Glazing next to doors: 24 in and 60 in
Under 2018 IRC R308.4.2, glazing is hazardous when its bottom exposed edge is less than 60 in above the floor or walking surface and it is either:
- within 24 in of either side of the door, in the plane of the closed door, or
- in a perpendicular wall, within 24 in of the hinge side of an in-swinging door.
So a perpendicular sidelite 20 in from the hinge side, bottom edge 40 in, needs safety glazing. The traps: 36 in is the stair trigger, and 9 sq ft is a window condition that does not apply next to doors.
Door exceptions
R308.4.2 exempts decorative glazing, glazing behind an intervening wall or barrier, glazing where access through the door is to a closet 3 ft or less in depth, and latch-side glazing perpendicular to an in-swinging door.
The hinge side is covered, not exempt. A 48 in bottom edge is still under 60 in. An exterior door frame is not a listed exception.
Windows: all four conditions
Under R308.4.3, a window pane is hazardous only when all four are met:
- individual pane larger than 9 sq ft;
- bottom edge less than 18 in above the floor;
- top edge more than 36 in above the floor;
- a walking surface within 36 in horizontally.
Worked example: a 3 ft × 4 ft pane (12 sq ft), bottom edge 12 in, top edge 12 + 48 = 60 in, hallway 24 in away: hazardous. A 10 sq ft pane with its bottom edge at 20 in is not: 20 in is not less than 18 in. The trap is requiring safety glass when only some conditions are met.
The rail exception
The R308.4.3 exception allows ordinary glass with a horizontal rail 34 to 38 in above the walking surface that resists 50 plf without contacting the glass and is at least 1-1/2 in tall in cross-section. A 30 in or 42 in rail misses the range; 20 plf or a 1 in cross-section falls short.