I have always had a fascination with bulletproof. From mainstream movies, it was still a beauty to watch the superhero of the day wear some bulletproof armor or vest while saving the day. But we are here to talk about BULLETPROOF GLASS, not the body armor.
The truth is, security is for the highest bidder. That might sound too harsh, but it’s the truth. Apart from bodily amour made of Kevlar and other plastics, a bulk of modern high-level security systems are made from glass. The bullet stopping components that make up a bulletproof glass used in banks, government buildings, convenience stores, and schools are layers of acrylic, polycarbonate, polyurethane, resins, and fiberglass. While these materials are rated bulletproof, their level of resistance to bullets varies.
With the sudden spike in gun ownership, many people, particularly those in the business sector, are looking to BULLETPROOF GLASS fittings as a preventive measure against the unlawful use of guns and ammunition for a crime. In dire circumstances, it might be the only protection available to you. Whatever your reason for opting for bulletproof glass, it would do you a lot of good to comprehend how it works.
To What Extent Does the Bulletproof Glass Provide Protection?
No glass is entirely bulletproof. A more appropriate term is “bullet-resistant”. Every glass will, in time, shatter with consistent gunshots. Even a highly rated level 8 bulletproof glass which can withstand a shotgun blast or an AK-47 burst will eventually crumble and succumb with sufficient ammunition.
Industries That Use Bulletproof Glass
They help keep you safe long enough to do business. For efficiency, the glass should, while keeping you safe, make it easy for you to carry out your routine business – communicate and exchange items or money.
While we all need protection, they are not necessary everywhere. Below are some of the companies/industries or organizations that use bulletproof glass.
Lodging Facilities
Hotels always have staff working 24 hours a day, seven days a week. These workers often come in contact with numerous persons. And coupled with how open and unsecured lobbies and hotels are, using bulletproof glasses in the lobby, hotel windows, and doors will instill some confidence in the front desk staff and make them feel safe.
Stadiums and Commercial Spaces
Stadiums and commercial spaces are crowded spaces and often located in high-traffic areas. Places like malls, hotels, restaurants, and other commercial centers often rely on small openings sized for the efficient exchange of payments and services. Behind these glasses, business owners have some level of certainty of the safety of their employees.
Police Stations
BULLETPROOF GLASS in police stations are a relatively new development, but they are welcomed. With bullet-resistant glass and products in the lobby, police officers can screen visitors and keep administrative workers safe. A setup like this would work on a government budget to ensure law enforcement officers feel safe while carrying out their duties.
Not only for the people and industries, as mentioned above but bulletproof can increase the level of safety in any business that works with the public dealing and reserves will also benefit from using bullet-resistant products. Keeping your workers safe will instill confidence in your customers and help attract more patronage.
Financial Institutions
Robberies are not a new thing. But with recent advancements and usage of surveillance cameras, there has been a considerable reduction. But burglaries still happen. Banks now install bulletproof windows and doors to protect employees while they interact with customers and also to keep customers safe while in the bank.
Convenience Stores
Places, where the money is exchanged for goods and services, are often prone to robberies and theft. Like hotels, convenience stores experience massive traffic and influx of people daily. Installing bulletproof windows, doors, and glasses here will be a step in the right direction.
Schools
Although schools should be free from gun violence, recent occurrences of school shootouts have changed the narrative. Schools are now equipped with bulletproof windows and doors to keep students safe. This move is bringing back sanity and gradually calming the nerves of students, teachers, and instructors.
Comparison of Ordinary Glass and Bulletproof Glass
You might be thinking your regular glass is bulletproof. Wrong. Bulletproof glass is made from multiple layers of hardened glass with plastic interlayers. Often, they are made with an extra layer of polycarbonate that prevents the glass from splitting into a thousand shards on the impact of a bullet. This additional layer is responsible for the heaviness and thickness of bulletproof glass.
How it works is; on bullet impact, the energy of the impact spreads out through the layers. Due to the numerous layers of glass and plastic making up the bulletproof component, the energy spreads over a large surface and between layers and easily absorbed. This slows the bullet until it no longer has enough power to penetrate the glass or do much damage. Bulletproof glasses are energy-absorbing. Because although the glass panes break on impact, the plastic layers prevent the layers from flying apart.
Types of Bullets That a Bulletproof Glass can stop and their levels
Just like bullets have varying ranges, so they also have different degrees of strength and resistance. The difference between the degrees of resistance is in the glass thickness. Often varying from 0.25 to 4 inches for protection against different kinds of firepower. There are eight levels of glass resistance to a bullet. One being the lowest and 8, the highest.
Here are examples of bullets and the type of resistant glass appropriate for them, which you can Buy:
Small and large-caliber handguns: these types of firepower require level 1 and 2 protections.
Level 1 types of glass are often used in gas stations and retail outlets, while level 2 types are more appropriate for banks and financial institutions.
Super powered handguns: these types of handguns have more power than small and large caliber handguns. So they require level 3 protection, and they are often used in schools, government buildings, and high occupancy buildings.
Automatic weapons and assault rifles: Due to how rapid automatic weapons shot bullets, level 4-8 protection is more appropriate. The military and high-level government agencies often use this type of protection.
