Where it’s usually found…

It’s kind of a commonsense thing, really, though everything glaziers do is regulated by Australian Standards 1228-2006. Anyway, when it comes to safety, this glass type is installed in schools, retirement facilities, swimming pools, gyms, in or around doors, low-level windows, and bathrooms (with showers/baths). In short: anywhere that there’s a high probability of someone slipping or going through it.

But they’re not the only places (or uses)…

It’s also really good for security, and specifically, laminated safety glass. The reason for this is how ‘lam’ (as we call it) is put together, and this makes it very hard to break. Thus, shop fronts are almost always installed with lam as it makes it a lot harder for anyone to break through (compared to regular ‘float’ glass).

Not all types of safety glass are created equal…

There happens to be a different kinds that glaziers can install, and some are better than others. The two main types are ‘lam’, as described above, and toughened glass. Despite the name, toughened glass isn’t the toughest/hardest to break through in general. However, it is often the best for bathrooms given the way it break (think lots of little ice-cube size pieces that can’t cut anyone easily).

Should you get it at your home?

Well, it depends. If you’ve got babies, kids, or teenagers, absolutely. While you’ll spend more initially as the glass is more expensive than float, you’ll save money in the long run as lam can be cracked, but is very hard to break totally and won’t come out when cracked. No danger, and you can replace it when you like.

Security is the bonus that comes with safety…

The other reason is security. As mentioned, shop fronts use safety glass, and this is one of the major reasons. It’s simply much harder to break through. So, if you’re concerned about your safety or security, you now know what to do to improve both!