Ballistic standards (also referred to as bulletproof levels) offer customers a detailed description of a product’s protective capabilities. Testing to these standards gives the customer a guarantee a product will perform in a certain way.
For ballistic protection standards, this typically includes laying out the number of shots stopped from a specific type of firearm when fired from a certain distance, as well as other factors. This helps consumers understand what type of protection they can expect and choose products that match their threat level.
If you’re considering a bulletproof barrier for your facility and the product is not tested to a standard (usually the UL 752) that’s a red flag. Your provider should be able to articulate what level of bulletproof protection you can expect from their products.
The UL 752 Standard for Bullet Resisting Equipment comes from Underwriters Laboratory, a global safety standards organization. The UL 752 is the bulletproofing “gold standard” in our industry. Each level has been tested and found effective at stopping certain types of projectiles. Generally, Levels 1 through 3 are designed to stop three shots from common handguns. Levels 4 through 8 are designed to stop shots from various rifles and submachine guns.
If you’re an architect, engineer, glazier, or security professional who wants to learn more about the eight levels of bullet-resistance and earn CE credit at the same time, we offer a free CE course that dives into what you need to know. This course guides participants through the fundamentals of ballistic material and ratings, the multiple ballistic standards bodies and how they compare, and practical applications for each level of ballistic material. Participants qualify for one LU/HSW Credit.
There are many protective standards from a number of different agencies and organizations. These standards outline other variables in physical, personal, and ballistic security and the properties protective products must include.
The NIJ 0108.01 comes from the National Institute of Justice. The NIJ 0108.01 standard applies to personal protective armor and protective materials. It does not include procedures for testing architectural products. If you’re looking for a high level of detail about testing and performance, the NIJ 0108.01 may not meet your needs.
There are a variety of standards from ASTM, the American Society for Testing and Materials. These standards are important for comparing materials in applications such as physical security and building construction. The most relevant standards include:
The ASTM F1233 standard applies to ballistic barrier systems but with provisions for forced-entry resistance as well as ballistic ratings. While comparable to the UL 752, the ASTM F1233 only requires the material in question to stop one to three shots.
Forced entry protection standards are designed to provide protective qualities for various additional scenarios. These standards apply to factors like blunt force, pressure and temperature changes, and withstanding being struck by projectiles, among others. While ballistic glass may offer some inherent protection from some aspects of other risky physical security scenarios, we always recommend seeking out products tested to the appropriate standard to ensure the security product performs as expected.
If you’re looking for additional protection, there are a variety of standards that may apply to your situation, depending on your needs and local ordinances.
Forced entry standards outline levels of protection and resistance for breaking and entering or scenarios. The variables included in these standards may include time, tools used, number of strikes, type of facility, and more. Commonly-used forced entry standards include:
Blast-resistant materials typically outline a material’s ability to maintain the integrity of the building envelope and reduce harm to building occupants from flying debris.
Severe weather security glazing must be able to withstand a variety of variables that may occur during a storm. These can include withstanding impact from large and small projectiles, wind tests, pressure changes, and other factors. Some of these standards include:
Fire-resistant material standards outline how well a building material can contain smoke and how long materials last when exposed to high temperatures. Some fire standards include: