NIJ s s Body Armor Safety Initiative & Revised Body Armor Compliance Testing Program

Transcription

1 NIJ s s Body Armor Safety Initiative & Revised Body Armor Compliance Testing Program Lance Miller, Director NLECTC-National Institute of Medicine Workshop on the Certification of Personal Protective Technologies Washington, DC April 13, 2010

2 National Institute of Justice s Body Armor Compliance Testing Program History and Overview

3 NIJ s Mission d Research, development and evaluation arm of the Department of Justice Advances scientific research, development, and evaluation: To enhance the criminal justice (CJ) system To increase public safety Emphasis on state and local practitioner needs Committed to scientific process of open competition, peer-reviewed, published reports and archived data

4 NIJ Standards Purpose and Benefits Purpose: Establish minimum design and performance requirements for equipment and define tests methods to measure performance Benefits: Provides the end user with performance information on key equipment characteristics Allows comparison of products based on common testing and minimum requirements Provides a level of confidence in a product s fitness for use

5 Body Armor Standards & Testing History of NIJ s Body Armor Testing Program Early 1970s Research program to develop lightweight body armor (Kevlar ). Field testing with 5,000 armors 18 saves during 1-year demonstration ( ). NIJ developed voluntary standards/testing program at request of law enforcement (ca. 1978) Standard specifies minimum performance requirements and associated test methods. In 30+ years, more than 3,000 lives saved.

6 Body Armor Standards & Testing History of NIJ s Body Armor Testing Program Current CTP model established in 1985 (TAPIC, NIJ Standard ). Since 1987, NIJ has tested >5,000 models [More than 2,500 models passed requirements.] Testing was limited to new armor did not address used armor. Many law enforcement agencies use the NIJ program to select and procure body armor. NIJ Standard revised periodically to reflect changes in threats, technology, and testing methods.

7 Body Armor Standards & Testing Department of Justice s Body Armor Safety Initiative In June 2003, a police officer in Forest Hills, Pennsylvania, was seriously injured when a bullet penetrated his body armor, made of Zylon -based materials. This was the first documented incident in the 30-plus-year history of NIJ s body armor testing program that an NIJ-compliant armor was penetrated by a bullet that the armor was rated to stop. In November 2003, then-attorney General John Ashcroft, in response to NIJ s review of this incident and concerns from the law enforcement community, directed NIJ to: u u u Examine new and used Zylon-based armors. Examine upgrade kits offered by manufacturers. Review current testing/certification process and make recommendations for modifications.

8 Revisions to NIJ s Body Armor Compliance Testing Program A New Beginning

9 NIJ s Body Armor Testing Program A New Approach to Body Armor Compliance Testing In response to the Attorney General s directive to assess the processes by which body armor is tested and approved. Based on input from the law enforcement community, it is no longer satisfactory to only test armor designs once in like new condition: Must address ongoing performance of subsequent production units (postcompliance), and Take steps to begin to understand the effects of environmental factors over time on armor performance. The CTP team reviewed current methods used to evaluate product conformance and safety to determine approach.

10 NIJ s Body Armor Testing Program Organizational Structure National Institute Justice Sponsors the CTP Provides Funding Legal Expertise/Counsel National Law Enforcement & Corrections Technology Center Administers the CTP Provides Subject Matter Expertise Law Enforcement Agency Outreach National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) Provides Scientific and Engineering Support Conducts Research Authors standards and user guides

11 NIJ s Body Armor Testing Program Major Components 1. Type Testing 2. Compliance Decision 3. Attestation of Conformity 4. Conformity Assessment Follow-Up

12 NIJ s Body Armor Testing Program Revisions to NIJ Standard and Testing Process New program is a Conformity Assessment process Ensures products comply with the requirements of the standard during type testing and increases the confidence that subsequent production models continue to meet select requirements of the standard. 1. Initial Type Testing to determine compliance with the standard Redefined threat level classifications More specification on test ammunition to reduce potential variability Increased amount of testing (from 48 shots to 144 shots) Testing of multiple sizes (smallest & largest produced for model) Revised test pattern (closer shot-to-edge distance, random grouping of shots) Testing of new and environmentally conditioned (temperature / humidity/ mechanical damage) samples Expanded Ballistic Limit (V50) testing with pass/fail criteria 2.

13 NIJ s Body Armor Testing Program Revisions to NIJ Standard and Testing Process 2. Periodic Follow-Up Testing of production models. Abbreviated ballistic testing (perforation only, 2 samples) Comparison of construction to originally tested samples Comparison of manufacturer documentation (build sheets) to original documentation on file Follow-up frequency dependent on applicant s QMS

14 NIJ s Body Armor Testing Program What stays the same as before? Participation in the program is voluntary. NLECTC-National provides oversight and coordination of the compliance testing (and now Conformity Assessment) process. Samples are tested by NIJ-approved, independent, third party laboratories. For initial Type Testing, applicants select NIJ-approved laboratory, negotiate and pay test costs directly to laboratory. Models found to comply with the standard will be listed on NIJ s Body Armor Compliant Products List (

15 NIJ s Body Armor Testing Program What changes (or is new)? New laboratory accreditation process (NVLAP). New manufacturer application process. Standardized build sheet for documenting construction. Labeling and Model Designation for test samples: Test Article labeling for samples. Test Article test identification # assigned by CTP. Applicant provides listed model designation and NIJ Standard-compliant labels post-test. Test samples sent directly to test laboratory, not NLECTC. Applicants are permitted to stop testing at any time.

16 NIJ s Body Armor Testing Program What changes (or is new)? Compliance Status: Applicants must agree to participate in Conformity Assessment testing program for subsequent production units. Applicants pay costs for on-site sample pick up / inspection and testing of samples. CTP, not applicant, selects where samples are tested. Compliance Status of models is no longer infinite. Compliance is for a specific period of time (5 years), Subject to periodic renewal (Successful participation in CA program).

17 NIJ s Body Armor Testing Program What changes (or is new)? New process to address appeals and complaints: Special Review Committee (SRC): An impartial committee is convened whenever there is a dispute or appeal related to a compliance decision. The SRC reviews the matter and makes recommendations for resolution to NIJ. SRC members will include technical experts from Law Enforcement, Technical/Testing/Research, and Standards Development Organizations.

18 Questions? Contact Information