Burglary inhibition

The preliminary standard ENV 1627:1999 was in force until 2011, but has since been replaced by the European standard EN 1627:2011. The standard applies to doors, windows, curtain walls and closures and defines resistance classes, resistance times (time that a product can withstand a break-in), types of perpetrators and the procedure. Since September 2011, the resistance classes are no longer referred to as WK (resistance class), but as "RC" for "resistance class". The resistance classes RC1N and RC2N were newly introduced and can only be implemented with standard window glass.

When testing windows and doors, the main focus is to ensure that there are no weak points in the overall construction (frame, glazing or door leaf, casing, lock and fittings).

resistance class	glazing DIN EN 356	type of attack / weapon	Manual test time DIN V EN 1630
RC1 / WK1	P2A	Basic protection against physical violence / vandalism: kicking, pushing, jumping. Only minimal protection against lever tools	-
RC2 / WK2	P4 A	Protection against physical violence and simple tools such as screwdrivers, wedges, pliers, jigsaws, blade saws or hacksaws	3 - 15 minutes
RC3 / WK3	P5 A	Additionally: hand drill, machinist's hammer, screwdriver and spanner	5 - 20 minutes
RC4 / WK4	P6 B	Additional use of sawing and impact tools, such as axe, chisel, hammer, bolt cutters, tin snips, chisel, cordless drill	10 - 30 minutes
RC5 / WK5	P7 B*	Experienced perpetrator: Additional use of power tools, such as drills, jigsaws or saber saws and angle grinders	15 - 40 minutes
RC6 / WK6	P8 B*	Experienced perpetrator: Additional use of even more powerful power tools	20 - 50 minutes

Source: sitec.de

This table for the standards is here for download available.

*Extract from DIN EN 1630:2021 paragraph 6.3 Attack surfaces: "For construction products in resistance classes 5 and 6 according to DIN EN 1627:2021, the glass itself as well as the glazing and infill connection system are to be attacked".

This means that the glass in classes RC 5 and RC 6 must be tested with the same fixed tools as the profile system, e.g. with a drill, jigsaw, sabre saw or angle grinder. However, P7B and P8B glazing is only tested with axe blows according to DIN EN 356. This glazing cannot withstand attacks with the above-mentioned electrical tools. A "walk-in opening" can be created without any problems.

For this reason, more resistant and higher quality glazing than P7B or P8B must be used in classes RC 5 and RC 6.

testing at several defined vulnerabilities

According to the DIN EN 1627-1630 series of standards, the tester can test the test object at several supposed weak points defined by him. Example: When testing a glazed 2-leaf door of resistance class RC 5, the following test points or weak points can be defined:

eglock (locking device)
hinges
wing
glass connection
door rebate
passive leaf locking (6 test points)

In class RC 5, 15 minutes of testing time per defined, suspected weak point or 40 minutes of total testing time (testing time including setup, rest and observation time).

failure criteria in the test

Either the product can be opened or a "walk-in opening" is created in the test sample in the following sizes: rectangle 400 mm x 250 mm or ellipse 400 mm x 300 mm or circle Ø350 mm or rectangle 150 mm x 660 mm.

When requiring burglary protection, the following must be taken into account:

Armored glass is not tested according to the standard for burglary resistance according to DIN EN 1627 – glazing is tested according to DIN EN 356 according to the so-called break-in resistance.
In the case of break-in resistance, an axe is used, among other things, to test whether a perpetrator can (within a period of time specified by the standard) create an opening measuring 40 x 40 cm through which he can enter the building.
There is a discrepancy between the two standards when burglary resistance and penetration resistance are mixed together, as is the case with glazed doors and windows.
When testing burglar-resistant doors and windows in the high levels RC5 and RC6 (WK 5, WK6), an angle grinder is also used in the tests, but not when testing the glass for break-in resistance.
Using an angle grinder, you can cut an opening in the bulletproof glass in just a few minutes, allowing a thief to get in.
Therefore, if glazed doors and windows are to be supplied in accordance with burglary resistance levels RC5 and RC6, the normal glazing is an absolute weak point that does not meet the requirement for burglary resistance at this level.
Even in the lower classes, there is a weak point in terms of burglary protection for normal glazed elements:
The burglary test always assumes that an opening (40 x 40 cm) is created in order to enter the building. With doors, however, it is much quicker to make a small opening in the glass in order to reach through with a tool or your hand and operate the handle, key or knob on the inside of the door.
Therefore, burglar-resistant casement windows and glazed doors must be equipped with lockable handles.
Doors must always be locked and the key must not be left on the inside.
For burglar-resistant doors with escape route and panic functions, even a locked door is no help, as the door handle always has to open the locked door lock. For doors with a panic function, normal glazing is therefore not sufficient in accordance with the required test class, as the door handle can easily be operated through a hole in the glazing. (see photo) - The door opens - the resistance class is not achieved.

Escape and panic doors therefore require special glass (polycarbonate glass composite) to prevent such attacks.

The EN 1627 standard describes the attack on the structure and the associated components, but not the direct attack on the glass. The subsequent standards 1628-static load, 1629-dynamic load and 1630-manual testing supplement EN 1627 in this regard.Standard 1630 specifies the manual attack on the glass. The individual tool sets – A1 to A6 – must be used as described in the standard. The attack times are also specified there.

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Important: A polycarbonate pane that is placed loosely behind a pane of glass does not meet the requirements for locks with a panic function. The two panes (polycarbonate and glass) must be bonded together using a special process. This is the only way to achieve the resistance classes.