The recent proposal of a change in rule regarding safety glazing test requirements has been posted by the Consumer Product and Safety Commission, and intends to substitute the industry’s voluntary testing protocol set forth in ANSI Z97.1-2009.
The Consumer Product and Safety Commission (CPSC) posted notice of a proposed rule change to the Safety Standard for Architectural Glazing Materials affecting safety glazing products under CPSC jurisdiction. The proposed amendment would substitute the industry’s voluntary testing protocol set forth in ANSI Z97.1-2009 for the CPSC’s federal testing regime specified in 16 CFR 1201.4 for safety glazing, according to a release from the Glass Association of North America (GANA).
If CPSC adopts its proposed rule-change as final, the new test procedures will become mandatory 30 days thereafter for all glass intended for installation in the hazardous locations remaining under CPSC jurisdiction, namely doors of all types, including shower doors, and shower/bath enclosures, according to GANA.
“No big change is expected,” according to GANA officials. “The CPSC concludes that its proposed substitution of test procedures will not alter the basic purpose of 16 CFR 1201 nor significantly impact the safety of consumers or burden the glass and glazing industry. The CPSC finds that the differences between the two testing methods will not result in any meaningful difference in test results. Only a very small fraction of glass specimens when tested failed the current CPSC test but passed ANSI Z97.1-2009E2. According to CPSC, 99 percent of the architectural glazing products that SGCC certifies today are certified to both 16 CFR 1201 and ANSI Z97.1.”