Locks and Safes

Guide to Office Safes

Safeguard cash, inventory and data against fire or theft
By Sheila Callahan

Most business safes protect your valuables from either fire or burglary, though you have to look harder to find one that does both. They come in all sizes and varieties from small cash boxes to major wall vaults and can accommodate everything from inventory to valuable papers and cash.

Here are four key steps to take before purchasing an office safe:

1. Decide if your top priority is protection from fire, burglary or both
2. Look for a safe with an Underwriters' Laboratories (UL) listing. Some come UL Tested without being UL Listed.
3. Choose the right size safe for your needs
4. Decide what type of lock suits you: combination or electronic.

Action Steps

The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Consider the many varieties Depository safes, the rugged workhorses, work best for high-volume situations where safety and accessibility count. Fire and burglary-resistant safes come down to a matter of size and cost.

I recommend:  Brown Safe and American Security Products Company offer a wide variety, from floor vaults to custom-made, including dual-purpose fire and burglar safes.

Installation For the best protection, install safes in the floor (concrete is best) or wall.

I recommend:  Kaploss.com supplies, installs and repairs business safes nationwide.

Media Safes Media safes protect computer disks and tapes from fire. While paper can withstand heat up to 350 degrees, media is far more fragile.

I recommend:  Advance Safes offers a selection of data media safes.

Shop for quality UL Class 125 fire safes can maintain a temperature of under 125 degrees in 1700-degree fires for one hour. A TXTL-60 safe can withstand break-in attempts using common tools, explosives and welding torches for a period of 60 minutes.

I recommend:  Beginnersguide.com identifies these and other criteria for selecting a quality safe. Underwriters Laboratories explains its safe testing.

For burglary safes, check that yours has a UL Group 2 lock or better What good is a safe with a lousy lock? Look for a quality lock manufacturer and avoid costly malfunctions.

I recommend:  LaGard, a leading manufacturer of electronic locking devices, designs locks for safes and vaults. Sargent and Greenleaf is another leading manufacturer of mechanical and electronic safes.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• Fire-resistant is not fireproof, but fire-resistant safes are adequate in that the average fire gets extinguished quickly.
• Avoid buying used safes.
• Always ask for a warranty.
• Size, resistance and the type of lock determine a safe's price.
• Buy a safe with 25 percent more space than you anticipate using. Nothing's worse than realizing it's too small.
• Some locks are X-ray and manipulation-proof.