According to data, there is an increased interest in installing walk-through metal detectors at various locations to provide increased safety in North America. Market insights have proven that the walk-through metal detector market is expected to hold a significant share in Western Europe and North America. This is because more people are becoming worried about their safety in public and private locations.
If you’re not quite sure what a walk-through metal detector is, you simply need to think of the security devices you have walked through at the airport before being approved for boarding a plane. Since these security devices are becoming more popular and sought after throughout the US, people are starting to wonder if walk-through metal detectors are safe.
Besides being installed at airports, you’re likely wondering where walk-through metal detectors can be placed. These security devices have, in recent years, been installed at music festivals, concerts, hotel entrances, government facilities, private events, malls, and schools.
In our article, we’ll discuss everything you should know about a walk-through metal detector like the ones sold by Ballistiglass, including if they are safe.
Before discussing whether walking through a metal detector is safe, we want to share how walk-through metal detectors work. Ultimately, this type of metal detector uses pulse induction technology. The way that PI systems work is to send short and powerful bursts of live current through a loop of wire. Each burst of power (pulse) creates a short magnetic field
When a piece of metal passes through the generated magnetic field in a metal detector, a powerful but not harmful reflected magnetic field is made. When the metal reacts with the magnetic field, a chain reaction occurs whereby the magnetic field encounters the receiver coil. This coil then triggers the built-in alarm system. Usually, a standard PI-based walk-through metal detector will send a variable number of pulses per second, but the average is about 100.
To simplify what we have said above, it’s best to think of a walk-through metal detector as a large invisible magnetic force field that covers the entire space inside the frame of a walk-through metal detector.
If a person walks through a detector and an alarm sounds, it means they are carrying metal on their person. This alarm signals to security that the individual could be carrying a metal-based weapon like a gun or knife.
It’s important to note that a metal detector will often sound for ordinary metal items like steel-toed boots, a tongue ring, car keys, a cell phone, and other metal items
High-tech walk-through metal detectors like the ones offered by Ballistiglass have advanced capabilities. For example, some can tell security exactly where a concealed weapon is on a person and take a snapshot of where the weapon or object was hidden when it was detected.
Since walk-through metal detectors are becoming more prominent in our everyday lives, it’s important to know if they are safe. According to the Health Physics Society, even though walk-through metal detectors are a form of radiation, they do not cause biological harm because they emit non-ionizing radiation. This means they are safer than getting an X-ray, MRI, or CAT scan
Additionally, it’s been determined that repeated exposure to metal detectors is safe because there is no associated radiation risk. Therefore, no matter where walk-through metal detectors are installed, it’s safe to walk through them as often as needed without fearing for your health.
At Ballistiglass, we’re dedicated to helping American organizations, institutions, and individuals make their establishments safer. Our portable, low-profile, walk-through metal detector will help make your place of business, place of worship, school, or event, a safer environment.
To learn more about our innovative security products, contact us online or call us at 954-612-6640. We’ll make your safety our top priority.