Security Film

With this school year closing in on Spring Break, many districts are looking into facility security upgrades to improve school security and enhance student safety. Many of the upgrades being discussed and implemented across the country have to do with school security and student safety. It is an unfortunate thing that school safety has become a mainstay in the news. It becomes difficult to discuss school security and student safety strategies without appearing to have an agenda or be trying to sell something.

While we want to be sensitive to this, we also feel that it is important to share information that can have a positive impact on these incidents in the future. This article is designed to illuminate the topic of glass being one of the greatest school safety vulnerabilities.

A recent article in Campus Safety Magazine called 9 Ways to Improve Safety on an Open Campus discusses a variety of different tactics to improve school security and enhance student safety. Of the various things they discussed, they mention “Apply security glazing film to all first-floor doors and window glass. Start with door glass first and continue until all first-floor glass is secure.”

Liz Crawford wrote another article titled “Is Your Child’s School Safe? Examining The Top 3 School Safety Vulnerabilities“. She noted glass as being one of the top 3 vulnerabilities because of the extensive use of tempered glass in schools. She, along with Craig Gundry, Vice President with Critical Intervention Services, discussed and said “Another common security vulnerability in schools is extensive use of tempered glass glazing. Tempered glass shatters into small pieces and Gundry believes one gunshot into the glass will make it easy for a gunman to enter the building. Critical Intervention Services estimates a gunman can get into a school in roughly nine seconds if confronted with tempered glass.”

Gundry Aldo said, “One of the reasons tempered glass has historically been much more common in architectural design as well as indoor environments is because of the price. It is less than half the price typically of laminated glass,”. We unfortunately see this specification in schools regularly. There is good news though. This school safety vulnerability can be addressed by retrofitting existing school glass with a security window film. When someone tries to gain access through the glass of a protected door or window, the security window film would allow the glass to break, but it would maintain the glass in the frame. While this film / glass combination can eventually be penetrated to gain access, the objective is to create resistance. Slow the entry down.

The goal should be giving school officials and authorities time to respond. Window film offers a cost effective solution with minimal disruption to the facility.

If you would like more information or have any questions about how security window films can improve school security and student safety, please contact us by calling 801-810-8468 or email us at info@shadedglass.com. We would be happy to provide you with a free property assessment and estimate on retrofitting security window film in your Orem, Utah area school.

As children across the country begin heading back to school full time, a mainstay of the news has become school safety and what can be done to protect students and staff. While a great deal of the safety is focused on COVID related modifications, many of the upgrades being discussed and implemented across the country also have to do with school security vulnerabilities as it relates to student safety.

It is very unfortunate that physical school security has become a primary topic of conversation, but it is part of the reality of the world in 2022. It sometimes is difficult to discuss school security and student safety strategies without appearing to have an agenda or be trying to sell something. While we are sensitive to this, we also feel that it is important to share information that can have a positive impact on potential incidents in the future. This article is designed to illuminate the topic of glass being one of the greatest school safety vulnerabilities.

Liz Crawford wrote a piece recently titled “Is Your Child’s School Safe? Examining The Top 3 School Safety Vulnerabilities“. In this article, she noted glass as being one of the top three vulnerabilities because of the extensive use of tempered glass in schools. She, along with Craig Gundry, Vice President with Critical Intervention Services, discussed and said “Another common security vulnerability in schools is extensive use of tempered glass glazing. Tempered glass shatters into small pieces and Gundry believes one gunshot into the glass will make it easy for a gunman to enter the building. Critical Intervention Services estimates a gunman can get into a school in roughly nine seconds if confronted with tempered glass.”

Gundry also said, “One of the reasons tempered glass has historically been much more common in architectural design as well as indoor environments is because of the price. It is less than half the price typically of laminated glass,”.

While it is true that we see this specification in schools regularly, there is good news. This school safety vulnerability can be addressed by retrofitting existing tempered school glass with a security window film. When someone tries to gain access through the glass of a protected door or window, the security window film would allow the glass to break, but it would maintain the glass in the frame. While this film / glass combination can eventually be penetrated to gain access, the objective is to create resistance that slows the entry down. The goal is by slowing the entry down that will be giving school officials and local authorities time to respond to the threat.

If you would like more information or have any questions about how security window films can help address school security vulnerabilities, please contact us by calling 801-810-8468 or email us at info@shadedglass.com. We would be happy to provide you with a free property assessment and estimate on retrofitting security window film in your Orem, Utah area school.

