EN 12600

EN 12600 The BS EN 12600 safety glass standard defines a testing method for glass used in buildings. The standard concerned with safety rather than unbreakability. Safecoat mirror safety films do not prevent mirrors from being broken, but they retain the fragments and reduce the risk of penetration through the broken glass. BS EN 12600 testing is carried out on glass in its intended mounting position (vertical) using a cushioned weight (the impactor) swung against the mirror. The impactor weighs 50kg and so the effect is similar to a person hitting the mirror  shoulder first. The standard defines three drop heights: 190mm, 450mm and 1200mm. y y

y

Class Cl ass 3,

190mm drop height, is equivalent to an adult pushing hard against the glass or a child running into it. Class Cl ass 2, 450mm drop height, is equivalent to rather more than an adult walking into a glass door, but less than a determined attempt to force a way through by running at it. Class Cl ass 1, 1200mm drop height, is for testing glass for critical applications.

The standard defines two ³safe´ broken states. y

y

Clause Cl ause 4a

considers that the breakage is safe if there is no hole large enough to push your fist through and only a limit ed amount of of glass fragments come loose. loo se. Clause Cl ause 4b considers that the breakage is safe if the glass shatters leaving no large dangerous fragments.

The standard also defines three breakage modes. y y

y

Type A breakage is characterised by large sharp edged fragments. Type B breakage is characterised by the fragments being held together. This is the typical breakage mode for mirrors with a safety film backing. Type C breakage is characterised by the disintegration of the glass into small, relatively harmless particles.

The BS EN 12600 classification is a three letter code representing y

y y

the highest drop height class at which the glass does not break or breaks safely (either no penetration or the glass shatters into small fragments) the breakage mode the highest drop height class at which the glass does not break or does not allow penetration.

NOTAS SOBRE LA CLASIFICACIÓN SEGÚN ESTA NORMA: 1. Los vidrios templados siempre van a empezar por 1. Siempre tendremos 1Cx. x siempre será la altura de ensayo para la que el vidrio templado no se rompe. 2. Los vidrios laminares siempre van a tener el mismo número a ambos lados de la letra porque su rotura siempre va a ser del tipo que no permite la penetración o que no se rompe. Siempre tendremos xBx o yBy, dependiendo de la clase que nos dé la altura del ensayo.