Protection from falling, collision and impact: Approved Document K

O N L I N E V E R S I O N K4 Protection against impact with glazing Requirement K4: Protection against impact with glazing This approved document deals with the following requirement from Part K of Schedule 1 to the Building Regulations 2010. Requirements Requirement Limits on application Protection against impact with glazing K4.—Glazing, with which people are likely to come into contact whilst moving in or about the building shall: (a) if broken on impact, break in a way which is unlikely to cause injury; or (b) resist impact without breaking; or (c) be shielded or protected from impact. Performance In the Secretary of State’s view, you can meet requirement K4 if you adopt, in critical locations, one of the following approaches. a. Measures to limit the risk of cutting and piercing injuries by the use of glazing that is reasonably safe, such that, if breakage did occur, any particles would be relatively harmless. b. Use of glazing sufficiently robust to ensure that the risk of breakage is low. c. Steps are taken to limit the risk of contact with the glazing. Impacts with glazing, particularly glazing in doors and door side panels, and at low level in walls and partitions, can result in cutting and piercing injuries. For doors and door side panels, the risk is greatest for glazing between floor and shoulder level when near to door handles and push plates, especially when normal building movement causes doors to stick. Hands, wrists and arms are particularly vulnerable. An initial impact at between waist and shoulder levels can be followed by a fall through the glazing, resulting in additional injury to the face and body. In walls and partitions, away from doors, the risks relate predominantly to glazing at low level. At that level, children are especially vulnerable. 30 Approved Documentttt KKKK,,,, 2222000011113333 eeeeddddiiiittttiiiioooonnnn Building Regulations 2010 OOO NNN LLL III NNN EEE VVV EEE RRR SSS III OOO NNN