Why the standard exists
Glass is a structural material that people walk into. AS 1288 was developed because ordinary annealed glass, when it breaks, produces large blade-like shards, and the injuries that follow in a domestic setting are severe. The standard identifies the positions where that risk is highest and requires glass that fails safely there instead.
It is referenced by the National Construction Code, which means it is not advisory. A glazier doing new work has to comply, and that is why a quote sometimes specifies glass that costs more than what was in the opening before.
The positions that require grade A safety glass
Doors, and the panels beside them. Any glazed door, and fixed side panels within reach of the door edge. This is the classic accident position — someone walks into what they think is an opening. See glass doors.
Bathrooms, ensuites and anywhere near a bath or shower. Wet feet, hard surfaces, a small enclosed space. Glazing in these areas is treated as high risk regardless of height, which is why every shower screen is toughened and why a broken bathroom window usually comes back as obscure toughened glass.
Low-level glazing. Glass with its bottom edge close to floor level, in positions where a person could walk into it. Full-height windows and glazing in hallways and stairwells are the common cases.
Balustrades and barriers. Glass acting as a barrier against a fall, where a broken panel is a fall risk as well as a cut risk. Fall height and glass build-up decide whether a handrail is required — see balustrades.
Pool fences. A pool barrier is a safety device under separate Victorian rules as well as a glazing job. See pool fencing.
Overhead glazing. Roofs, skylights, awnings and canopies, where laminated glass is required so a broken panel stays in the frame instead of falling on whoever is underneath. See glass roofs.
Shopfronts and public-area glazing. Large panels in thoroughfares, where laminated is the standard choice — commonly a minimum of 6.38mm for shopfront windows. See shopfront glass.
Thickness is part of it too
The standard does not only say "use safety glass". It also sets minimum thickness for a given pane size, exposure and wind loading. A larger pane in an exposed position needs thicker glass than the same glass type in a small protected opening. This is why a glazier measures rather than guessing, and why an oversized pane costs more than area alone suggests.
What this means for older Melbourne homes
A great deal of Melbourne's housing predates the modern standard. Victorian and Edwardian terraces, interwar bungalows and post-war weatherboards routinely have thin annealed glass in back doors, side panels and bathroom windows, installed entirely legally at the time.
You are not required to replace it. You are required to put compliant glass in when it is replaced. In practice that means the day a pane in one of those positions breaks, the price goes up and the glass that goes back is toughened or laminated. It is worth knowing that in advance rather than hearing it as a surprise on the quote.
If there are young children in the house and there is unmarked glass in a door or a bathroom, that is worth addressing before it breaks rather than after. Talk it through on 03 4231 9939, or start with the residential page and the cost guide.
Frequently asked questions
What is AS 1288?
AS 1288 is the Australian Standard for glass in buildings - selection and installation. It is referenced by the National Construction Code, which makes it effectively mandatory for building work. It sets out which positions require grade A safety glass, what thickness is needed for a given size and wind load, and how glazing must be installed and marked.
What counts as grade A safety glass?
Toughened glass, laminated glass, and certain organic-coated glass products that have passed the impact test in the standard. Ordinary annealed float glass is not safety glass. Toughened glass breaks into small blunt granules; laminated glass cracks but holds together on its interlayer. Which of the two is appropriate depends on the position.
Does my existing glass have to be upgraded?
Generally no, not while it stays intact. The standard applies to new glazing work. Existing compliant-at-the-time glass can remain. The moment it is replaced, though, the new glass must comply with the current standard, which is why a broken bathroom or door pane so often comes back as toughened or laminated when the original was not.
How do I know whether glass in my house is safety glass?
Look for a permanent mark in a corner of the pane. Toughened and laminated glass is required to carry a stamp or etched mark identifying it. If there is no mark anywhere on a door pane or a bathroom window in an older home, assume it is annealed glass and treat it accordingly - particularly around small children.
Is toughened or laminated better?
Neither in general; each suits different positions. Toughened is stronger and fails into blunt granules, which suits shower screens, balustrades and pool fences. Laminated holds together in the frame when broken, which is what you want in doors, shopfronts, overhead glazing and anywhere the glass must remain a barrier after it breaks.