In response to this, an industry has developed to mitigate these threats by the development and testing of a wide range of products. These are specifically designed to:

• limit or prevent the access of vehicles to areas such as crowded places or sensitive sites
• protect from ballistic and blast attack
• prevent forced entry
• and various additional purposes.

The first impact testing standard to be developed, US DoS SD-STD-02.01, was as a result of VBIED attacks in 1983 against a US military target in Beirut. This standard was originally published by the Bureau of Diplomatic Security and issued in 1985. It quickly became the international benchmark for impact testing standards – until the UK’s PAS 68 standard was released in 2005. References to the old US standard are still seen in specifications today (K4, K8, K12) even though this has long since been superseded by newer testing protocols on both sides of the Atlantic.

The US DoS standard was replaced in 2007 by the US ASTM F2656-07 standard (subsequently updated to ASTM F2656-23). This was itself latterly transformed into a CEN Workshop Agreement – CWA 16221:2010.

Regardless of which of the above testing standards you encounter in use around the world, it is important to understand that impact testing to a recognised standard is designed to give confidence in a product, as it has undergone actual physical testing rather than just being the result of theoretical evaluation. The key to having this confidence results from these tests being independently conducted to a specific standard by a suitably accredited testing organisation, rather than just being reliant on the claims of an individual manufacturer.

The marketplace for protection measures currently includes a wide selection of powered or manually operated entry point control systems (active barriers) as well as static or fixed barrier solutions (passive barriers). Many of these measures are available as both temporary and permanent solutions and can be conventional foundation mounted, shallow foundation mounted, or surface mounted. These give the end-user a wide range of possible solutions covering most eventualities.

The main categories of products that have been developed to counter hostile actors are fences, gates, bollards, road blockers, rising arm barriers, street furniture, pedestrian portals, longitudinal barriers, access control systems and blast/ballistic protection. In each of these categories, there are today a wide variety of tested products available of varying performance and appearance, providing a huge range of options available in order to tackle potential threats specific to any particular situation. Further information on each category is available in the product options section of this website.

The protective security industry as a whole continues to develop innovative solutions as it seeks to mitigate not only existing but also future developing risks linked to both accidents and deliberate attacks.

The PSSA is the foremost trade body specifically representing the interests of protective security manufacturers, both in the UK and from around the world. It was formed with the specific aim of promoting best practice amongst its many leading industry members, whilst helping to ensure end user confidence in its members, their products and services.