Fire-rated glazing highlight of opening day of GANA Fall Conference

The Glass Association of North America, Topeka, Kan., kicked off its Fall Conference, Sept. 8 at the DWF Wyndham, Dallas, with the board of directors meeting. The highlight of the day was the Fire Rated Glazing Council meeting chaired by Jerry Razwick, president, Technical Glass Products, Kirkland, Wash.

The primary points of discussion were sprinkler systems, labeling and advocacy groups.

Thomas S. Zaremba, attorney at law, Roetzel & Andress, Toledo, made a presentation on International Building Code and sprinkler system trade-offs that allow building owners to eliminate the use of fire rated glazing materials by opting to install sprinkler systems. Redundancy of both sprinklers and fire rated glazing are needed to ensure life safety in the event of loss of water pressure or failure of the sprinkler system.

The Fire Rated Glazing Council agreed to form a Product Marking/Labeling Task Group to discuss the current issues related to labeling requirements of the building codes and the requirements of certification authorities Underwriters Laboratories, Northbrook, Ill., and Warnock Hersey.

The council members agreed to review a fire rated glazing matrix being developed by the Fire and Safety Glazing Council of the Americas Glass Association, Placerville, Calif. The council members discussed the importance of code advocacy groups such at the Glazing Industry Code Committee and encouraged participants to support the efforts of such groups.

The conference will continue until Sept. 10.