Home About Writers Categories Recent Issues Subscribe Contact File Transfer





Bob Crager
Bob Crager of Lewis Street Glass is a 26 year veteran in the glass business. Lewis Street Glass is a leading Wichita Glass company, serving the entire Wichita/Sedgwick County area since 1919. They do anything and everything having to do with glass, both residential and commercial. They also do Auto glass. They are located at 743 South Market, facing Kellogg on the South, and you can reach them by phone at (316) 263-8259. You can email Bob Crager at bcrager@lewisstreetglass.com
Glass
2013-01-02 14:14:19
Commercial buildings & unprotected glass
A-Whether we're talking about a 9-11 type terrorist attack, a police car chase, a storefront business or office with display windows, a shopping mall, or a stand alone building with employees and consumers who enter and exit the facility, it’s pretty clear that nearly everyone in law enforcement or public works knows that unprotected glass poses a number of severe dangers concerning these, and all of the other applications of glass in our lives . An explosion or even violent weather, such as a tornado, high straight-line winds, or a hurricane, can catapult unprotected razor sharp glass up to 150 miles per hour or more. Sometimes much more! During the World Trade Center terrorist attack, there were many, many deaths and injuries that resulted from the shards of glass from the buildings that were struck, eventually coming down, causing the broken glass to fly up to a half mile away from the collapsing structures. You don’t want to be in the vicinity where broken glass is falling! In the bombing of the Alfred P. Murrah Building in Oklahoma City, more than 50% of the injuries sustained were the result of flying glass from the blast! Property damage to the interior of buildings was also a costly consequence, as shattered and fallen glass left dozens of adjacent buildings vulnerable to looters, as well as much water and weather intrusion damage. There are also some other safety issues to consider. Many experts on glass fragmentation retention advise law enforcement officials and security directors to safeguard their buildings and vehicles by adding protection to the glass windows in addition to their current security measures. Many business owners and operators are now making the investment in specialty glass, not only for security reasons, but also to head off liability issues from the possible accidental breaking of glass windows and doors, sometimes causing life threatening injuries to people in close proximity to their business or office locations when something goes wrong. In today’s world, things happen…unexpected things that can be devastating to the bottom line of a business. Looking ahead to those possibilities and doing something to prevent them is not a bad thing to consider in a litigious world. Some of the products to accomplish this are made from a raw polyester compound that transforms ordinary glass into a super-strength invisible barrier. This unique glass retention film minimizes the risk of bodily injury and property damage by holding the dangerous razor sharp shards together within the window frames, preventing the flying glass from becoming deadly weapons. New windows or doors with glass retention film can be installed in a new building during construction, or the film can be installed to existing windows as a retrofit safety measure. In the last few years with all the civil unrest we've been seeing, it was realized that there would be a tremendous future need and a multitude of applications for this incredibly strong, yet simple polyester film used with glass. The product was originally developed as a defense against bomb blasts and explosions, and there was then a market developing for a number of different variations of the original product. By changing the thickness of the polyester, the type of adhesive used, and in some cases, adding color, such as tinting, new products were brought to the market. With those modifications and others, the industry began targeting specific applications and new market segments began to develop. Facing growing threats from terrorism, rioting and other armed assailants, many law enforcement and terrorist fighting agencies worldwide were looking for cost-effective ways to increase vehicle security. Instead of installing expensive ballistic glass in their vehicles, many local, state and national law enforcement agencies have opted to have the less expensive glass retention film installed. Glass is one of the weakest points in any physical structure’s security program, and the most secure facilities are generally the ones with the least accessible glass. Glass is often chosen by intruders as an entry point because it normally breaks easily. Even the most sophisticated alarm system sounds only after the burglar or other intruder has entered a home or business. And a burglar knows that he needs only a minimal amount of time inside to wreak havoc, and carry away some valuable merchandise. According to the FBI's Unified Crime Report, almost 70 percent of all burglaries involved forced entry through a window or door. Law enforcement agencies across the board credit glass retention film applications in preventing "smash and grab" crimes against businesses and private homes. While a criminal may muster enough force to shatter the window, it will require repeated and attention getting blows to break through glass protected with properly applied glass retention film. Generally, a burglar cannot risk the time needed to break through this product, and will usually, very quickly, abandon the attempt. Vandalism and burglaries have been an increasing problem in many areas of the country in recent years. As mentioned earlier, natural disasters such as hurricanes, earthquakes and tornadoes can strike anytime, anywhere, sometimes without much advance warning, catapulting flying glass, debris and water at lightning speeds through the air. Some glass retention films are intended for strong wind loads that may create excessive wind load pressures for extended periods of time. In some cases, glass retention film can eliminate the need to board up windows prior to a violent storm as you’ve seen folks do on the coasts in advance of an approaching Hurricane. There are now companies that offer consulting services for law enforcement agencies, security directors and facility managers on blast protection preparedness. Since the terrorist attacks at the World Trade Center and the Pentagon, as well as our consulate in Benghazi, these companies have been inundated with appeals from both the private and public sectors requesting immediate installations and threat assessments. When evaluating the risks, they have to look at the height of the buildings, the direction of the glass, the type and age of the window frames, how they are secured to the building, among other things. Flying glass is a danger not only in internal areas, but also zones such as windows facing a parking lot or a walkway where the public may be at risk. The type of glass also dictates what type of protection is needed. While safety glass or ballistic glass are exceptionally high quality and can also be used against acts of terrorism and explosions, they are more expensive and not practical for most non governmental or military facilities. If the owner of a facility is concerned with terrorism and budget is not a concern, the choice will be the higher cost, more effective ballistic glass installation over the less expensive film applications every time. A phone call or email to your full service glass dealer can provide you with good information on what you can affordably do right now to protect your customers, your business buildings, and your existing glass! I hope this information helps you with your questions. Some information was researched on the world wide web. More next month…
 
The Q & A Times Journal accepts no responsibility for unsolicited manuscripts or photographs.Materials will not be returned unless accompanied by a stamped, self-addressed envelope. Thank you.
 
Wildcard SSL Certificates