Laminated safety mirrors: more safety also in private spaces

“Safety glass mirrors are not a luxury, but part of traffic and liability protection, even in private homes,” explains Werner Pankotsch, Sales Manager for Standard Glass in the DACH region at AGC Glass Europe. Whilst public and commercial areas are already well protected by the regulatory requirements of DIN 18008, the law is significantly more lenient when it comes to private homes. Here, laminated safety glass mirrors are not yet mandatory, but are increasingly becoming state of the art and part of liability protection in the event of an accident. If someone falls into a mirror and injures themselves, insurers examine very closely whether there has been a breach of the duty of care – whoever creates or maintains a source of danger must ensure that third parties do not come to harm.

Insurers do not always agree on what constitutes an “obvious hazard” in the home, but if there is a foreseeable risk of collision, liability may arise. Pankotsch explains: “This can easily be the case, for example, with large mirrors in the hallway – which are, after all, quite common – but also when they are installed at head height or opposite a door. AGC Glass Europe therefore always recommends the use of laminated safety glass (LSG) mirrors for private homes as well.” Such as “Stratobel Mirox”, which is functionally and aesthetically no different from a conventional Mirox mirror, but offers the protective properties of laminated glass. “These mirrors make it possible to enjoy similar interior design benefits in private spaces as in stylish hotels or modern public areas. These can include reflective wall cladding to visually enlarge rooms or to direct light, as well as mirrors in partition walls and many other interior applications. As far as safety is concerned, it is simply worth bearing in mind that, for good reasons, it has long been a requirement in public spaces that all accessible glass surfaces must exhibit safe breakage behaviour, i.e. be made of toughened safety glass (ESG) or laminated safety glass (VSG).”

Mono or Duo?

AGC Glass Europe’s laminated glass mirrors are available in two versions, depending on the application: ‘Stratobel Mirox Duo’ consists of two sheets of mirror glass, for example for use on both sides in room-dividing partitions; ‘Stratobel Mirox Mono’ consists of one sheet of mirror glass and one sheet of float glass, for example for wall cladding, to make rooms appear larger and to play with light and reflection. Both versions are laminated with one or two special PVB films with particularly high adhesion to ensure enhanced safety requirements. With a single film, the safety mirror achieves safety class 2B2 in accordance with EN 12600 – a safety class frequently required in commercial applications where protection against impact is needed, for example for wall cladding in high-traffic areas. Equipped with two films, it even achieves Class P2A against penetration or break-through in accordance with EN 356. Thus, Stratobel Mirox meets far higher requirements than those specified by EN 1036-1 for standard mirrors.

A copper- and lead-free protective coating on the silver layer ensures exceptional sustainability and durability – indoor air quality is maintained as volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and formaldehyde are emitted only in very small quantities. Stratobel Mirox is available in four thicknesses (33.1, 33.2) and bears the CE marking in accordance with the harmonised standard EN 14449:2005.

For more information on mirrors, designer glass and other products from AGC Glass Europe, please visit www.agc-yourglass.com or go directly to the shop at www.agc-store.com.