Learn how to check the rating of security glass with this comprehensive guide. Ensure safety and compliance by understanding key ratings and verification steps.
Ratings of security glass are important indicators of what to expect: protection and long-lasting assurance of a certain type of glass product. This elaborate guide has therefore been designed to help you masterly understand these ratings and it will help you be able to establish their genuineness and their dependability
What Is Security Glass?
Security glass is designed to resist breakage, penetration, and any other forms of impact, thus making it strong to protect valuable spaces. Inclusion of this type of glass in residential homes, commercial buildings, and cars promotes the general safety and security of the space. Among those widespread varieties of security glass, laminated glass and tempered glass are most remarkable for their efficiency and reliability in providing the enhanced protection.
Importance of Checking Security Glass Ratings
Security glass ratings are important for a number of reasons, including:
- It ensures that you get the right amount of protection that is highly essential for your needs.
- Different applications have different security requirements.
- Proper ratings can be required for insurance or building code compliance.
- It contributes significantly to the rational and intelligent decision-making process in terms of investing in security measures and systems.
Understanding Security Glass Ratings
Security glass is one such element that proves to be crucial for safeguarding buildings and properties against all possible threats of burglaries, vandalism, and ballistic attacks. The protective capability of this glass is based on ratings that have been set considering a wide range of standards and classes. Here’s a guide intended to provide insight into these ratings, the different types, and methods of determining them.
- EN 356: This European standard describes definitions for glass and its resistance to manual attack. The class gradations define resistance between P1A and P8B, and P1A is the lowest, while P8B is the highest. The tests simulate various forced entry attacks to find out how long the glass can withstand the different types of attacks.
- UL 752: This is an American standard used in rating the resistance of glass to ballistic attack. It ranges from Level 1 to Level 10, with Level 1 repelling low-caliber handguns and Level 10 keeping off high-powered rifles. This rating stipulates the kind of ammunition, the number of shots, and whether the glass can withstand such without penetration.
- BS 7950: This British standard checks window security for forced entry. It provides ratings for Class 1 to Class 4, where Class 1 ensures basic security and Class 4 provides high resistivity against forced entry.
- ASTM F1233: This performance standard evaluates American security glazing to various types of forced entry and ballistic threats. There are several levels, with each one showing a different degree of protection.
- ISO 14449: International standard for the performance requirements of glazing in security, including the integrity of barriers to forced entry and impact.
Different Types of Security Glass Ratings
- Bullet Resistance: UL 752-rated, among other standards, refers to the glass resistance against the impact of bullets. The higher rating means higher resistive power against more powerful firearms.
- Resistance to Impact: This rating denotes the resistance of the glass to impacts against physical objects or tools. Standards like EN 356 assess this kind of resistance through the simulation of break-in attempts.
- Forced Entry Resistance: This is tested, for example, by standards such as BS 7950, and shows how long the glass can be made to resist trying to force entry by simulating attacks with a crowbar or hammer.
Steps to Check the Rating of a Security Glass
Step 1: Identify the Rating Label
The label or certification mark is located on, generally, the glass edge or a corner. Sometimes it is good enough to simply be visible and legible. Note the actual standard, EN 356 or UL 752, or the category of rating, P6B, for impact resistance mentioned.
Step 2: Verify with Manufacturer’s Specifications
Compare what is on the rating label to what is within the manufacturer’s specifications or certification documents. Many times, manufacturers provide wordy documentation regarding the performance of their products along with their certification.
Step 3: Consult Industry Standards
Refer to industry standards so as to compare that the rating of your glass is appropriate to protect for the level of prevention you necessarily require. For example, if you need the glass to have a high-level bullet resistance, ensure it matches the necessary level of the UL 752 or ASTM F1233.
Step 4: Inspect for Authenticity Marks
Holograms, stamps, or other authenticity indicators assure that the glass has been tested and certified by recognized bodies. These marks must be checked to ensure the genuineness of the rating..
