Window Safety Film Test Program

Window safety film offers a significant reduction in glass fragment hazards and can greatly reduce risks to personnel during explosive events. Safety film can be installed in a retrofit application in a number of configurations providing cost effective hazard reduction.

With several associate companies, GDA recently undertook what is believed to be the largest single test series on such safety film conducted for a single commercial sponsor.

Several of the more widely used configurations were tested multiple times to provide a significant number of data points, especially when compared with similar test programs.

Working with GDA were the Canadian Explosives Research Laboratory (CERL) and Defense Research Establishment Suffield (DRES) in Ralston, Alberta, for EQE International, Inc., (EQE). The commercial sponsors were Madico Inc and CHB Industries Inc.

The Basis of the Test Program

The US Government agency General Services Administration (GSA) sponsored limited testing of safety film in a retrofit situation, establishing the design loads and required levels of protection in their Draft Security Criteria. The Interagency Security Committee (ISC) also developed security criteria which, based largely on the GSA criteria, establishes requirements for US federal office buildings. GSA has also developed a test method: "Standard Test Method for Glazing and Glazing Systems" which is a modification of ASTM F1642-96.

For more information on the testing and results, click here. The FrameGARD Anchoring System was one of the protection methods under test.

Version: 3.E November 2001

Copyright © GDA 2001

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This page was last updated on 1 November 2001