Protection from Blast

Introduction

Explosives are used by terrorists to target people, buildings and other infrastructure and to generate fear and publicity. Mostly, terrorists will construct improvised weapons, known as Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs). The design (size, type of explosives, use of fragmentation, means of initiation etc) and deployment (targeting, tactics etc) of IEDs will vary greatly between terrorist groups, their geographic location/operating environment and the effect they seek on an intended target.

Types of Weapons and Delivery Methods

When developing any requirements for blast protection, the likelihood, vulnerabilities and potential impact of weapons and their delivery methods needs to be assessed. Examples of different weapons and delivery methods are detailed below:

• Person Borne Improvised Explosive Devices (PBIED)
• Vehicle Borne Improvised Explosive Devices (VBIED)
• Hand Delivered Improvised Explosive Devices (HDIED)
• Under Vehicle Improvised Explosive Devices (UVIED)
• Postal/mail delivered Improvised Explosive Devices
• Grenades (including improvised)
• Shaped charges
• Mortars and improvised mortars (both direct and indirect fire)
• Rockets
• Improvised Incendiary Devices (technically these are incendiary devices rather than blast weapons)

Guidance on the likelihood and tactical use of the above against a given target should be sought from your NPSA adviser (if you are a customer of NPSA) or your local police Counter Terrorism Security Adviser.

Effects from an IED

The effects from an IED detonating include a blast wave, fireball, primary and secondary fragmentation, and a crater. Measures to manage the risks, should consider how to protect against these effects.

These effects are not limited to the targeted asset alone, they can affect neighbouring buildings and infrastructure. Knowing your neighbours and understanding their risks will help to determine if additional risks need to be considered. 

Measures to Manage the Risk

The design of a building and the security measures put in place may influence the damage to buildings and the hazard created to people inside. When developing security measures, a three-step approach should be followed: 

1. Keep the threat as far away as possible from the potential target
2. Keep the threat outside the potential target
3. Implement physical protective measures (Target harden)

Keeping the threat away from a potential target by maximising stand-off distance, is likely to produce the lowest cost solution and greatest risk reduction. Further measures that can be taken to reduce harm to individuals or damage to the assets, include:

'Keep it away' 

• Designing facility/building entry points to minimise the impact of an attack

Further information on each of these areas is available via the page links.

Multiple Threats

Where a facility/asset requires protection from a range of threats, including for example firearms, forced entry etc, then these multiple requirements should be determined from the outset, as it is common for these to cause conflicting protection needs.

Responding to Blast Threat

Any measures designed to mitigate the risk from a blast threat should be integrated into the wider sites security operations. This should include plans on how locations respond to an incident and how it will be managed.

Given the nature of IEDs and blast attacks, it is essential to ensure threats and vulnerabilities are reviewed and managed appropriately.

Continuous Review

Given the nature of IED and blast attacks, it is essential to ensure a regular review of ongoing threats and vulnerabilities to make certain that they any changes in threat, vulnerability or the effectiveness of mitigations, are understood and managed appropriately. 

Specialist Advice

It is recommended that if your site/facility requires blast protection, that you employ a security specialist with the relevant skills and experience - see the Register of Security Engineers and Specialists for more information.