The frameless, transparent balustrade design is becoming ever more popular in buildings worldwide and as we all know glass can be unpredictable, given that it is an extremely brittle product. The South African National Standards (SANS) does not state that a handrail is required on frameless glass, however SANS does clearly define the loads that balustrades must withstand in certain occupancy categories. The intended use of the building will determine the load the frameless glass balustrade must withstand. For example, the load the glass needs to withstand in a residential house is far less than would be expected for a balustrade system at a stadium. The defining factor is that the frameless glass balustrade is capable of withstanding the specified load, and not whether or not a handrail is fitted on top. The reason why handrails are fitted on top of the frameless glass balustrade is to assist with distributing the load when impacted, helping to reduce the thickness of glass required and bringing down the cost of the balustrade system. At Steel Studio, we have performed countless tests using different fittings and thicknesses of glass to determine the best solutions for projects. Every project or design will vary in terms of the specifications and factors, such as the size of glass panels needed, the thickness of the slab edge where the fittings need to be mounted, the wind conditions, as well as many other factors that need to be taken into consideration. It is almost impossible to state categorically what thickness of toughened glass can be used without fitting a handrail. It depends on the specific project and design. There are many ways where frameless glass balustrades can be installed without a handrail, however, clever engineering is required to ensure that the specifications are correct and compliant. The thickness of the glass, the size and material type of the fittings, hole diameters in the glass for example, are all extremely important factors that need to be taken into account in the specifications. If you are considering a frameless glass balustrade system without a handrail, please ensure that your balustrade supplier of choice provides you with a professional Engineers certificate stating that the design will comply with the South African National Standards (SANS). This type of design can be extremely dangerous if not designed by an engineer.