PSDB Stab Resistant Standard - Body Armour (1999)

The PSDB Stab Resistance Standard for Body Armour (1999) defines a method of assessing the protection offered by commercial body armour systems against the knife threat to the police forces of the United Kingdom. The test procedure deals primarily with the treat from readily available knives that may be purchased from sports equipment retailers and not the home made types which are difficult to quantify.

A body armour system should offer protection against injury from penetration by knives and edged weapons, whilst ensuring that the movement of the wearer is not unduly restricted. The protected area should primarily include the torso to ensure coverage of the vital organs, in particular the heart, liver, lungs, kidneys and spleen. Each model of stab resistant body armour should meet one of three protection classes as described below. The protection required by the wearer must be determined by conducting full risk assessment of the specific threats that the wearer is likely to encounter.