The most important decision is deciding what type of safe you require, this is determined by what items you need to protect. There are three distinct types of safes available:-
Burglary protection – Security Safes
For secure protection of your cash and valuables. Security Safes are tested - rated according to a given Cash rating – this indicates the most monetary value, Insurers suggest can be stored in that safe overnight. Please confirm with your own insurer. For further information refer to Safe Glossary.
Fire protection – Document Safes
For secure storage of paper records incase of fire.
Fire Protection – Media Safes
For secure storage of media records (CD’s DVD’s) incase of fire.
Burglary Safes
Cash – valuables safes are designed to offer burglar resistance. However, due to their construction (e.g. body thickness, infill material) higher-grade cash safes do offer some fire resistant qualities.
Fire Protection Safes
There are many types of fire protection safes and cabinets currently on the market. Subject to tests carried out within a controlled environment, for time periods of 30, 60, 90 and 120 minutes. Tests include conditions such as Fire & Impact, Explosion etc.
Document
Document safe is designed to protect paper only.
Media
Media safe is designed to protect disks and other audio, visual equipment such as video and cassette tapes from fire. These materials have special requirements because they are more fragile than paper documents.
(Summarised)
The following summary is designed to give a brief, “at a glance” guide to product suitability.
Safe |
Suitability
|
Cash Safe
|
Protection of valuables, jewellery, money. Also paperwork/legal docs, where fire protection is not a priority.
|
Fire – Document
|
All paperwork, including passports, birth certificates legal docs etc.
|
Fire – Media
(Combined feature)
|
Protects all document as well as all media. For instance CD, diskettes, photographs, negative etc.
|
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