“Layton Consulting Fenestration Nerds” By Jordan Sloan: Safety Laminated Glass vs. Guard Load Laminated Glass.

Back in 2018 at a glass conference in Germany, I overheard a presentation on laminated glass. The speaker was stressing something many still overlook today: the difference between laminated safety glass and laminated glass for guard (impact) load.

Here’s the key distinction:

¨     Safety laminated glass is designed to hold the shards together when broken (often around doors or sidelights), reducing injury risk.

¨     Guard-load laminated glass is designed to resist structural loads (like in barriers or balustrades) and prevent accidental falls.

 Example: Imagine a single pane of glass spanning floor to ceiling. If its purpose is to stop occupants from falling to the floor below, that glass must be laminated and specifically designed for guard load. The required thickness and choice of interlayer (soft vs. stiff) will depend on the designed support conditions (4-sided vs. 2-sided, etc.).

If you work in glazing, it’s always worth asking: Is this laminated glass only for safety, or does it actually need to carry guard load?