Answer:
Bullet Resistant (BR) Glass was discovered by accident in 1903, when Edouard Benedictus, a French chemist, accidentally dropped a glass flask on the ground. Since the bottle held liquid nitrate solution, which coated the glass with a plastic layer, the flask broke but did not shatter. That year marked the starting point for BR Glass research and development.
BR Glass, designed and engineered to last for a long time, can have a life-span of up to twenty years with the proper care and maintenance. Regardless, various factors and circumstances may cause you to replace your BR Glass sooner, including the following:
BR Glass that has been damaged
It may appear obvious, but if your branch office has experienced a catastrophic event or robbery that has resulted in any damage to the BR Glass, you will need to replace it. At the point of the visible damage, the glass will be structurally weaker and less able to stand up to attack. In addition to the structure and safety factor, BR Glass that is visibly damaged and not replaced projects an unattractive image for your branch office.
During building renovations
Building renovations, which can involve anything from minor and superficial changes to the furniture, wall coverings, and flooring, to a total transformation of the branch office design and structure. Since many renovations will involve shifting the structural materials that provide the basis or support for the BR Glass, system viability may have been compromised. BR Glass with underlying foundations that have been weakened will be less likely overall to stand up to an attack.
When your BR Glass begins to yellow or crack
After years or decades of exposure to regular UV rays that are present everywhere, BR Glass may start to take on a yellowish tint. The yellowing is a natural process, and doesn’t affect the safety, structure, or strength of the BR Glass: however, the cloudy appearance is unattractive and unprofessional. Additionally, cleaning the BR Glass with the wrong products can produce a chemical reaction that creates surface irregularities that are virtually impossible to remove and look like cracks. These also create an undesirable appearance.
This Q&A originally appeared in Bankers' Hotline. For more information, sample issues, and to subscribe, click here or email bh@bankersonline.com
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