As we wrap up the school year across the country, many school look to upgrade facilities over the Summer break. While many upgrades relate to the health aspects of the school environment, there is also a lot of attention being paid to school safety and security vulnerabilities. To better inform you in this area, we wanted to share a quick summary of an article in School Construction News entitled “Window Film: A Necessary Safety Measure for Schools“. This article explains what a security window film can do and why is should be added to the necessary school safety measures.

The article begins by stating that “Safety and security window film is a tool that, when integrated with a well-planned system of security measures, can offer a school community both greater security and greater peace of mind. Safety and security film is a polyester-based product that, when professionally installed, strengthens a building’s windows, which in turn protects the building and its occupants.” But how exactly can it accomplish this? We summarize their findings below.

2 Ways Security Window Film Enhances School Safety and Security

• Increases Intrusion Resistance of Glass – The article notes that “Windows and doors are the most vulnerable parts of a building. They are points of entry for people that may mean harm to the occupants. Glass is also an inviting target for vandals intent on mischief or worse. The main benefit of safety and security film is to provide an invisible shield that offers protection from broken glass and deters or delays unwanted entry.“Think of security window film as part of an overall system to prevent unwanted access to the facility.As the article states, “…use of safety window film alone will not prevent intrusion through glass. Instead, it increases the amount of time needed to break through and can deter the efforts of the potential intruder altogether after multiple unsuccessful attempts to enter through the filmed glass.” By slowing the intruder down, the facility has time to implement other safety measures including notifying local authorities. The goal of the window film is to slow down how quickly the intruder can gain access to the interior of the building.
• Improved Privacy and Protection – The ability of a potential intruder to see into the school can arm them with information better kept hidden. The article mentions this by saying, “As most schools operate during daylight hours, an intruder can still see into classrooms — even if the blinds are drawn in some cases. Each window is essentially a map to the entire school. Potential intruders can easily see in and gather details of the entire school — the hallways, media center, office, cafeteria, etc. — which makes it easier to create a plan to gain entry and target victims.” Fortunately, security window film comes in various shades and reflectivity levels to help obscure the interior details of the building and the activities within during daylight hours.

If you would like more information about how security window film can be added to your school safety measures, contact us today by calling 801-810-8468 or emailing us at info@shadedglass.com. We are located in Orem, Utah and service the entire surrounding area.

We’re passionate about the ways that window films can add value to nearly any space. From residences to commercial buildings, films bring energy efficiency, reduce glare, and add style for a cost-effective price. However, one of the lesser known benefits of window films is their security-enhancing features. Though they are installed on existing windows by professionals with minimum disruption, security window films pack some serious benefits that can enhance any security strategy your home or commercial facility has in place. In this article, we summarize 3 key benefits of security window films.

3 Key Benefits Provided by Security Window Films

Harder for Burglars Gain Entry – Windows and glass doors are some of the most common places for burglars to target. The website Alarms.org even reported that 95% of all home invasions involved a forceful entry, almost always breaking a window or kicking in a door. And with burglaries happening once every 23 seconds in the United States, it’s a serious business to protect your property from theft and damage. While the glass can still be broken, properly installed security window film will make it more difficult for the burglar to gain entry through the glass. We always recommend a layered approach to security. Combining an properly set up alarm system with a security window film will allow the alarm to sound while not allowing easy access. Often, by making it much harder to access the space through the glass will cause the burglar to flee in search of an easier target. Protecting your windows with a security film is an easy way to make it that much harder for a criminal to enter your property.

Reduce the Negative Effects from Blast Events – Another area of concern are blast events. This can take the form of either bomb attacks or unforeseen explosions. Whether it’s man-made act or an unfortunate accident, a blast turns the weakest point of a building (the glass windows) into dangerous projectiles hurtling through the air. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) reports that lacerations from flying glass are a significant portion of all injuries from explosion incidents. However, a professionally installed protective security window film can create a barrier of protection. The film acts to hold the broken glass in place and reduce the risk of injury from flying shards.

Maintain Building Envelopes and Reduce Risk in Natural Disaster Situations – Though an explosion like we discussed is fortunately an uncommon occurrence, natural disasters can affect all of us. Shattered glass during a hurricane, tornado, or earthquake poses a huge risk to your safety, especially for those taking shelter inside. Just like we mentioned above regarding protection in the events of a blast event, security window films can provide a protective layer that keeps a building envelope intact and reduces flying glass shards. Having the majority of the glass remain attached to the film also makes it safer after the event when rescue and cleanup efforts begin.

We hope that this article gives you some insight into the key ways you can increase safety at your facility utilizing these films. If you have questions about security window films, contact us today by calling 801-810-8468  or emailing us at info@shadedglass.com. We would be happy to answer any questions you may have and to arrange for a free, no obligation consultation and estimate of implementing these films into your Orem, Utah area space.

