contacting the glass and be a minimum of 1¹/₂ inches in diameter.

Safety glass or a protective bar is required in the following haz­ardous locations.

✓     Glazing wider than 3 inches in entrance doors.

✓     Glazing in fixed and sliding panels of sliding doors and panels in swinging doors.

✓     Glazing in fixed or operable panels adjacent to a door where the nearest exposed edge of the glazing is within a 24-inch arc of the vertical edge of the door in a closed position and where the bottom edge of the glazing is less than 60-inches above the floor or walking surface. Excep­tion: If there is an intervening wall or permanent barrier between the door and the glazing, safety glass isn’t required.

✓     Glazing adjacent to the landing of the bottom of a stairway where the glazing is less than 36 inches above the landing and within 60 inches horizontally of the bottom tread.

✓     Glazing with a bottom exposed edge that is less than 36 inches above the walkway surface of stairways, landings, and ramps.

✓     Glazing in any portion of a building wall enclosing show­ers, hot tubs, whirlpools, saunas, steam rooms, and bath­tubs where the bottom exposed edge is less than 5 feet above a standing surface or drain inlet.

Glazing in an individual fixed or operable panel that meets all of the following conditions must also have safety glass:

1.      An exposed area of an individual pane greater than 9 square feet, and

2.      An exposed bottom edge less than 18 inches above the floor.

3.      An exposed top edge greater than 36 inches above the floor.

4.      One or more walkways within 36 inches horizontally of the glazing.

7.4.2   Fire Egress Windows

Windows are the designated fire escape for bedrooms and should offer a minimum opening for a person’s escape. If the window installation requires a code-approved egress window, observe these specifications.

1.      Each bedroom must have one egress window.

2.      Egress windows must provide an opening that is at least 20 inches wide and at least 24 inches high.

3.      Egress windows must provide an opening with a clear area of at least 5.7 square feet except for below-grade windows, which must have at least 5.0 square feet of opening.

4.      The finished sill of the egress window must be no higher off the floor than 44 inches.

5.      You may install security bars, screens, or covers over egress windows as long as these security devices are easily removable from indoors.