Some existing standards, industry guidelines, and technical papers pertaining to security performance of windows, entrances, other fenestration products assemblies, and key components include:
- UL 752 (edition 11) Standard for Bullet-Resisting Equipment
- National Institute of Justice (NIJ) Standard 0108.01 Ballistic Resistant Protective MaterialsAmerican Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM International)
- ASTM E2395-21 Standard Specification for Voluntary Security Performance of Window and Door Assemblies with Glazing Impact
- ASTM F476-14 Standard Test Methods for Security of Swinging Door Assemblies
- ASTM F588-17 Standard Test Methods for Measuring the Forced Entry Resistance of Window Assemblies, Excluding Glazing Impact
- ASTM F1233-21 Standard Test Method for Security Glazing Materials and Systems
- ASTM F3038-21 Standard Test Method for Timed Evaluation of Forced-Entry-Resistant Systems
- American National Standards Institute, ANSI Z97.1-2015 For safety glazing materials used in buildings – safety performance specifications and methods of test
- Federal Emergency Management Agency, FEMA 428 (2004) Primer to Design Safe School Projects in Case of Terrorist Attacks
- National Fire Protection Association, NFPA 3000® (edition 2021) Standard for an Active Shooter/Hostile Event Response (ASHER) Program
National Glass Association (NGA) Glass Technical
Papers (GTPs)
- FB16-07 Bullet Resistant Glazing
- FB43-14 (2020) Security Glazing
- FB71-21 School Security Glazing
As a reminder, the NGA’s 2021 School Security Glazing technical paper FB71-215 observes, “There are no building codes or mandates for school security. In comparison, every building is subject to fire codes because of (relatively smaller numbers of) historic deaths in building fires. Since the adoption and enforcement of the fire codes, the number of deaths from fires has dramatically decreased.”
New test methods and emerging standards
Those seeking design-conscious, cost-effective, high-performance, fenestration systems to mitigate active shooter attacks must consider the entire assembly in the context of its project application.
Design and specification professionals understand they should be skeptical of any claim offering a “bulletproof” solution. The goal is to slow down attackers, giving the people inside more time to react, and for emergency response teams to arrive at the scene and defuse the situation.
