Are you renovating, or building your new dream home or workspace? With a market that offers countless types of glass balustrades, this could be an exciting yet confusing time for many home and building owners when it comes to quality, engineering and safety of the vast selection of products on offer.
Putting the perfect final touch to the décor is mostly at the order of the day and building owners often innocently overlook the safety features, merely taking for granted that all suppliers inherently offer products that comply with the South African National Standards. This is sadly not the case.
Whilst Steel Studio makes continued efforts to regulate the glass balustrade industry, building owners are strongly urged to ensure that their choice in balustrade contractor complies with the following:
1.Ensure that the contractor belongs to industry related regulatory associations.
These regulatory associations comprise of the MBA-North (Master Builders Association – North), SASSDA (Southern African Stainless Steel Development Association), SAGGA (South African Glass and Glazing Association). Also, all Glass panels on your balustrade project must be toughened safety glass and must have a visible SABS symbol to ensure that it is safe for the use intended.
2.Will the contractor provide the Form 3 on completion?
Before paying your deposit, ensure that the contractor will produce Form 3 on completion. This Form 3 is a declaration by a competent person appointed to design a component or an element of a system, from the National Building Regulations and Building Standards Act, 1977 (act No. 103 of 1977). If the contractor is unable to provide you with this Form, you can be assured that your glass balustrades have not been tested and signed off by a professional structural engineer.
Once you have established that your glass balustrade contractor is a trusted source for your new glass balustrades, it is time to look at the various SANS compliant glass balustrade systems available to you for your new development:
1.Stainless Steel Post and Glass Balustrades
Stainless Steel posts are available in various shapes like square, rectangular and round. Engineering calculations show that all balustrades that are framed two sides (uprights and glass clamps) requires a minimum of 10mm and possibly up to 20mm thick toughened safety glass dependent on occupancy classification. All post and glass balustrades must be designed to comply with the relevant occupation categories as outlined in SANS 10160 eg. 1kN/m, 1,5kN/m and 3kN/m etc.
2.Frameless Glass Balustrades (Fixed by means of a top mount spigot or side mount stand off)
Frameless glass balustrades compliment the uninterrupted view that our clients aim to achieve. All Frameless Glass Balustrades require a minimum of 12mm and possibly up to 20mm thick toughened safety glass dependent on occupancy classification. A Handrail is compulsory in the event that frameless glass is not fixed in a permanent concrete or steel channel. All frameless glass balustrade systems are designed and tested in consultation with a professional structural engineer and in accordance with SANS deemed to satisfy requirements.
3.Frameless Glass Balustrades (Fixed in a permanent channel structure)
A Handrail is not compulsory in the event that a frameless panel of glass is fixed into a permanent concrete or steel channel at the correct width and depth specifications.
All glass balustrades must withstand a 400 Joule soft body impact test. Failing this test indicates that the glass balustrades are not safe for the intended use.