Cleared for Install
by Abby Bowman
Have you ever waited in a TSA line for so long you feared you might miss your flight, even if you got to the airport several hours before boarding? I certainly have.
It’s not a fun experience. There isn’t much you can do to entertain yourself other than scrolling through your phone, checking your boarding pass and squinting at the scanning machines to see what’s taking so long. That kills only so much time, though. Eventually, you have to resort to staring at your surroundings.
I’ve become much more aware of glass since I started working for Key Media & Research, the parent company of Window Film magazine. Fixtures that previously blended in with their surroundings have now become objects of curiosity. That means I’m frequently eyeballing glass partitions or other installations as I slog through TSA.
I started to wonder about the glass’s security capabilities. Did the airport have security film installed? If so, did the installers follow any specific protocols when applying the film? What about installing film at other secure locations?
A business owner considering adding security film as a product option probably wonders the same things. Great news: I called several companies that specialize in security film to ask. This is what I learned:
Background Checks
Airports, government buildings, hospitals and other secure facilities conduct background checks and sometimes drug test security film installers. That means business owners or managers must carefully and tactfully select the employees they send to do these jobs. If one of the installers fails a drug test or their background check raises a red flag, it could damage the company’s ability to do any work there or at other secure locations.
Plan for Bathroom Breaks
Installers will likely have to be escorted everywhere they go and supervised as they work. If only one person is supervising, all installers must remain in that person’s line of sight at all times. That means if one installer has to use the bathroom, the whole crew has to drop what they’re doing and go, too.
Empty Your Pockets
Plan to send tools and materials to the facility in advance and leave them there until the job is done. All installers must go through security each time they enter the building, so sending supplies for inspection in advance saves time.
Get Used to Odd Hours
Many secure locations ask installers to work after normal business hours, including at night, to minimize interruptions and keep the installation secure. Plan to navigate dimmer-than-usual lighting if installing on exterior windows.
Now You Know
These are the main considerations, but the experts I spoke with emphasized that every secure location is different. Some are a bit more lax, while others take even greater precautions. Ultimately, every business owner and manager must maintain a clear line of communication with his or her customer to properly prepare for the job.
Abby Bowman is the editor of Window Film magazine. Email her at abowman@glass.com and connect with her on LinkedIn.
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