The standard and the Building Code
NZS 4223.3:2016 Glazing in buildings — Part 3: Human impact safety requirements is the New Zealand standard for glass that people could walk into, fall against or break. The 2016 edition (with Amendment 1, May 2016) replaced NZS 4223.3:1999.
It is a way of complying with the Building Code. MBIE's Acceptable Solution F2/AS1 — for clause F2, Hazardous building materials — cites it for human impact, including glazing in bathrooms, and it is also cited for clause B1 (Structure) and F4 (Safety from falling).
What it applies to
NZS 4223.3 applies to glazing that is wholly or partly within 2000 mm of the floor or ground and isn't protected from impact. Inside that zone, the standard sets out where safety glazing is needed and how the glass must be selected — the places people are most likely to collide with glass, such as doors and the panels beside them, low-level glazing, and bathrooms and shower areas.
The exact zones, grades and sizes are in the standard itself. Don't assume they are the same as Australia's AS 1288 — the two are separate standards.
A routine that avoids the expensive mistake
- At the measure-up, note where each opening is — in or beside a door, low down, in a bathroom, on a stair or landing — and take a photo.
- When you quote, put the glass type and safety grade on the line, not just "clear".
- When you order, make sure the purchase order carries the same description, so the supplier makes what you quoted.
- On the day, check the safety-glass mark on each pane before it goes in, and keep a photo for the job file.
Where Coglass fits
Coglass does not check your glass against NZS 4223.3 — that stays with you and the standard. It keeps the specification consistent from measure-up to fitting:
- Surveys on the phone. Each opening is measured, drawn and photographed, with notes, GPS and the access level — and it works with no signal, syncing when you are back in coverage.
- The glass written down once. The product and make-up you pick on the line goes on the quote, the supplier's purchase order and the workshop's cutting sheet, so everyone works from the same specification.
- Paperwork on the job. Keep certificates, product sheets and photos in the job's Documents tab, next to the quote and invoice.
Want to see it on your own jobs? Book a demo or see pricing in NZD.
Sources
- MBIE Building Performance — NZS 4223.3:2016
- MBIE Building Performance — F2 Hazardous building materials: acceptable solutions
This page explains the rules in general terms. Standards and tax rules change, and how they apply depends on the job — check the source, your building control body or your accountant before relying on it.