Life is full of little surprises. Unfortunately, they’re not all happy occurrences, and some of them happen when and where you least expect them. As a property owner, you probably have tempered glass windows inside and out. Tempering strengthens glass, but it doesn’t completely prevent it from shattering. Now, consider all the glass surfaces in your commercial, industrial, or retail building. Windows provide natural light and allow people to enjoy the outdoors while safe inside, but how would you feel if you learned that one in every 150 windows break without warning? You’d probably want to know more, so read on to learn about the causes of spontaneous breakage as well as a way to protect your windows and other glass surfaces.
The Trouble With Tempered Glass
Standard windows are made from float glass, which has a uniform surface. Sometimes, impurities cause problems when a pane of glass is created and then tempered. Nickel sulfide particles, for instance, are altered during the tempering process. Over time, those particles revert back to their original state, which causes the glass to shatter. While tempered glass shards are less likely to cause physical injury, the broken glass itself presents an immediate danger for people in or near the vicinity, especially if the glass was originally used as a safety barrier.
Expect the Unexpected
There’s no way to know when a window will suddenly shatter. Daily temperature fluctuations, as well as seasonal weather, can stress glass to the breaking point. If your facility has double-paned windows or glass elevator walls, railings, or balcony enclosures, chances are the glass is tempered. You’ll even find tempered glass in your home, particularly your shower doors. To minimize injuries and improve safety in each of these areas, ask your knowledgeable Sunray® expert about installing 3MTM Safety Window Films & Attachment Systems. These protective products keep broken fragments intact within the window frame. By retaining the fractured pieces, you’ll minimize potential injuries and protect against other forms of glass breakage simultaneously.
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Give our safety experts a call to discuss ways to reduce the likelihood of injuries due to spontaneous glass breakage in your building. We’re here to help!
Contact Sunray® Window Films today via email or at 800.295.8468.