Safe Ratings Guide from TheKeyShop.com and Northside Lock Key & Safe
This guide will help you understand Safe Ratings.
Table of Contents
Underwriters Laboratories
The most common fire rating is the Underwriters Laboratories (U.L.)
350 degree 1 hour rating. In order for a safe to earn this
rating, the manufacture must submit the safe to U.L., it is then
heated in a furnace at 1700 degrees for one hour. The inside
temperature cannot exceed 350 degrees, or the safe fails the
test. While the safe is heated, it is dropped to simulate a
second floor collapsing, the safe cannot burst open, or it
fails. The average house fire is 1200 degrees, and paper chars
at approximately 450 degrees. Some safes will have a 2 hour 350
degree U.L. fire rating, this means the safe passed the same
test, with the time being 2 hours instead of 1 hour. If you wish
to store computer disks, picture negatives, tapes, etc... in
your safe you will need a safe with a special fire rating. The
most common is the U.L. 125 degree 1 hour fire rating. This
means the inside temperature did not exceed 125 degrees, also,
did not exceed 80% relative humidity during the same test
mentioned above.
Look for a label or tag on the safe like the one pictured above
Manufacturers Ratings
Some manufacturers conduct there own fire tests. These are usually done along the same guidelines as the U.L. tests
Many burglary ratings exist. If you intend to insure the contents of your safe your insurance company might require your safe to meet a minimum rating.
U.L. (Underwriters Laboratories) has numerous burglary ratings, mostly for extremely heavy-duty type safes.
Safes with the Class "B" or Class "C" Burglary Insurance Rating allow you to receive insurance coverage in accordance with the Bank Safe and Mercantile Safe Insurance classifications. Pertinent insurance information is available from Insurance Service Office, 160 Water Street, New York, New York 10038.
Many safes are supplied with an Underwriters' Laboratory U.L. Group 2 combination lock, U.L. Listed dual key lock or a U.L. Listed electronic lock this is important. U.L. has stringent tests for safe locks. If the safe your considering doesn't have a U.L. Listed lock, it may not be designed for security.
