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In October 2015, changes to the Building Regulations meant that anyone wishing to install rooflights in ‘easily accessible areas’ on a building must make sure that the product complies with security requirements, as outlined in Approved Document Q: Security in Dwellings.

The ultimate responsibility for complying with the relevant planning rules and Building Regulations falls on the owner of the property (or land).

And when designing a building or a building extension for their client, specifiers must ensure that where applicable, the products selected will comply with Building Regulations. They should check that the product has passed the relevant tests to one of the standard listed in Approved Document Q (commonly known as ‘Part Q’).

The building contractor will take on the responsibility for meeting the Building Regulations when carrying out the work for the property owner. The works themselves, the method of installation, is a critical factor in whether the product meets the technical requirements of the Building Regulations or not.

There is actually no specific requirement for manufacturers to test their products to the standards set out in Building Regulations Part Q.

However, if the products are not tested to the requirements in Part Q, they could not be used in ‘easily accessible locations’. If a rooflight can be breached in less than 1 minute, with common tools that can be concealed about the body, such as screwdrivers and cable cutters, the building itself would not be compliant with the new security regulations.

View our testing videos for opening rooflights and fixed Flushglaze rooflights.

In Part Q, doors and windows installed in ‘easily accessible areas’ are described as:

    • A window or doorway, any part of which is within 2m vertically of an accessible level surface such as ground or basement level, or an access balcony, or
    • A window within 2m vertically of a flat or sloping roof (with a pitch of less than 30 degrees) that is within 3.5m of ground level.

With these recent changes to Part Q, the security of rooflights particularly for flat roof applications requires careful consideration.

To find out more about the applicable security standards in Building Regulations Part Q, download the guide.