The short answer
If your building has glass doors, glazed screens or full-height partitions that someone could walk into, you almost certainly need manifestations. The law says glazing must be marked where that is needed for health or safety, and in offices, schools, shops and public buildings it usually is.
This guide is for facilities managers, office managers, school business managers and bursars. It explains which rules apply, gives you a checklist to walk your building with, and shows when marking is not needed.
Which rules apply to your building
Two sets of rules cover glass marking, and which one matters depends on whether the building is already in use or being built or altered.
| Rule | Applies to | What it requires |
|---|---|---|
| Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1992, regulation 14 | Existing workplaces in use, including offices, schools, shops, clinics and gyms | Where needed for health or safety, glazing in walls, partitions, doors and gates must be safety material or protected against breakage, and marked or built so it is obvious |
| Approved Document K, section 7 (Building Regulations, England) | New buildings, fit-outs and alterations that need building control sign-off. Not dwellings | Large uninterrupted areas of transparent glazing in walls and doors need permanent manifestation at set heights |
| Approved Document M and the Equality Act 2010 | Access for disabled people, including people with visual impairments | Glazed doors and screens should contrast clearly with their surroundings so everyone can see them |
In practice, if you manage a building people work in or visit, regulation 14 already applies to you today. You do not need to be doing building work. Approved Document K then sets out the accepted way to do the marking, so most installers and building control officers work to its heights and sizes.
You may still hear the old term "DDA dots". The Disability Discrimination Act was replaced by the Equality Act 2010, but the name stuck for dotted manifestation bands.
The checklist: what needs marking
Walk your building and tick each item you find. Anything ticked that has no marking, frame or rail at eye and waist height is likely to need manifestations.
Doors
- Frameless or narrow-framed glass doors
- Glass doors with only a small handle or no push plate
- Automatic or sliding glass doors at entrances
- Glass doors that are often held open, where the edge can be walked into
Screens and partitions
- Full-height glass partitions around meeting rooms, offices or classrooms
- Glazed screens beside doors, where the door is hard to tell apart from the panel next to it
- Glass walls along corridors or between open-plan areas
- Internal glazed screens in receptions, atriums and stairwells
External glazing
- Shopfronts and glazed entrances at ground level
- Glass walls where the floor level is the same on both sides, such as a café opening onto a terrace
- Glazed links and walkways between buildings
Signs you have a problem
- People have walked into the glass, or nearly have
- Staff have stuck paper signs or tape on the glass as a quick fix
- Existing marking is peeling, faded or only on one side of a run of glass
- The building has recently been refurbished or had new partitions fitted
When you don't need manifestations
Approved Document K accepts that some glazing is already obvious enough. Marking is usually not needed where:
- the glass is less than 400mm wide between frames
- a single-pane glass door has a substantial frame
- a frameless or narrow-framed door has a large handle or push plate on each pane
- a rail or glazing bar already crosses the glass at both 850mm to 1000mm and 1400mm to 1600mm
- mullions, transoms or door framing break up the glass so it is clearly visible
If you are unsure, mark it. The aim is to keep the people who use your building safe, whether they are staff, pupils or visitors, and clearly marked glass stops accidents before they happen. It also costs far less than dealing with an injury or a claim, and it settles the question at an HSE or building control visit.
Getting it right: heights, size and contrast
Manifestations go at two heights so they are seen by adults, children and wheelchair users alike. These figures come from Approved Document K, section 7.
| Requirement | What it means |
|---|---|
| Lower band | Between 850mm and 1000mm above the finished floor |
| Upper band | Between 1400mm and 1600mm above the finished floor |
| Logos or signs | At least 150mm high, repeated along a run of glass |
| Decorative bands, lines or dots | At least 50mm high |
| Contrast | Must stand out against what is seen through the glass, from both sides and in all lighting |
| Permanence | Must be permanent, so printed or cut film, not paper or temporary stickers |
The marking does not have to be plain. Frosted bands, dots, your logo or a bespoke pattern all count, as long as they sit in the right zones and contrast clearly. Many offices use this as a chance to add branding to meeting rooms and receptions.
Extra points for schools
Schools are workplaces, so regulation 14 applies, but the risk is higher because children move quickly, often in groups, and are shorter than adults.
- Check the lower band first. Young children may not see marking at 1400mm, so the 850mm to 1000mm band matters most in primary schools and nurseries.
- Look at busy routes. Corridors, entrances, dining halls and doors to playgrounds see the most traffic at speed.
- Include newer spaces. Glazed extensions, library pods and breakout areas added in recent years are often missed.
- Plan around term time. Most installs can be done in a day or two, so half term or the summer holidays work well. Book early, because summer slots go quickly.
- Combine it with your premises checks. Walking the checklist above alongside your annual health and safety inspection makes a clear record for governors and inspectors.
While you're checking: is the glass itself safe?
Regulation 14 asks two questions about the same glass: can people see it, and will it break safely if they hit it? Marking only answers the first.
Approved Document K treats certain areas as critical locations, where safety glass or protection is expected:
- glass in doors and side panels between the floor and 1500mm
- glass in walls and windows between the floor and 800mm
Older buildings often have ordinary annealed glass in these zones, which breaks into sharp shards. Replacing it is one option. Another is a tested safety window film, applied to the existing glass, which holds the pieces together if it breaks. It is usually quicker and cheaper than new glass, and it can be fitted at the same visit as your manifestations.
If you are walking your building with the checklist above, it is worth noting any glass in these zones at the same time.
Frequently asked questions
Are glass manifestations a legal requirement?
Yes, where they are needed for safety. Regulation 14 of the Workplace Regulations 1992 requires glazing in workplaces to be marked or made obvious where people could walk into it.
What height should manifestations be?
Two bands: 850mm to 1000mm and 1400mm to 1600mm above the floor, as set out in Approved Document K.
Do glass doors need manifestations?
Usually, unless the door has a substantial frame or a large handle or push plate on each pane.
Do manifestations apply to homes?
The Approved Document K manifestation requirement does not apply to dwellings, though marking a large glass door at home is still a sensible safety step.
Can manifestations include our logo?
Yes. Logos, frosted bands, dots and bespoke patterns all work, as long as they sit in the right height zones and contrast with the background.
How much do manifestations cost?
Prices start at £300 + VAT, supplied and fitted, for a 5m glass partition wall. Larger runs, branded designs and multiple floors are quoted individually, based on your building and design.
Book a glazing safety survey
Not sure what your building needs? Brilliant Window Films & Graphics will walk your site, mark up every door, screen and partition that needs attention, and give you a fixed quote. We are a 3M authorised installer based in Winchester, working across Hampshire, the South of England and London.
See our glass manifestation service or call us on 01962 582601.
