SENATE, No. 509

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

INTRODUCED JANUARY 29, 1996

By Senator BASSANO

An Act providing for the marking of glass doors, supplementing P.L.1975, c.217 (C.52:27D-119 et seq.) and repealing P.L.1971, c.369.

    Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:

    1. Transparent glass doors installed in specific hazardous locations pursuant to the "State Uniform Construction Code Act," P.L.1975, c.217 (C.52:27D-119 et seq.), and transparent fixed glass panels installed adjacent to these doors shall be posted, etched, painted or otherwise marked in such a manner as to visually indicate the presence of the door or panel. Such doors or adjacent panels shall be marked in accordance with regulations promulgated pursuant to the "State Uniform Construction Code Act."

    2. P.L.1971, c.369 (C.51:12-1 et seq.) is repealed.

    3. This act shall take effect on the first day of the seventh month following enactment.

STATEMENT

   This bill would require markings on glass doors to alert a person attempting to pass through the door whether the door is opened or closed in an effort to avoid injury.

    Under the provisions of P.L.1971, c.369 (C.51:12-1 et seq.), transparent glass doors installed in specific hazardous locations, which included sliding glass doors, storm doors and shower doors installed in residential, commercial, and public buildings, were required to be constructed of safety glazing material and to be marked in such a manner as to alert any person attempting to pass through the doorway that the door is open. The enactment of the "State Uniform Construction Code Act," P.L.1975, c.217 (C.52:27D-119 et seq.) superseded various statutes, concerning the structure, design and use of all buildings to be erected and the alteration, repair, and maintenance of buildings already erected, including P.L.1971, c.369 (C.51:12-1 et seq.). When the BOCA code was incorporated by reference into the Uniform Construction Code, safety glazing was still required on sliding glass doors. However, the standard for glass doors adopted under the Uniform Construction Code does not specifically require the markings on glass doors as had been required under P.L. 1975, c.217.

    This bill reinstates the marking requirement on transparent glass doors and repeals the superseded law.

Requires glass door markings to prevent accidents.