If there were a terrorist attack/explosion and you were trapped in your office building and your only escape is through a window would a spring-loaded center punch work to break the window?

This is just a guess, but methinks the answer mostly depends on whether the window glass in your typical office tower is similar to the tempered safety glass in automobile side windows or is just plate glass. I've never tried it, but just seeing broken windows on TV, office windows don't seem to break like auto glass--into tiny glass fragments. I suppose that you could break the office glass with a center punch, but you'd either just create a small hole or else break big knife-like sheets off which could slice your arm (or your toes!) badly as they dropped down.

Trooper366 (someone with some actual experience doing this) had some comments about breaking glass in this relatively recent post.

And some windows have what seems like a UV film. I would think that it would also make it harder to break through with a small center punch.

If I may digress briefly to related topic. Just bought two RES-Q-ME's; warning on packaging says, "This tool will not break windshields or laminated glass. Some automotive side windows are laminated."

Far as I can find, appears some manufacturers – BMW, Mercedes, Peugot, Audi and Volvo – put lam-glass in side windows on some models, and Chrysler Cirrus and Stratus.

Good to know if you've got escape tool w/same limitations, and one of these vehicles.

So how does one deal with laminated glass? Break it, then peal it back? Cut the laminate with a knife?

While that would work on the side windows of cars I am not sure that would work to go through good plate glass. I lived in a house with two layers of really impressive plate glass windows and so had occasion to think on this for some time. My solution was to use a 12 gauge to knock an escape hole trough it. Probably not an option you can choose but it will let you know what kind of glass you may be up against.

"Bob, you know we don't allow shotguns at work. It makes the other employees nervous. If you could, and it's completely up to you, as I don't have a problem with it, it's all of the other fellow employees, well, except Phil, he's has an NRA membership, are the ones that have complained. I don't want you to think that I don't like you or anything."

"Oh, the shotgun? It's just in case anything happens I can shoot out the window. What, did you think I'd use it against someone if I got mad at them?"

"Oh, no, I'd never think that you would ever use a gun in anger!"

"Would your response be different if the shotgun was sitting here?"

"Bob, I'd love to chat, but I have a meeting in 5 minutes"

Try a healthy dose of C-4 <img src="/images/graemlins/shocked.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

This from rescue equipment company Holmatro USA:

"[Laminated] glass consists of a plastic interlayer, made from polyvinylbutyral, sandwiched between two layers of annealed glass. In general this is used for the windshield."

"[Laminated glass] can be cut with several tools such as an Axe, Air Chisel, Glas-Master tool or reciprocating saw. These techniques will generate small glass fragments and dust. The protection of the victim and rescuer should be considered before the glass is removed."

In other words, your SAK or Leatherman might be inadequate for the job. The suggested C4 on the other hand... <img src="/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

Laminated glass can be tough to get though short of the C4 mentioned earlier. But a auto punch would be useless for opening a hole in it, using a hammer would take a while to open a hole though the glass. But i did see this done in a glass shop, score the glass on both sides, snap it, and then squirt alcohol on the cut and light it. The heat melts the plastic and it neatly separates.

These punches wont work with the safety glass used here in Australia.
Also our regulations state the thickness of glass to the size of the windows and also in multistory windows.
Some companies and homes use a film over the glass to stop theives breaking and entering. So even if you do break the glass it still sticks together.
At the front of one of our local office's I have seen scratches and marks from the local hoons trying to throw things through it while drunk. I haven't seen it broken until a car went through the front.
After seeing the broken glass and watching it being replaced, I wouldnt try breaking it with anything less than the car.

This is not sounding good!

I work on the first floor in an old three story building. We have a center court with windows facing in as well as windows facing out. It is easy to imagine a situation, like a fire, where the exit is blocked and the only escape is through one of the windows. It would be interesting to get a small piece of building glass and see what the center punch does to it.

I bought two ResQMe and was looking for a use for the spring loaded center punch.

I'm not sure Craig, but I think that the windows are made in such a way that they are difficult to break out. One reason is that an open, or broken windows is a conduit to feed oxygen to a fire. So, I think you risk getting the fire to travel your way faster if you crash a window. Perhaps a smoke hood and a good route plan may be a better option. Fire is certainly is a hazard is on my mind whenever in a building, or worse yet on a ship. Let's hope that the firefighters make a rapid response. Phx has one of the best FD's anywhere from what I have seen. Cheers neigbor!

Try asking a local window installer, or someone who does the building maintenence.
They will be answer more specific or tell you where/how to get the answers.

