When people get into an elevator, their focus is often on the destination, not the ride. Ensuring elevator safety goes beyond sturdy cables and brakes; the choice of glass in the car and shaft is equally crucial. Modern elevators often use large transparent panels for aesthetics and visibility, but these must be certified safety glass. By definition, safety glass has extra features to prevent injuries if broken. In practice, tempered glass is heat-treated to shatter into tiny cubes rather than deadly shards, while laminated glass has plastic interlayers that keep cracks contained. These engineered behaviors mean that even if it cracks, passengers remain protected. In fact, codes explicitly describe tempered and laminated glazing as “safety glass” for precisely this reason. Together, these technologies let architects install sweeping glass views without compromising elevator safety or passenger confidence.
Safety Glass Standards for Elevators in India
In India, lift regulations strictly govern the types of glass allowed. For instance, the current draft mandates that all glass in a lift shaft be laminated, especially where persons can reach it. This protects against fall-through and flying shards. Complementing this, BIS standard IS 2553 Part 1 (2018) classifies safety glass into two principal types: toughened and laminated. Elevators using glass components must meet these specs. TPRS highlights that it holds certification under IS 2553 Parts I & II, among others. In practice, inspectors will check that any elevator with glazing uses ISI-marked glasses as per these Indian standards.
Fire-Rated Glass Requirements & Certifications
Elevator shafts and lobbies often need fire-rated glazing to slow fire spread while preserving escape routes. Fire-rated glass is classified by internationally recognized categories:
- Class E (Integrity): Resists flames, smoke and hot gases, maintaining structural integrity with a clear view. This transparency is vital to make evacuation quicker and safer, especially in bustling public spaces.
- Class EW (Integrity + Radiation): Like Class E, it also limits heat radiation. In tests, it must hold under extreme fire pressure and also reduce burning heat transmission. EW-rated glazing is used for interior and exterior applications.
- Class EI (Integrity + Insulation): Adds thermal insulation on top of integrity. It contains intumescent layers so that even heat is blocked, keeping the non-fire side cool. This makes EI glass ideal for escape routes where shielding from heat is needed.
Many manufacturers offer glass rated EI30, EI60, EI90, or EI120, meaning 30–120 minutes of fire resistance. Certification bodies test these products to ensure compliance. TPRS notes its products carry CE marking and other attestations, underscoring that its elevator glass meets stringent fire-safety standards.
Tempered vs Laminated Safety Glass: Which is Better?
Both tempered and laminated glass are used in elevator cabs, but they serve different safety priorities. Key differences include:
- Toughened Glass: A single pane that is rapidly heated and then quenched. This heat treatment makes it much stronger than ordinary annealed glass. Under impact, tempered glass doesn’t produce large shards; instead it shatters into hundreds of tiny, relatively safe cube-like fragments. Tempered glass is often preferred for its strength and clarity.
- Laminated Glass: Two or more layers of glass bonded with a clear plastic (EVA) interlayer. Upon impact or cracking, the glass pieces stay adhered to the film. This break pattern prevents a hole from forming in the enclosure and greatly reduces the risk of passengers falling through. Even if a crack runs across a laminated elevator panel, the broken segments remain in place. Laminated glass can also include decorative interlayers or acoustic PVB for added functionality.
In practice, tempered glass is chosen when strength and unobstructed visibility are priorities, while laminated glass is chosen when maximum post-breakage safety and security are needed. By combining the two, a glass elevator can deliver both beauty and elevator safety.
Impact Resistance & Passenger Protection Features
Elevator safety glazing must also withstand accidental impacts and blasts. Key protection features include:
- Impact Testing: All safety glass is tested by a heavy pendulum strike. A top-tier Class 1(B)1 rating means the glass can take direct hits and still keep fragments contained. High-end elevator glass meets this standard so that a person bumping or falling against it will not penetrate it dangerously, ensuring elevator safety.
- Laminated interlayers: In critical areas (like overhead vents or shaft barriers), laminated glass is mandated. Codes advise that any overhead glazing use laminated glass with at least 0.76 mm PVB on the inner pane. This prevents even tiny shards from falling if the glass cracks. Glass processing companies like TPRS use specialized PVB or SGP (SentryGlas) interlayers to boost penetration resistance.
- Customized Bullet/Blast Resistance: Some elevators may use bullet-resistant or blast-resistant glass, meaning they can withstand targeted attacks while still being transparent.
