Glass and glazing systems are important parts of construction projects worldwide. Some projects, however, call for specialist glazing systems.
This is often the case in areas where there's a threat of ballistic attack – in other words, gunshots. For this reason, high-risk facilities will often be fitted with
bullet-resistant glass doors and screens.
Common applications include financial institutions, government buildings, police buildings, corporate HQs, schools and emergency service buildings.
Specifying bullet-resistant doors and screens presents a couple of challenges. First, you must be sure that the glazing system matches the threat level.
And secondly, you need to make sure that the whole system – frames, glass and surrounding walls – meets the required performance standard.
In this article, we go through the process of specifying bullet-resistant doors and screens. If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to
get in touch with a member of our team.
What should you specify?
First, you need to specify the required ballistic classification. BS EN 1522 and BS EN 1523 cover the bullet resistance of complete doors, windows and other framed systems using FB classifications. BS EN 1063 covers the bullet resistance of the glass itself and uses BR classifications.
These classes need to be based on an assessment of the actual threat level, not an estimate or arbitrary rating.
And crucially, you need to specify the complete doorset or screen – not just the glass.
If you fit ballistic glass in a unit that's not ballistic, the classification is invalidated. This means the door leaf, frame, glazing, joints, hinges, locks and other hardware must all meet the requisite classification.
When specifying glass, you should specify the required BS EN 1063 BR classification. You should also specify whether you want S (spall) or NS (no spall) glass. NS is required when the protected site needs additional protection from flying glass fragments (spall).
Whatever kind of bullet-resistant glazing system you specify, you should ask for test evidence. This should be more than just an assurance that testing has taken place.
Instead, you should get a test certificate or report from an accredited test laboratory – and you should be sure that the exact system you're specifying was tested, not an equivalent or similar product.
Finally, it's important to note that BS EN 1522 and BS EN 1523 don't test the frame-to-wall interface. This means you have to clearly specify that the supporting fixings and interfaces need ballistic resistance equivalent to the glazing system.
How to specify bullet-resistant doors
When specifying a bullet-resistant door, you need to define the required performance level and relevant standards – not just the core materials.
First, you need to specify the appropriate ballistic standard and performance level. In North America, UL 752 may apply, while in the UK and Europe, BS EN 1522 and BS EN 1523 cover the bullet resistance of complete doors, windows and other framed products.
If the door incorporates bullet-resistant glazing, the glass itself should also meet the appropriate classification under BS EN 1063.
Under BS EN 1522 and BS EN 1523, bullet-resistant doors and other complete assemblies are classified from FB1 to FB7, with higher classifications providing protection against more powerful ballistic threats. The corresponding classifications for bullet-resistant glass under BS EN 1063 are BR1 to BR7.
