Security always has been, and always will be, at the forefront of any business owner’s mind, and in order to accurately assess construction materials and products, it is necessary to put a security standards policy into operation. In the UK, this role is performed by the British Research Establishment (BRE), who offer a range of security ratings for building materials. The BRE comprises of the Loss Prevention Board (LPB) who carry out controlled testing on security products to establish a Loss Prevention Standard (LPS), which is used as a guideline for consumers wishing to provide an adequate level of security in their commercial or industrial premises.
Roller Shutter Doors
These are frequently used for commercial and retail outlets, and the required security standard would currently be 1175, which is its seventh issue, and any door that is labelled with 1175 would have been tested against specific tools for a specified amount of time. The tests are carried out by engineers who use a stringent protocol, and they make every effort to breach the door within the set timeframe, and providing they are not successful, the door is certified with LPS 1175 Issue 7. All steel security rated doors should at least have LPS 1175 with SR1, as this is the minimum level of security, and with ongoing testing, there will be newer versions from time to time.
Security Rating (SR)
Here is a short overview of the British Security Rating system, which runs from SR 1-8.
- Security Rating 1 – Rated to withstand an opportunist attack by bodily, physical force using minimal tools.
- Security Rating 2 – A determined physical attack using high technology tools.
- Security Rating 3 – A deliberate attempt at forced entry using specified tools and a range of approaches.
- Security Rating 4 – Experienced attempts at forced entry.
- Security Rating 5 – Experienced attempts at forced entry using a wider range of tools.
- Security Rating 6 – A Professional attempt at forced entry into a high value storage area after successfully breaching the premises outer security.
- Security Rating 7 – Experienced and professional attempts at gaining forced entry using an extensive list of high powered tools.
- Security Rating 8 – Extreme attempts at forced entry which fall short of using vehicles, firearms or explosives.
For each level, there is a separate list of tools used for the testing, and the higher the security level, the more tools that are used.
Consumer Protection
It is essential when dealing with commercial and industrial security to have a set of measurable standards, and the LPB and SR systems offer rigorous testing that certifies the product can withstand the specific types of attacks as listed. Most commercial insurers would specify the level of security the doors must have, and if you are looking for security options for your business premises, be sure to look for the LPS, which is widely recognized in the UK and Europe, and whatever you are protecting, you can be sure the security doors are up to the task.
There are specialist companies that stock a wide range of security doors, screens, and louvre units, and if you see the LPB and SR ratings, you can accurately decide what units are suitable for your needs.
