A safe is an important storage device that people use to store documents and items that are either irreplaceable or highly valuable. Some of the items stored in security safes might include jewellery, money, or even documents like wills, bonds and certificates. There are many manufacturers out there developing a wide range of safes, all of varying shapes and sizes and each with its own unique fitting.
An array of different brands are available in the market today, creating these varying designs. There are wall safes, under floor safes and closet safes among others. The challenge for the buyer is to identify a safe that is strong, and of high quality; a safe that will not easily be broken into by burglars or destroyed by fires or floodwater.
Many manufacturers claim that their products are the top of the range quality. They undertake testing of their safes in some private laboratory or even in their own premises. However, you can never be sure about their true quality until some independent organisation verifies their claims through a variety of tests. A number of credible organisations that undertake testing of products, to verify that they have attained a certain minimum standard.
Security safes undergo two types of tests. These are fire protection tests and burglary tests. Each safe is subjected to these two tests and an appropriate label is attached to the safe indicating its qualification in terms of strength and the value of goods it is licensed to hold.
In the area of fire protection, three tests are performed. These include fire endurance test, fire explosion hazard test, and fire impact test. The safes are tested under varying degrees of fire and heat to determine if they can withstand the pressure. There are fire resistant tests conducted for the protection of paper. Other tests are conducted for the protection of magnetic tape and photographic film. Various items and documents will spark into flame at certain specified temperatures. Temperatures beyond 350 degrees Fahrenheit will cause paper to burn.
Other tests that may be conducted include impact tests. These tests are conducted through simulation. A safe may be lifted by crane up to a certain height from which height the safe is dropped to see if it will burst open. Other tests conducted are burglary testing. Professional engineers conduct three tests to see how long it would take, to make an opening on the front door of the safe large enough to withdraw valuable items.
The tools used for testing are the common tools found in construction sites. These include drills, hand tools, screw drivers, wenches, power saws and other pressure applying devices. The first test is to determine whether a hole at least six square inches can be made on the front of the safe to allow valuables to be stolen within duration of fifteen minutes. The second test aims to determine if an opening can be made on a safe within thirty minutes while the last test is to see if an opening can be pried open in any of the six sides of the safe within thirty minutes. The safes are then labeled according the results of the tests conducted.
Ultimately most safes will come with a financial value. These will determine how much you are recommended to store within it at any time; therefore the higher your rating, the more resilient the safe is. Often these will cover many thousands of pounds worth of property, and so if you are looking for a security safe for particularly valuable property, you should certainly ensure that the rating exceeds your valuation.
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