Upcoming Conference: ASIS International 2011, Orlando Florida
It is hard to believe that an entire year has passed, but ’tis true, that time of year has rolled around again. ASIS International will be holding their next (the 57th!) Annual Seminar and Exhibits on September 19 – 22, in Orlando, Florida. Stone Security Engineering is looking forward to attending this conference, both to share information with the security community and to learn from other security professionals. We are pleased to announce that Hollice Stone will again be presenting. This year, the topic will be Security Engineering In High Threat Environments in a session on Tuesday, September 20, 2011 at 11:00 AM. Please come by to say hello and to share in the discussion.
Stone Quoted in SecurityInfoWatch.com Article
Check out this recent article from Joel Griffin of SecurityInfoWatch.com: 6 Tips for Hardening Buildings Against Explosions.
Stone Security Engineering recently supported the General Services Administration in developing an engineering based interpretation of the 2010 ISC Physical Security Criteria for Federal Facilities. GSA’s new document is scheduled for release in September. The new GSA document will address blast and progressive collapse requirements and will be applicable to all GSA buildings and other facilities, covered by the ISC Physical Security Criteria for Federal Facilities, that are classified as FSL III or IV.
The 2010 ISC Physical Security Criteria for Federal Facilities superseded the ISC Security Design Criteria for New Federal Office Buildings and Major Modernization Projects, September 29, 2004 and the ISC Security Standards for Leased Space, September 29, 2004. There are many differences between the Current and Superseded documents that may result in significant differences on the final design of buildings. It is important that project teams understand these differences early in project design and planning so that they may be effectively implemented.
Stone Security Engineering will be providing face to face and web-based training as soon as the document is released. Send us an email at info@StoneSecurityEngineering.com if you are interested in participating.
In previous briefings, we discussed blast resistant film installations, blast basics, and the relationship between standoff distance and protection.
This post continues our information sharing by discussing the two basic types of specifications and specific types of information that we recommend be included when specifying blast resistant products.
Generally, there are two primary categories of specifications: Prescriptive and Performance.
Prescriptive Specifications: This type of specification is generally used for mitigation measure solutions which are fully designed and analyzed by the design team. These may include built-in-place solutions such as new concrete walls, installation of geotextile “catcher” solutions for non-structural walls, built-in-place anti ram barriers such as bollards, etc. Prescriptive requirements such as specific material types, strengths, and in some cases, installation requirements would be included in these specifications. The accompanying drawings would include specific details for installation.
Performance Specifications: Where built-in-place solutions are not feasible, manufactured systems may be specified. These systems are generally described by their performance characteristics such as providing a specified level of protection to a specific pressure and impulse. Blast resistant windows, doors and anti-shatter film are almost always specified in this manner. When using performance specifications, it is critical that all of the major performance characteristics are included. Equally important is that the specification includes a clear explanation of what the manufacturer must provide in order to prove compliance with the performance requirements. Without this, it is difficult to ensure that the building owner will receive products that meet their requirements. For instance, when specifying blast resistant windows, the following are some of the items that should be included in the specifications:
