What is LPS1175 & SR Rating?

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LPS1175 Issue 8 Certificate Zaun

What is LPS 1175, and what is an SR Rating?

SR Ratings and LPS 1175 is the requirements and testing procedures for the LPCB approval. A listing of intruder resistant building components, strong points, security enclosures, and free-standing barriers, fencing, and gates.

LPS 1175 covers the broadest scope of physical security products and services of any publicly available standard globally. LPS 1175 results from many years of work by LPCB, the UK Government, Insurers, and the Police. It has rapidly become a core element of physical security specification across many sectors.

The standard comprises several security ratings with test requirements of ascending intensity. These are measured in terms of attack tools and also time available to the attacker. This enables specifiers to select products according to the risks that they and their property face.

LPS 1175 is used in a range of applications, from residential rights to critical infrastructure projects.

Products provide resistance to extreme means of attempted forced entry into higher value areas.

What are the ratings?

Under Issue 7 – Security Ratings would be listed as follows

SR1 & SR2 Rated Products – Provide the minimum levels of recognised resistance to opportunist attempts at forced entry using various techniques, including those that create noise, such as those involving breaking glass.

SR3 Rated Products – Provide moderate resistance to determined attempts of force entry using a range of techniques, including those that involve the creation of noise.

SR4 & 5 Rated Products – Resist experienced attempts at forced entry using a wide range of tools, including battery-powered tools lasting up to 10 minutes depending on the security rating sought.

SR6-8 – are not relevant to fencing and gates

These ratings are often still quoted but with the release of Issue 8; the rating descriptions have changed. So, for example, when tested to Issue 7, our Super10 product achieved the minimum necessary delay with category A+B tools to be certified to SR2. That minimum delay was 3 mins. Now with issue 8, which is called B3 rating – toolset B and 3-minute delay.

The table below shows the Security Ratings and explains the resistance levels of ratings 1 to 4

SR1 SR2 SR3 SR4
Threat Type An opportunist
attack by physical force and stealth
A more determined
opportunist attack
Deliberate forced
entry of protected
premises
Experienced
attempt at forced
entry with higher-level tools
Tool Category A B C D
Tools Cable cutter
Pliers
Screwdriver
Spanners
Knife
Boltcutter
Claw hammer
Hand drill
Pipe wrench
Cat. A tools PLUS
Axe
Crowbar
Gas torch
Hacksaw
Cat. A, B tools PLUS
Disc grinder
Fire axe
Jigsaw
Sledgehammer
Cat. A, B, C tools PLUS
Circular saw
Reciprocating saw
Maximum Working
Time (mins)
1 3 5 10
Maximum Test
Duration (mins)
10 15 20 30
Zaun Solutions Duo8 SR1

HiSec SR1

HiSec Super SR2 CorruSec SR3 CorruSec SR4

Who Does the Testing?

LPCB (Loss Prevention Certification Board) do all of the testings for an SR Rating. They have been setting standards for loss prevention since the 1800s. Its standards and approvals for security products are also recognised across the world.

That recognition is testimony to the extensive technical evaluation work and rigorous quality audit processes undertaken by LPCB to ensure the security products it tests and approves also deliver proven levels of protection.

LPCB works closely with the government, police, insurers, risk consultants and architects to develop standards and approval schemes that ensure security equipment and services deliver the levels of performance required to protect against criminal and terrorist threats.

Approval to LPCB’s Loss Prevention Standards (LPSs) is specified across multiple sectors, including education, finance, healthcare, manufacturing, the public sector, residential, retail, and utilities. The standards are also specified to protect critical infrastructure where delivery of specified levels of security performance is critical. All products approved by LPCB, entered into the RED BOOK.

What does testing involve?

Independently Tested and Approved Fencing

LPS1175 provides a route for security fencing to be independently tested and graded. Each increment of security rating has additional attack tools and a longer test time. So to pass an SR3 test more onerous tools are utilised and the attackers have longer to breach the product. A breach is when a hole is created of sufficient size to pass through a special probe. The probe is 400x225mm and 300mm long.

The standard also gives minimum heights of the fence, which increase with rating. After a product has been successfully tested, a detailed suite of drawings is agreed upon and approved. This ensures that the products supplied fall within the scope of the tests. In addition, to ensure products are correctly described for sale and are manufactured to the same quality as those tested, all companies offering approved products are audited regularly for compliance. So the end-user can be assured of an independently tested security product that has been built to exacting standards.

Products are tested as a system, so for example, if a fence panel and post are successfully tested together and certified they can be supplied as an SR rated system – but the panel on its own would not be a certified product.

What is the RED BOOK?

Once LPCB is satisfied that a product or service meets the required standard, it is listed in the ‘Red Book’. The Red Book, published in January each year and also available free of charge. A live version of the Red Book can be also be viewed free of charge on www.RedBookLive.com, where new entries and amendments are updated constantly.

What are the limitations of LPS 1175 & SR Rating?

A common limitation of the system is that if a special arrangement or variation of a product is required to suit a particular application then that variation is unlikely to fall with the scope of the approved drawings and thus could not be offered as certified without going through an approval process with BRE. In such an instance we could provide special items that were designed and built to the same philosophy but they would not be certified.

Final Thoughts

95% of products fail the testing process, proving just how stringent the requirements are. All products that have been tested and approved are listed in the RedBook Live so be wary of companies making claims such as ‘designed to LPS 1175 specifications’.

Glossary of terms?

BRE Global (BRE)– Building Research Establishment – BRE is a world-leading, multi-disciplinary, building science centre with a mission to improve buildings and infrastructure through research and knowledge generation. The history of BRE can be found here: https://www.bregroup.com/about-us/our-history/.

LPCB – Loss Prevention Certification Board – Certification entity that has been part of BRE Global since 2000. LPCB has been working with industry and insurers for more than 100 years to set the standards needed to ensure that fire and security products and services perform effectively. Their full list of standards can be found here: https://www.redbooklive.com/lps.

LPS1175 – Loss Prevention Standard 1175 – Requirements and testing procedures for the LPCB certification and listing of intruder resistant building components, strongpoints, security enclosures and free-standing barriers. The standard can be downloaded here: https://www.redbooklive.com/download/pdf/LPS1175.pdf.

The RED BOOK – The LPCB Red Book is a key reference for specifiers, regulators, designers, and end-users of fire and security products and services. Every product and service listed in the Red Book has been robustly checked by independent experts to ensure that it delivers and will continue delivering the expected performance. Products certified to LPS1175 will be listed in the Red Book.

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