Step 5: Seek Professional Verification
If there is any doubt about the glass’s rating or quality, consult with a professional. Experts can provide a thorough evaluation and verify the glass’s performance against the required standards. When searching for top-quality security glass, look no further than Finepoint Glass, which is a renowned company that rigorously tests and certifies its products. Finepoint Glass has a range of security glass products, which conform to several international standards. These detailed specifications and certifications offer the necessary assurance that the product will give the required protection for both residential and commercial uses.
Common Misconceptions About Security Glass Ratings
Myth 1: All Security Glass Is Bulletproof
Not all security glass is designed to be bullet-resistant. Security glass is a generic term for many different glasses, each having its own protection level. The term “security glass” describes products that are rated for the different levels of application, from impact resistance, to forced entry resistance, to sometimes-bullet-resistant products.
- Bulletproof glass: It is a type of glass that is supposed to withstand the bullets of firearms. Its testing is conducted in regard to some specific standards, such as UL 752 or ASTM F1233, and according to these, its rating is done with respect to caliber and gun.
- Impact and Forced Entry Resistant Glass: Samples of this type of glass can withstand some level of physical impact or force attempted to break and enter but may not stand up to bullets. It might be tested to standards such as EN 356 for forced entry resistance, but this does not mean it can prevent bullets.
Myth 2: Higher Price Equals Better Rating
More protection or a higher rating does not necessarily follow from a more expensive price. Security glass prices can follow these factors:
- Brand and Manufacturer: Recognized brands often carry a higher price, sometimes due to reputation or with additional features, but this doesn’t often carry over to the glass’s performance rating. For example, the price can be escalated if the glass has additional features like extra clarity or extra layers but does not necessarily offer more protection.
- Custom Solutions: Custom-made security glass or specialty applications might be pricier; however, this fact alone does not necessarily suggest that it is rated higher.
Security glass ratings are based upon tests and certification and have nothing to do with the cost. Always ensure a rating is based on a recognized standard and do not rely on a higher price to identify the quality.
Conclusion
If protection is to be effective, proper selection of the glass for security needs is very important, and the ratings themselves are critical to understand. Several standards exist that detail different levels of protection against threats like bullets, impacts, and forced entry; among them are EN 356 and UL 752. Not all the glasses for security are bulletproof, and their price is not always directly proportional to higher performance. Carefully check the rating label, verify with the manufacturer’s specifications, and consult industry standards to ensure proper glass selection.
Check for authenticity marks and also verify by a professional the information, if necessary. Full understanding and verification of these ratings will ensure the choice of security glass that will serve the needs and protection your property requires.
FAQs
- Is bulletproof glass the same as security glass?
No, it is the kind of safety glass that is practically designed to resist the penetration of bullets. Safety glass is one of those generic categories with a few well-known types built to offer some different form of protection—specifically, one, among them, being bullet-resisting.
- Can I rely on the rating label alone when purchasing security glass?
While the rating label sufficiently provides the basic requirements, it should always be cross-checked with the manufacturer’s specifications and certification documents to ensure its accuracy and authenticity.
- Why is it important to check the rating of security glass?
Rating verification allows you to consider whether or not the glass would serve the purposes intended. It says that the glass meets testing standards and is as effective as it should be against threats you are trying to protect yourself from.
- How often should security glass be inspected or re-rated?
Safety glass should be periodically checked for its preservation of safety characteristics. The interval for inspection will depend on usage, atmospheric conditions, and recorded impacts.
- Is it possible to upgrade the rating of existing security glass?
It probably is not easy to upgrade the rating of existing security glass. Replace the glass with some higher-rated product.
- How do security glass ratings affect insurance policies?
Insurance companies may require specific ratings on security glass, either before issuing coverage or to determine the premiums, with higher ratings on the security glass possibly leading to better kinds of terms on insurance or lower premiums due to reduced risk.
Author Bio
Anant Gajjar, Finepoint Glass Ltd CEO, has over 16 years of experience in the glazing industry as an entrepreneur and a structural engineer. He has completed his Master of Sciences (MSc) in Civil Engineering, Bachelor of Sciences (BSc in Civil Engineering) both in London and in India. Anant has a passion for travelling and creating meaningful connections worldwide.