How do Banks Know When it’s Time to Replace Bulletproof Glass?

22 May 2019
22 May 2019, Comments Comments Off on How do Banks Know When it’s Time to Replace Bulletproof Glass?

Although we’re going to focus on banks and financial institutions in this article, the general ideas behind knowing when to replace bulletproof glass can be applied to bullet-resistant products at any business, facility, or building. 

For those of us in the security world, it’s well understood that banks are some of the most public and targetable businesses when it comes to security threats. With so much foot traffic every day of all sorts of individuals, you never know where a threat might come from. With the threat employees and customers might face from anyone intent on robbing a bank, it should be at the top of every bank’s list of priorities to take the measures necessary to make sure they don’t put lives or profits in danger. 

There are a variety of safety and protection measures a bank or financial business can put in place. Locks, alarms, security camera systems, and metal detectors are all good at spotting issues and keeping the inside of the building secure against unwanted entry. However, if someone gets into the bank who shouldn’t, these will not be able to stop them from becoming an immediate danger to employees, including the threat of gun violence. This is where providing a bulletproof glass or bullet-resistant barrier system comes into play.

Bullet-Resistant Products 101: Clarifying the Terminology

To start, it’s important to know what terms in the ballistic security industry really mean, and how they do or do not reflect reality. The term “bulletproof glass” is used commonly enough that it’s become acknowledged as a security term even though it is technically inaccurate. Truth be told, there is no such thing as “bulletproof glass.” 

First of all, many of the windows and other security measures created as a customized security system to guard against guns and other threats are not actually made of glass. Some are, but other materials are common as well (such as acrylic, polycarbonate, and so on), especially for buildings with less intensive requirements. Second, and more importantly, there is no such thing as truly bulletproof glass. Bullet-resistant security measures come in eight levels of bullet resistance, but with enough punishment they can break down. A bigger gun with a bigger bullet is out there that can get through most any “bulletproof” glass. Still, because of popular usage, we use the terms “bullet proof” and “bullet-resistant” interchangeably.

For banks (and other businesses), it’s important for employee safety and loss prevention to keep their bullet-resistant security systems up to date. Below are some of the circumstances signaling it’s time to replace bulletproof glass in a bank or financial business.

Replace Damaged Bulletproof Glass

It sounds obvious, but if your bank has had an accident or attempted robbery that has resulted in any damage to your bulletproof glass, you’ll need to replace it. At the point where visible damage has taken place, the glass will be structurally weaker and less able to withstand an attack of any sort, which means less protection for each employee. Any damage to bulletproof glass means its integrity has been compromised. Aside from the structure and safety factor, bulletproof glass that is visibly damaged in a bank will project a terrible image of the safety, security and respectability of any bank that does not replace their glass.

Replace Bulletproof Glass During Your Next Building Renovation

Building renovations to banks or financial institution buildings can mean anything between minor and superficial changes to a total change in the look of the building and structure on the inside. Since many renovations will involve shifting the structural materials that provide the basis or structure that the bulletproof glass rests on, it’s impossible to know how much damage you might be doing to the structure of your bulletproof glass when you change these elements. Weakened bulletproof glass may not withstand the type of gun attacks it was designed to protect against, so always consult with a professional. 

Also, if you’re planning to upgrade the level of protection at your site, this will entail bullet-resistant glass products that increase in weight (and cost) with each increase in protection levels, which means you want to ensure the structural integrity of the areas where installation will occur can handle the additional weight. Creative Industries has decades of experience in the industry, and our design and installation experts will be able to provide the guidance you need.

Replace Bulletproof Glass that Appears to be Yellowing or Cracking

After several decades of exposure to regular UV rays that are present everywhere, a window made of bulletproof glass may begin to take on a yellowish tint. This is a natural process and doesn’t affect the integrity, safety, or structure of the bulletproof glass, but it might not project the image you want your customers to see. Additionally, it’s natural to want to keep bulletproof windows clean, but if cleaned with the wrong cleaning materials, it can undergo a chemical reaction and develop what looks like cracks or scratches in the surface that are impossible to wipe off. These also create an undesirable appearance and might mean it’s time for a change to put the best possible presentation on display. For more information on the proper cleaning of bullet-resistant glass, see Purchasing Bullet Resistant Glass, Frequently Asked Questions.

Creative Industries: Greater Peace of Mind for Businesses of All Types

You can learn a lot more about the “transparent armor” of bullet-resistant glass products by exploring our website, which is chock full of useful information. Explore the standard products we offer across several product lines on our products page. Check out our industries page to see the types of businesses, organizations, and facilities using our products. Visit our portfolio page to see examples of our work for different companies. And don’t miss our blog page, which is your gateway to tons of informative articles about bullet-resistant glass and related products, including current trends and developments in the industry.

The experts at Creative Industries have been leaders in the bulletproof system industry for more than four decades. We put our experience to work for each customer by first taking the time to understand your business or facility and its needs before guiding you through which quality bullet-resistant barrier and related products we make that will meet those needs. We are also mindful that every business has a budget, and we always do our best to keep the cost within a reasonable range for you. To learn more and make sure your bank or financial business has the bullet-resistant glass and related products it needs, get in touch with us today through the contact page of our website or by calling us directly using our toll-free number: 800-776-2068. We look forward to assisting you!