Posted By Ken Urquhart
Ian,
Try the Home Office Web Site.
The following page will take you to the Home Office A-Z index and under T for Terrorism you will find 2no. Links to publications about Bombs and planning for terrorist actions etc.
http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/atoz/terrorists.htmThis next page will take you to a special downloadable booklet about planning for Bomb Threats etc.
http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/oicd/bombs.pdfIn the Guidance you will find reference to Glass protection, Fitting it with protective containment films and providing special net curtain, in particular, glass in/on/adjoing emergency evacuation routes.
Other earlier respondents have clarified the point about doors and windows being left open helping to mitigate the blast wave.
In regard to your procedures, if you have not already done so, consider who your Business neighbours are and what they do.
Whilst your organisations risk/attraction of terrorist or malicious threat may be low and modest, you may be sited alongside others who have a potentially high risk/attraction profile.
Consider in planning your evacuation and assembly routes and control points etc - are they vulnerable if your neighbours have a problem.
On multi occupancy sites and on campus type facilities Emergency/Terrorist/Malicious threat Planning should if possible be developed in conjunction with your neighbour businesses and with the Facilities management/Estate management companies that many premises are now outsourced to for care purposes.
Also always liaise wih the Police and the rwelated Emergency Services and discuss your plans with them.
In the current global potential for terrorist/malicious threat there is very real need for pre-planning and preparation.
There are clear lessons to be learned from events that have already happened especiaslly for the Construction and development of new Buildings and infrastructure, or where extensions and re-fits are taking place or are planned.
There are very real lessons for Clients, Architects, Designers involved in commisions to provide/manage new or expansion construction programmes to build in up front threat protection.
This need not cost a fortune but with careful planning and good design and material component selection a lot can be achieved at the front end that will for economic and limited costs give good lifecycle base construction costs.
Also talk to your Insurers or Brokers about your Emergency/Terrorist/Malicious threat plans, you may be able to offset cover cost and reduce excesses or even premiums.
How many businesses/organisations have a renewals/delapidations/fabric maintainence section in there Emergency plans and associated Disaster recovery plans?
There should be such content in plans and they should regularly review technological and material development and change so that in the event of upgrades/rebuilds etc the best level of protection and the specification of articles/materials/substances least likely to exacerbate an incident are identified, planned for and built in/incorporated.
Hope these references and thoughts are of some help.
Regards.
ken Urquahrt