Together, these features ensure that elevator glass remains a protective barrier under dynamic loads, protecting passengers from sharp debris or high-force impacts. Laminated and tempered glasses are both approved “safety glazing” materials that must pass strict impact tests to be used in human-occupied spaces.
TPRS Safety Glass Testing & Quality Assurance
Robust testing and certification are crucial to elevator safety. BIS Product Manual for IS 2553 outlines the required test suite for safety glass: dimensional checks, visual inspection, and performance tests for impact resistance, fragmentation, warp (boil/bake), heat treatment, and adhesion. TPRS emphasizes that it maintains in-house laboratories where “all the testings are conducted in line with required standards”. It also lists multiple certifications:ISO 9001:2015, IATF 16949, CE Marking, the IS 2553 (Part I & II) ISI marks, AS 1288:2006 (Australian glazing), etc. to demonstrate compliance. Through this layered QA, elevator glass products must reliably perform to code, meaning building owners and passengers can trust the elevator safety attributes claimed on the label.
Real-World Application Proof
Glass elevators and glass-lined shafts are now common in premium buildings, demonstrating that safety and style can coexist. For example, fire-rated transparent glass is used in airport terminals, hotels and shopping centers because it “retains its transparency and stability even under high thermal loads,” making evacuation safer. Likewise, many malls and airports feature panoramic elevators with laminated walls: these may crack in an extreme accident but thanks to their interlayers the cabin stays intact. Even high-rise residential lifts often use laminated glass with SGP for balconies or shafts to prevent hazards. In short, case studies from projects worldwide show that safety glazing standards are met in practice: certified glass panels are chosen for all elevators so elevator safety is not theoretical but proven in operation.
Emergency Evacuation & Glass Breakage Protocols
In emergencies, passengers are trained to use alarms and phone the fire service rather than breaking glass themselves. Nevertheless, safety glass provides passive protection even if a break occurs. Laminated elevator windows, for instance, will crack but remain largely intact, preventing anyone from falling through. Some elevators are equipped with emergency hatches in the ceiling or side wall that can be opened by rescuers. Crucially, elevator codes do not rely on occupants manually smashing windows. The protocols focus on firemen rescue and stair evacuation. In this context, the role of the glass is to avoid generating sharp debris. Elevator design expects that safety glazing will contain failure giving time for rescue crews rather than acting as a break-glass exit.
Compliance with IS Standards & International Codes
Elevator safety glazing must satisfy a web of national and international codes. In India, multiple layers of regulation apply: national BIS standards, the National Building Code, and even state lift laws. Internationally, TPRS got E Marking certification, AS 1288:2006. TPRS acknowledges many of these: its CE Marking indicates EU compliance, its E-Mark covers European elevator regulations, and it even lists AS 1288:2006 among its certifications. In practice, engineers cross-reference these codes when specifying glass elevators. Bulletproof glass must meet DRDO testing in addition to the above. By meeting national standards (BIS), TPRS ensures that using their products means elevator safety regulators and inspectors will be satisfied.
TPRS Safety Glass Product Portfolio
TPRS offers a full lineup of elevator glazing solutions, each built for safety and style. Key categories include:
- Toughened Safety Glass: TPRS Tuffsafe panels that are heat-toughened to be 5 times stronger than annealed glass. These are used for cabin doors and walls where impact resistance is needed.
- Laminated Safety Glass: TPRS Lamisafe sandwich units made with PVB or SGP interlayers. These are ideal for large side panels or shaft liners, since shards stay in place if cracked.
- Mesh Laminated Glass: Decorative glass made with mesh attached with EVA interlayer for aesthetic and unique approach.
- Printed Glass: TPRS Innovink is either tempered or laminated according to code, offering both aesthetics and protection. Appearance in lifts provides an aesthetic look and implements their brand color and theme.
- Insulated Glass Units (IGUs): Double- or triple-glazed assemblies that provide thermal and acoustic comfort while meeting impact tests.
- Switchable Smart Glass: Electrically switchable panes can turn from clear to opaque. This adds emergency privacy or LED display capability inside elevators.
- Bullet-Resistant & Security Glass: For high-risk installations, TPRS offers layered security glazing. It can stop bullets or blasts and still comply with human-impact safety tests.
This wide range empowers architects and builders to balance beauty, durability, and elevator safety, all with the confidence of certified solutions. TPRS redefines the role of glass in vertical transport. And with every panel installed, the promise of elevator safety becomes not just a regulation but a reality.