A recent article in Campus Security Magazine entitled “Now Is the Time to Improve Your Campus Security and Safety Infrastructure” discusses why, with recent federal funding, school security upgrades should be a priority. The article starts by saying, “If your school district, college or university has outdated infrastructure (and, let’s face it, what educational facility doesn’t?), there is no better time than now to make upgrades. That’s because a whole lot of federal funding has recently become available for these types of projects.”

Many schools have already utilized state and federal funding for security window films, but this latest round of funding enables them to enhance the work that may have already been done. We know that windows and glass door are often a main security vulnerability in school facilities. In another article entitled “Is Your Child’s School Safe? Examining the Top 3 School Safety Vulnerabilities“, the article noted glass as being one of the top three vulnerabilities because of the extensive use of tempered glass in schools. The good news is that this school safety vulnerability can be addressed by retrofitting existing tempered school glass with a security window film. In addition, about $280 billion is currently available for K-12 and higher education infrastructure improvements.

The article goes on to state that This means that this money can be used for a wide variety of solutions that improve the long-term safety and health of students, faculty and staff..” and that “Schools and institutions of higher education would be foolish not to take advantage of these opportunities.”

Finally, in a District Administration Magazine article entitled “Building Blocks of a School Security Plan”, the article states “Make your building perimeter harder to penetrate. If you already have locks on your outside doors, the next item you should consider on your list is security film for your windows. After the doors, the next obvious place a person with bad intentions will try to enter the building is through your windows. Security film maintains the integrity of the window, even if the glass is broken. It helps to hold the glass in place, acting as a screen that is difficult to breach, even with a sledge hammer or baseball bat. I believe that simple is better. Make sure that your plan is based on principles such as distance or time. Ask yourself, Does this security device offer my community additional time by delaying the threat?”

The evidence is clear that security window films can be an vital part of any school security program. If you would like more information or have any questions about window films being used for these school security upgrades, please contact us by calling 801-810-8468 or emailing us at info@shadedglass.com. We would be happy to provide you with a free property assessment and estimate on retrofitting security window film in your Orem, Utah area school.

With “Back to School” upon us, we wanted to share an article about school safety and how security window film can be part of an overall solution to keep kids safe. This article was in Business Insider and is titled “Here are the best ways to protect schools, workplaces, and ourselves from active shooters.”

The article talks about a variety of ways to increase school safety, and they specifically mention security window film. The article states the following in the section on the use of technology to improve safety: “Protective and intrusion resistant doors and windows creating delays in an aggressor’s ability to gain entry. For pre-existing locations the addition of protective window film, improved locking mechanisms and/or frames as well as other reinforcement techniques can be effective.” The article discusses the use of “security in layers” as a way to improve school safety. It states, “Effective security requires a layered approach incorporating the use of personnel in primary and auxiliary security roles and employing multiple physical and physiological impediments deterring and delaying the entry of unapproved individuals. If deterring or preventing attacks is not achieved the alternate goal is the ability to delay the aggressors long enough to detect and stop them prior to reaching their target. Generally speaking the more effective layers used, the better the result.”

We want to briefly explain what protective security window film is and how it can be used to increase school safety. These films are designed to be used in conjunction with other measures to add am additional layer of security as part of the overall system. Security window films are not designed to be the solitary solution. So, what is it exactly? Security window film is typically a clear layer of polyester film that is applied to a building’s existing windows on the interior surface of the glass. The film comes in a variety of different thicknesses and can be installed in several different ways depending on the level of safety or security required. Once installed, this film will hold the glass fragments of the window together in the event of a break.

As it relates to school safety and security, this film will hold glass fragments together and reduce the potential of injury from broken or flying glass in a natural disaster, an act of terrorism or inadvertent breakage. In addition, and in the way the article was referring to, this film by keeping the glass intact will slow down or impede potential intruders from gaining access to the building and give authorities time to respond. Often, intruders are looking for the fastest and easiest point of access and because doors and gates have been fortified in recent years, the next easier access point would be through a window. That is why safety and security film should be considered as a way to fortify this vulnerability and add a layer of security.

To read the complete article in Business Insider, click HERE We hope this article has helped you better understand how security window film can be used to enhance school safety. Contact your school to find out what technologies they are implementing to keep your children and their students safer. If you, or your school district, have any questions, call us at (801) 810-TINT(8468) or fill out a form at here. We would be happy to arrange a free, no obligation consultation and discuss how you can implement a window film solution in your home.