Jonas Olesen November 1, 2024 4 min read

Who is CAST/HOSDB? (Home Office Body Armor Standard for UK Police)

 

CAST (Center for Applied Science and Technology), also known as HOSDB (Home Office Scientific Development Branch), consists of researchers and engineers who research and develop technological solutions to fight crime. CAST works with various universities, academies and is in direct contact with the various industries that use body armor, including police, where they have developed test standards for stab and bullet proof vests for the police in England since 1993.

These standards, like NIJ, describe the methods and minimum requirements for bullet and stab proof vests against knives, spikes and bullets with focus on protecting the torso.

Below are the standards that the Home Office has published and revised over time.

1993

The first standard from the Home Office focused on knife resistance. In 1995, it was expanded to include bulletproof vests as well.

1999

Significant changes were made to the 1993 HOSDB standard, which introduced testing methods similar to those used today, where knives and spikes are dropped from specific heights with varying energy levels. The ballistic testing methods were also substantially revised.

2003

In 2003 HOSDB introduced the bullet proof level “HG1/A”, with a larger BFS against small arms.

2007

The 2003 standard introduced major changes from previous versions. The velocity requirements for HG3 and RF2 levels were increased. Additionally, manufacturer quality testing was implemented to ensure higher-quality bulletproof and stab-proof vests. Furthermore, ballistic and stab-proof inserts were now required to undergo compliance testing.

2017

The Home Office 2017 standard, published in 2017, supersedes previous standards and places greater emphasis on the needs and safety of end-users of bulletproof and stab-proof vests.