Also ask what plans etc are in place for the building in question.

i have seen special devices that are ment to be sticked on windows. Wenn you need to brake the window, you simply hit the button on the device. They are specially made to shatter dubble glass, which is pretty standard in holland. It doesn;t say anything about laminate's, though.

Couldn't you just use a hammer? It might be too heavy to carry with you at all times but you could strategically place one in your office or something. Also, maybe a fire extinguisher could help soften that window up.

Craig-

Here's a brief overview of glass-types in commercial buildings (Types of Glass bottom of page 4 of 24, as shown at bottom of Adobe Reader), including breakage characteristics.

Not sure it will help much. Says installers have trouble determining which kind of glass by just looking, and all types of glass possibly present in same building. <img src="/images/graemlins/confused.gif" alt="" />

Some can take a hit with a sledgehammer or a bat. Some of my favorite footage is of “dumb” crooks bouncing concrete blocks or other solid projectiles off said widows onto their head.

Ok so you find a way to break the glass. The influx of O2 is now drawing the fire towards you. Unfortunately the ground is 40 floors down. Do you have a parachute or an awful long rope?

Rumor has it, the first urban base-jumper was just a guy working in a really tall building, trying to escape a fire <img src="/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

I'd think I would just fling my office chair thru the window...oh wait, my second floor office windows actually open. <img src="/images/graemlins/smirk.gif" alt="" />

Well, let's take a hypothetical more nearly realistic where I live. I'm in a one-story office building surrounded by a parking lot. My office is on the outside wall, and the one window in my office cannot be opened. There is an earthquake, and as as a result of the quake, the interior walls have sprung off-center, and my office door won't open. It's jammed shut with me in the office. No phones. No power. No one comes to rescue me. I throw my office chair at the window, and the chair bounces off. I look around the office. The ceiling is acoustical tile, but it's nine feet high, and my office furniture is that flimsy crap that hooks onto the wall so I can't stand on it or climb it to reach the ceiling so that I could climb out into the interior of the building through the ceiling. I'm not sure I'd want to, but I can't. I look around the office again. "Where's my Biel tool?" I cry.

The smell of gas wafts into the room.

1. Possibly free the jammed door by taking a pen, or metal letter opener (or that 16d nail you've got secreted in your desk) and removing the hinge pins, using your shoe or other implement as a hammer.

2. If your interior office walls are constructed of drywall, or other penetrable material, use your stapler, or your shoe ? or your fist if you're feeling macho ? to punch a couple of 4-inch or so staggered holes in the wall, up to the ceiling. Four or so holes should do it. The idea being to create hand- and foot-holds to climb the remaining few feet to the ceiling (after standing on your chair, or inverted wastebasket, which will get you started a few feet off the ground).

This would work best if the holes were located alternating on either side of one of the (presumably) metal studs, located by tapping wall with fist. Just to be on safe side, avoid locations/studs in-line with electrical wall outlets.

This is where that time spent on the climbing-wall at your health club pays dividends. <img src="/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

Edit: It occurs to me, too, that if your walls are easily penetrable (drywall etc), you could simply (?) use your chair or other improvised tool to nibble a 2-ft. or so hole in the wall, through to the outer hallway, or adjoining room.

Better yet, where's my shotgun?

I was raised in the country and had shotguns, rifles, pistols, and the thought of pulling the trigger on a shotgun in my office makes me cringe. I have no _clue_ where all the glass would go, where the shot would go in the parking lot, nor how loud it would be.

So let's try it!

People think that the crowbar that used to live in my desk was just for intimidating computers with. <img src="/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" /> I'd attack the moulding of the window at that point, or try to force the door.

> There is an earthquake, and as as a result of the quake, the interior walls have sprung off-center,
> and my office door won't open.

I have no experience of earthquakes... I'd have thought the window glass would break before the walls.

If you look at news photos of earthquakes in towns, you'll see lots of buildings have fallen off their foundations with the exterior walls still square and windows unbroken. For some examples:
http://www.nbmg.unr.edu/nesc/bobcox/slide2.php?id=5
Another apt building with a garage under the living units:
http://www.geocities.com/petsburgh/3121/pics4/eq001.jpg
note the crushed cars sticking out. Windows still intact in the building, though. :-)

Here's the interior of a building after a quake:
http://maximus.ce.washington.edu/~nisqua..._BUILDINGS4.jpg
and here's an outside office with windows intact:
http://maximus.ce.washington.edu/~nisqua..._BUILDINGS5.jpg

Photos from the recent Pakistan earthquake shows buildings with almost complete internal collapse, with exterior walls and windows more or less intact:
http://www.iiees.ac.ir/English/bank/Zarand/zarand_pic_3_e.html

It's all disaster, and you never can tell what will break and what won't.

