Home » Guides » Operations » Business Security » Office Safes

Sheila Callahan

Guide to Office Safes

Safeguard cash, inventory and data against fire or theft

By Sheila Callahan, Freelance Journalist

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.

The official source of Office Safes is the Locks and Safes page at Business.com

Lazimi Lock & Key - Los Angeles, CA
24 hour locksmith service, since 1972. Home, business, and auto. Complete locksmith shop. 24 hour emergency service. Licensed, bonded, and insured.
Services | Products | About Us | Contact Us
www.lazimi-locksmith.com
Hotel Card Locks
Offers premium electronic locks and access control systems with keyless entry for hotels, hospitals and dorm rooms.
www.maglocks.com

Recommended Solution Providers

Kaploss: Retail Safes
Supplies, installs and repairs business retail money safes that use the highest quality material found. This provider supports your business with complete 24/7 nationwide service and repair for all your retail safe system needs.

Fedlock: Securing Solutions
This company offers electronic security solutions for small businesses, including PC-based access control systems, proximity card systems, surveillance camera security systems, safes, LAN and WAN access control.

AMSEC: Business Safes Services
Use this solution to protect the assets of your small business by choosing from a broad array of safes and consulting services with the highest degree of quality, integrity and responsiveness.

BrownSafe: Commerical Safes
Choose from a wide variety of safes, from floor vaults to custom safes to find the right solution for your small business needs.

Centurion Safes: Security Safes for Businesses
Save your small business from critical loss of data that occurs fire damage. Security safes are an essential protection against fire, theft and climate changes. This provider offers a complete inventory of fire safes, data media safes, depository safes, floor safes, and treasury safes. A quality safe is an essential requirement for any business security system.

CSS: America's Safe Solution
This provider has a commitment to produce, sell and service products that will meet your business' security needs. This simple commitment is the strength and the reason you'll find a safe solution for your small business.

Buy a Safe: Locks and Safes
Find the right safe to keep your valuable protected for your small business.

Best Sites to Learn More

Beginner's Guide: Safes
Learn what the different types of safes are, how to recognize a quality safe and see frequently asked questions about safes to find the right safes for your small business.

BuyerZone: Commercial Safes
Protect mission critical documents or data and protect your vital business assets with a commercial grade safe using this commercial safes buyer's guide.

Best Blogs and Forums

Buy a Safe: Locks and Safes
Find the right safe to keep your valuable protected for your small business.



FEATURED LISTINGS

What WorksTM for Business Security

Frances Sharpe

Preventing Employee Theft

Protect your business from employee theft with a loss prevention program
Employee theft robs American businesses of billions of dollars every year. In fact, security experts estimate that as many as 30 percent of all employees engage in some form of theft, be it office supplies, high-end merchandise, machinery or parts. The first step to preventing pilfering in your business is acknowledging that employee theft is a real threat. The next step is taking action to protect your company. Implementing a ... Read more

Free B2B search marketing whitepaper, B2B Search Marketing Strategy Guide: Advice From the Pros.
Download

To advertise on Business.com, click here