Glass + Kids = A Disaster Waiting to Happen

Why older windows pose a hidden danger — and how to protect your children without replacing them all (windows not kids)

You know that low glass window in your lounge? The one your toddler keeps smearing their face on?
Or the sliding door your 5-year-old charges through like a footy fullback at dinner time?

Yeah… that one.

If your home was built before the 2003, there’s a good chance that glass is only 2mm or 3mm thick.

Legal back then. Not legal now.Why? Because it shatters like a nightmare.

When did the Australian building code change for safety glass?

The major change came in 2003.
That’s when AS 1288:2006 (Glass in Buildings – Selection and Installation) was introduced, replacing the older AS 1288:1994.

From 2003 onwards, the National Construction Code (NCC) required Grade A safety glass (toughened or laminated) to be used in:

• Glazing within 300mm of floor level
  
• Door panels (including sliding doors)
  
• Side panels next to doors
  
• Bathrooms, showers and wet areas
  
• Areas where a person could fall through glass
  

Why? Because thin float glass (2mm–3mm) was causing serious injuries — especially to children — when broken.

So if your home was built before 2003…

There’s a high chance the glass doesn’t meet current safety standards, especially at floor level.
Which means:
It can shatter dangerously
It’s not illegal to keep it, but
It’s smart (and safer) to upgrade it — or protect it.

The terrifying truth about old glass

Before safety standards changed, builders commonly used super thin, non-tempered glass in floor-level windows and doors. It was cheap and easy.
But when it breaks, it breaks into shards – not chunks. Not safety glass. Not cute.

So when a child barrels into it (and they will), it’s straight to the hospital.
We know — because we’ve lived it.

“Our son ran straight through a glass door. Blood, panic, stitches. One second of chaos we’ll never forget.”

Yes, one of our very own ecoMaster fully-grown chaos gremlins.

Kids don’t walk — they launch

If you’ve got toddlers, you already know they don’t move like normal humans. They zoom, crash, ricochet and climb.
And they throw things. Everything becomes a projectile:

• Remote controls
  
• Toy trucks
  
• Skateboards
  
• One time… a pineapple?
  

If any of that hits thin glass, it’s game over.

So what can you do?

Sure, you could replace all your old windows and doors with new safety glass.
But that’s:

• 💸 Expensive
  
• 🛠 Disruptive
  
• ⏳ Probably not happening this month

ecoGlaze

ecoGlaze isn’t just about thermal performance (although it’s amazing at that).
It adds a layer of clear acrylic over your existing glass — a barrier that protects little humans (and your wallet).

Why ecoGlaze is perfect for kid-proofing

• 🛡 Shatter protection – Acrylic absorbs impact instead of breaking into shards
  
• Prevents accidental glass collisions – A layer they bounce off, not bust through
  
• Catches flying toys before they make a dangerous mess
  
• DIY-friendly – No tradies, no chaos, no glass replacement
  

• Cost-effective – Way cheaper than reglazing everything

Real talk: you don’t get a warning

Glass injuries don’t come with a heads-up.
They’re sudden. Loud. Bloody. And totally avoidable.

If you’ve got floor-level glass anywhere your kids play, jump, or race their Hot Wheels, don’t wait for a horror story of your own.

Where to start

Check your windows and doors:

• Are they single-glazed?
  
• Near the floor?
  
• Easily reachable by a child or their projectiles?
  
• In high-traffic areas?
  

If yes to any of the above — you’ve got a risk worth fixing.

The fix that doesn’t break the bank

ecoGlaze Ready-To-Go Kits for Fixed Windows make it super simple:

• You choose the size
  
• We send the timber moulding + install gear
  
• You get the acrylic sheet locally
  
• Follow our video guide and it’s done in under an hour
  

And just like that — you’ve upgraded safety, comfort, and energy efficiency all at once.