Clear toughened glass benefits demonstrated for BBC Watchdog

Toughened glass features in the BBC’s new “Watchdog Test House” series next week (11.45am on Thursday 27 March) courtesy of Sheffield-based independent research, testing, analysis and design specialist Glass Technology Services.

The episode – one of a series of 15 hosted by newsreader Sophie Raworth – will focus on toughened ‘safety’ glass construction products used across architecture and glazing - and the rigorous safety and performance requirements that must be met before the product can be CE marked and made available on the European market.

Philip Marsh, Business Development Manager at Glass Technology Services comments:

“The programme makers contacted us to provide expert, independent insight into the relevant product standards and to film the physical tests and assessments needed to meet stringent safety and performance requirements for glass.
“We were delighted to help raise public awareness of the incredible capabilities of glass - and of the testing that must be carried out to ensure these products meet the performance and safety requirements of the relevant standards, including both impact resistance and breakage characteristics.”

The Watchdog Test House programme shows the Glass Technology Services product testing and development team demonstrating the impact resistance and safe breakage characteristics provided by toughened, or ‘tempered’, glass using their specialist pendulum soft body impact testing rig - with BBC cameras capturing footage at close to 100,000 frames per second.

The series investigates a range of consumer goods and domestic products, calling on expertise from a variety of independent specialists, including BRE and BSI.

GTS laboratories hold Notified Testing Laboratory status for the Initial Type Testing (ITT) of glass construction products, under the EU Construction Products Regulation, in order for these products to be CE marked, so the company works with manufacturers, tougheners, laminators and processors and across the supply chain.

As well as expert analysis, testing and assessment, Glass Technology Services specialists are commissioned as expert witnesses, in both criminal and civil cases, to provide independent advice on all aspects of glass quality, performance and product failure.

Glass Technology Services works across the glass supply industry both in the UK and internationally, providing analysis, consultancy, testing, quality assessment and research and development support across the glass, food and drink, architecture and construction, retail, medical, pharmaceutical, defence and biotech sectors.