When does glass next to a door have to be tempered safety glazing?
Glazing within a 24-inch arc of a door's vertical edge, with its bottom edge less than 60 inches above the floor, must be safety glazing (IRC R308.4.2).
Glass near the edge of a door is treated as a hazardous location. Safety (tempered or laminated) glazing is required where the nearest vertical edge of the glazing is within a 24-inch arc of either vertical edge of the door in the closed position and the bottom exposed edge of the glass is less than 60 inches above the floor or walking surface (R308.4.2).
The glazing in the door panels themselves must also be safety glazing under R308.4.1.
These rules exist so that someone who trips or is pushed near a door strikes glass that breaks safely rather than into sharp shards.
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Related answers
- Does glass around a bathtub or shower have to be tempered? — IRC §R308.4.5
- How high does a window sill have to be above the floor to meet fall-protection rules? — IRC §R312.2.1
- How much window area do I need for natural light and ventilation in a room? — IRC §R303.1
- What is the minimum size for a required exterior (egress) door? — IRC §R311.2
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