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Essential Reading

Introduction

Research conducted by NPSA has demonstrated roller shutters have the potential to provide a significant delay to forced entry by marauding attackers using bladed weapons, firearms or placing explosive devices in contact with the roller shutter. 

Products

Roller shutters have the capacity to delay progress by marauding attackers in accordance with NPSA’s Marauding Terrorist Attack Standard (MTAS). Successful products are awarded a sophistication level of either BASIC, LOW, MODERATE, HIGH and EXPERT. Please refer to https://www.npsa.gov.uk/resources/introduction-marauding-terrorist-attack-standard-mtas

MTAS focusses on the delay a barrier can afford against the attacks stated above.  It does not consider the ease with which barriers can be secured and unlocked to aid escape. It is therefore extremely important to understand how easily a barrier can be secured and unlocked to aid escape.

NPSA have assessed three shutters that meet NPSA’s manual forced entry standard (MFES). These are listed in the Catalogue of Security Equipment.  These products have also been awarded sophistication levels in accordance with MTAS. 

NPSA also conducted trials on three other types of internally face fitted roller shutter.  They identified the following design features that may delay attackers’ progress sufficiently to allow people to alleviate themselves from danger:

·       Steel fire roller shutters with curtains formed from 100 mm high by 21.5 mm deep by 1.2 mm thick roll-formed steel laths were capable of delivering at least 30 seconds of resistance to BASIC, LOW and MODERATE ballistic forced entry (BFES) attacks once fully closed.

• Punched and glazed aluminium roller shutters with curtains formed from 74 mm high aluminium laths incorporating 150 mm wide by 28 mm high slots set 24 mm apart and glazed using 2 mm thick by 44 mm high polycarbonate strips were capable of delivering at least the following resistance to marauding attacks in accordance with MTAS when secured from the protected side by a pair of bullet locks:
  • 5 minutes when targeted using BASIC (bladed weapon) attacks;
  • 2 minutes when targeted using LOW ballistic forced entry (BFES) attacks; and
  • 1 minute when targeted using MODERATE ballistic forced entry (BFES) attacks.
• Perforated steel roller shutters with a curtain formed from 82.2 mm high by 15 mm deep by 0.9 mm thick roll-formed steel laths containing 2.8 mm diameter holes at 5 mm centres were capable of delivering at least the following resistance to marauding attacks in accordance with MTAS when secured from the protected side by a pair of bullet locks:
  • 10 minutes when targeted using BASIC (bladed weapon) attacks;
  • 5 minutes when targeted using LOW ballistic forced entry (BFES) attacks;
  • 2 minutes when targeted using MODERATE ballistic forced entry (BFES) attacks; and
  • 1 minute when targeted using HIGH ballistic forced entry (BFES) attacks.

NPSA has not been able to evaluate every variant of roller shutter currently on the market to award each product a MTAS sophistication level. 

Further information can be found in NPSA MTA guidance entitled MTA: Technical Supplement Physical Barriers that delay and discourage attackers.