KOCHI: The incident in which the glass door of Bank of Baroda’s Perumbavoor branch broke claiming the life of a young woman prompted the district administration to issue an order invoking various sections of the disaster management rule of 2005. The order stipulates the design and quality of glass that is to be used for doors and partitions in the malls and commercial establishments. The malls and commercial establishments have been directed to replace the doors, walls and partitions made of annealed glass within 45 days.
According to the order issued by District Collector S Suhas, owners of shopping malls and commercial establishments have to take immediate steps to ensure the glass doors and partitions used in their establishments are made accident-proof. “The glass walls and the doors are to be marked or etched with signs or patterns that enable the customers to identify its presence. The markings and etchings are to be very clear to reveal the presence of the glass wall or door,” said the order. It has to be ensured that under no circumstances the transparency of the glass wall should give a false impression of the space being clear, directed the order.
Also, if walls, doors and partitions are made using glass, it has to ensure the material is not of inferior quality. “Annealed glass, which tends to break into longer, jagged shards and can cause significant injury, should not be used to make partitions or door. It has to be ensured that the material used is toughened or tempered glass,” said the order.
The owner also has to ensure the glass partition has markings or writings announcing its presence at places that are visible to everyone. “In the case of glass doors, care needs to be taken to ensure the direction in which it has to be opened is mentioned on it. Labels in English with bold letters declaring ‘Push/Pull’ needs to be affixed on the doors,” directed the order. The collector has directed the secretaries of the local self-government bodies to see that the malls and commercial establishments adhere to the directive.