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Fire resistant safes to protect paper and vital data media such as disks or tapes.
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Fire resistant filing cabinets designed to protect paper and files from fire.
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Safes for home and business use, wall safes, floor safes and large office safes.
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Police approved gun safes and cabinets to secure shotguns, rifles and ammunition.
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What you need to know about safes before you buy one
What dose Cash rating mean
The Cash Rating of a safe relates to the amount of cash for which an insurance company will offer over night insurance cover. As with all insurance companies this value can vary slightly depending on location and may be higher or lower than the manufacturer recommended Cash Rating quoted. Please check with your insurer for exact ratings.
Cash Ratings are determined by door and wall thickness, lock types used and the general build quality of a safe. The higher the Cash Rating the more secure the safe is.
How is the fire rating determined on a Fire or Data Safe?
The following is an explanation of internationally accepted fire resistant safe testing procedures for 30, 60, 90, 120 and 180 minutes. During all tests the internal temperature will remain below 177°C when exposed to furnace temperatures during a one hour test period of 925°C, a two hour test period of 1010°C and a three hour test period of 1105°C.
Fire Endurance Test
This test measures the temperature rise over a given time span. Thermocouples are fixed on all six internal surfaces of the safe to record the temperature rise inside the safe, the unit is locked and placed inside a specially constructed test furnace where the temperature is raised in accordance with the standard temperature curve BS 476 to the to the required test temperature and for the appropriate time period. Once cooled, the unit is opened and examined for usability. The unit locking mechanisms and parts fastenings are examined for security and the interior examined for visible evidence of undue heat transmission.
Explosion Hazard Test
This test is designed to simulate the safe being suddenly exposed to superheated temperatures which could cause the fire resisting compounds used in the safe to expand rapidly and explode. The safe is locked and placed into a furnace preheated to 1095°C. This temperature is maintained for 30 minutes (2 hour test is 45 minutes) and if no explosion results, the unit is allowed to cool without opening the furnace doors.
Fire Drop Test
This test measures the strength of the safe and its ability to withstand the effect of falling through a burning and collapsing building. The safe is locked and placed into a furnace preheated to 925°C. This temperature is maintained for 30 minutes before the safe is removed hoisted to a height of 10 metres and dropped onto a bed of rubble. The safe is then placed back in the furnace upside down for a further 30 minutes
How do I choose the correct safe?
When deciding on the correct safe to purchase several factors must be considered, the most important of which is what type of items you expect to store in your safe.
If you require a safe to protect cash, jewelry and other valuable items you ideally require a Security or Cash Safe. This type of safe offers a level of protection against theft and is usually gauged by the manufacturer cash rating. The cash rating of a safe is determined by the build quality of the safe and the higher this rating the more secure the safe.
Cash and Security Safes are identified by the following icon: 
If you require a safe to protect paper documents against fire damage you ideally require a Fire Safe. This type of safe offers a level of protection against fire where the internal temperature of the safe must not exceed 177°C, the approximate combustible temperature of paper.
Fire Safes are identified by the following icon: 
If you require a safe to protect computer media such as disks and cassettes against fire damage you ideally require a Data Safe. This type of safe offers a yet higher level of protection against fire where the internal temperature of the safe must not exceed 52°C, the approximate combustible temperature of plastic.
Data Safes are identified by the following icon: 
Please note certain safes offer protection against some or all of the above indicated by the relevant icon in each product listing.
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