The BS EN 12600 safety glass standard defines a testing method for glass used in buildings. The standard concerned with safety rather than unbreakability.

Safecoat mirror safety films do not prevent mirrors from being broken, but they retain the fragments and reduce the risk of penetration through the broken glass.

BS EN 12600 testing is carried out on glass in its intended mounting position (vertical) using a cushioned weight (the impactor) swung against the mirror.

The impactor weighs 50kg and so the effect is similar to a person hitting the mirror shoulder first.

The standard defines three drop heights: 190mm, 450mm and 1200mm.

• Class 3, 190mm drop height, is equivalent to an adult pushing hard against the glass or a child running into it.
• Class 2, 450mm drop height, is equivalent to rather more than an adult walking into a glass door, but less than a determined attempt to force a way through by running at it.
• Class 1, 1200mm drop height, is for testing glass for critical applications.

The standard defines two “safe” broken states.

• Clause 4a considers that the breakage is safe if there is no hole large enough to push your fist through and only a limited amount of glass fragments come loose.
• Clause 4b considers that the breakage is safe if the glass shatters leaving no large dangerous fragments.

The standard also defines three breakage modes.

• Type A breakage is characterised by large sharp edged fragments.
• Type B breakage is characterised by the fragments being held together.
  This is the typical breakage mode for mirrors with a safety film backing.
• Type C breakage is characterised by the disintegration of the glass into small, relatively harmless particles.

The BS EN 12600 classification is a three letter code representing

• the highest drop height class at which the glass does not break or breaks safely (either no penetration or the glass shatters into small fragments)
• the breakage mode
• the highest drop height class at which the glass does not break or does not allow penetration.

SAFECOAT OPP 60 micron film on 4mm or 6mm float glass is classified 2B2 for front impact only:

• up to a drop height of 450mm, the glass does not break or breaks safely
• the glass fragments are retained when the glass breaks
• up to a drop height of 450mm, the impactor does not penetrate the glass.