The Accredited Standards Committee (ASC) Z97 announced the publication and accreditation of ANSI Z97.1-2026, the latest revision of a nationally recognized standard for safety glazing materials used in buildings. The 2026 update represents the first significant change in the standard’s technical content in over a decade, following a 2020 edition that reaffirmed 2015 criteria.

The 2026 version arrives as commercial glazing systems increasingly feature new types of high-performance glass. According to the ASC Z97 Committee, the new standard focuses on improving consistency in compliance and updating industry terminology, while providing safety qualifications for vacuum insulating glass (VIG).

“Great to see the addition of VIG into the ANSI standard, as it has been a point of debate for over a decade,” says Dave Cooper, a consultant and president of Fenestration Consulting Services LLC. “No real substance, other than inclusion in the various tables, but it’s a start.”

VIG Added to the Standard, Testing Clarified

The standard now defines VIG as a manufactured assembly of at least two lites of glass, hermetically sealed with a narrow, “highly evacuated” space maintained by spacers (pillars).

Under the 2026 revision, VIG must be tested as a final unit. The protocol requires manufacturers to mark a one-inch border around the entire perimeter of the test specimen as an “exclusion area” for fragment analysis. If the unit breaks during impact, it can be classified as Type 1 or 4 if it is laminated, or Type 2 or 4 if it is tempered. According to ASC officials, this clarification provides a much-needed roadmap for manufacturers looking to add VIG to products for applications requiring safety-glazing.

While the “shot bag” impact test remains a benchmark, the 2026 edition clarifies procedures to ensure consistency among laboratories. The test continues the method of simulating human impact using a 100-pound leather bag filled with lead shot. Manufacturers must categorize their products into two primary drop-height classes, including Class A, which must withstand a drop height between 48 and 48-1/2 inches, and Class B, which must withstand a drop height between 18 and 18-1/2 inches.

Products qualified for Class A are automatically deemed to comply with Class B requirements. The standard also maintains two size classifications: Unlimited, based on a 34-by-76-inch specimen, and Limited, for smaller sizes, down to 16 by 30 inches. At the same time, manufacturers are reminded they cannot mark or advertise a product as passing the test if its nominal thickness is thinner than the specimens passed.

Cooper says most fail to realize that VIG is tested the same as a monolithic piece of glass or, if part of a laminated assembly, as a laminated product.

“Tempered VIG does react differently to the lead shot bag impact test because of the rigid coupling at the edge seal due to potential de-tempering at the edge, depending upon seal material and fabrication process,” he adds.

Updated Marking Requirements and Compliance

For manufacturers and fabricators, compliance hinges on proper, permanent marking. According to ASC documents, every piece of safety glazing must be legibly marked with the supplier’s name, the “ANSI Z97.1-2026” designation, the size classification and the drop height class.

The 2026 revision also maintains strict rules on who applies the mark.

Stock sheets of laminated glass must be marked by the original manufacturer, while cut-to-size laminated glass must be marked by the company producing the finished product. Tempered glass must be marked by the company producing the finished cut-to-size product. For specialty applications, materials intended for “Indoor Use Only” must be explicitly marked as such.

For manufacturers operating across the North American market, the Canadian General Standards Board (CGSB) has already harmonized its CAN/CGSB 12.1 standard with the 2026 version, according to ASC. However, because the fundamental test methods for traditional tempered and laminated glass have not changed substantially, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission continues to reference the 2015 version in 16 CFR Part 1201 for the time being, according to ASC documents.

“We are proud to deliver a standard that supports durable safety glazing products while maintaining the high level of proven performance that has been in place for many decades, thus allowing the standard to achieve consumer confidence in what is expected from safety glazing materials,” says Julia Schimmelpenningh, chair of ASC Z97.

The standard is currently available through the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) at ansi.org or via the committee’s website at safetyglazingZ97.com.