Phil

Some windows aren't glass at all, but acrylic. I would hate to have to go through THAT!

I heard that movie windows are made from sugar -- nothing is what it seems to be...

Sue

First, I should disclaim I don't have any first hand experience with this, although I've given it a bit of thought.

So, a couple of thoughts:

In Craig's original post, he indicated his building was an older 3 story building. I think this is unlikely to have anything too crazy in it. I'd bet the worst you have here is fairly ordinary laminated glass.

I think you should give up on the punch idea. I think you want a decent sized crow bar, hammer, Biel tool, carpenter's hatchet. All of these are going to be much more effective than a chair or bat and much more than a punch. Considering you are talking about your office, this seems like it should be doable. You could stuff a crow bar behind your desk, or do what I do - I have my earthquake duffle under my desk. One of the items in there is a decent sized crow bar. Since it is in the bag it doesn't draw attention.

Someone here posted about the danger of breaking glass and having it fall on you. The poster suggested that you want to break glass from the top with you above it. In the case of an office, this probably means being on the desk and off the the side. I think this also suggests that a longer tool like the crowbar would be better than a short tool like a hammer.

Consider having cut resistaint gloves. I think something like these Best Nitri-Flex Coated Kevlar Gloves would be fairly optimal, but even something like these Ansell ArmorKnit (knit Kevlar) gloves would probably be good (and they can be stuffed in a pocket) - available with "dots" or not. They are also fairly heat resistaint and might come in handy during a fire.

With normalish laminated glass I suspect you could break through it with an impact implement like a crowbar and cut it with a sturdy knife *if* you have protective handwear. Knife will probably be in bad shape afterwords, but should work.

Something like a hatchet would probably work best for cutting through the laminated glass, but I wouldn't want to break a big peice of plate glass with a hammer or hatchet that would place my hand right in the path of the glass.

I think the biggest problem is not knowing what kind of glass it is before it becomes time to find out. Laminated glass should be fairly safe to break, but you will need something to hack/cut through it. The plate glass could seriously injure you as it falls and you probably want as long of a tool as possible.

As such, I would suggest you assume it is going to fall in big, sharp, dangerous peices, but also make sure you have the tools in case it is laminated.

I think defeating the "super" glasses probably isn't a big deal because my guess is they would use them in applications where having the window open won't be of much use. Think highrise.

Another thing to keep in mind is danger to people below as you break the glass.

Oh, in regards to the punch tool for escape from an auto, I think I'd rather have a small (~12") crowbar, sturdy knife and a pair of gloves. A lot more versitile. I have such a crow bar accessible in my car. The main think you need to consider is that it doesn't become lost in the impact. So you'll need to strap it down in a serious way.

And yet one more thing. Thinking about this, I think the Biel tool may be one of the most flexible all-in-one tools for this type of thing. You can impact with it, it extends for a longer reach, and it has a hatchet like head to cut with.

In regards to the acrylic window, probably the best bet would be to pry it out of it's frame. For that, you'd probably want a full size Hooligan tool.

-john

Biggzie,

The plan is everyone gets out the best they can and assemble in the parking lot. Our fire person for our company office has an old fire axe in the computer room for him to break out his office window if there is a fire. We have two exits. The closest door tends to stick and I could see it geting stuck with a temperature change from a fire. The other exit is about 200 yards away. There are windows that could be used for exits, if they could be broken.

I keep goggles, a dust mask and water in my cube for an office emergency. I'd like to think I could create an exit for myself and fellow office workers if there was a fire or emergency.

I've heard acrylic windows burn if you squirt lighter fluid on them, then strike a match. Don't know if it's true. In no event would I try it from inside the room! :-)



Here's the recipe:
http://www.geocities.com/Hollywood/Lot/9373/SCREAM/glass.html
Keeping it frozen extends the life of the pane if you need to store it for more than a few hours. (There are molds to make sugar glass bottles that you see breaking over people's heads in TV bar brawls.)

"Our fire person for our company office has an old fire axe in the computer room for him to break out his office window if there is a fire."

I'm just throwing this out there with no real info. <img src="/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

If you have an axe handy, might it be more expedient and less dangerous to go right through the wall? Probably not concrete or brick...

sue

This is more than you are looking for, but we carry these in all of our Emergency Service vehicles, Fire, Police, and EMS. GlasMaster