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SS 312 SPECIFICATION FOR CYLINDERS
FOR LOCKS – UPDATE 2017
First a bit of background to SS312 – the original and still
highest standard for lock cylinders available.
» » A MEETING WAS HELD BY
Secure by Design in 2010, which
highlighted the need to combat
the growing number of cylinder
attacks that included snapping. Sold
Secure was first off the mark with
the publication of SS 312 Diamond
in late 2010. This specification was
the first attack test for cylinders to
incorporate a specific test for the
vulnerability to snapping, with other
similar standards being developed
and published over a year later. SS
312 used BS 3621 tools as a base
for attack testing and then added
heavier tools including vice grips
and cylinder snappers as well as the
existing manipulation tools and drills
used in GVA. This means that, unlike
other standards, a cylinder can be
snapped and then drilled!
‘several manufacturers
have been successful
in gaining SS 312
Diamond and Sold
Secure is working with
others as they develop
improvements’
Problems highlighted by ACPO
(Association of Chief Police Officers)
saw some fairly major changes
made to PAS 24 and BS 3621 GVA
testing. Several meetings took
place at the end of 2010 for all
stakeholders to have a say as to what
the changes should be to amend
this specific problem and whilst
other standards try to solve the
problem by introducing a cylinder
and handle combined test, for
example TS007 introduces a star
rating system where a minimum
3 stars is required allowing this to
be achieved via a 1 star approved
cylinder used in conjunction with a
2 star rated handle, or for a cylinder
only option then to the need for a 3
star rated cylinder, the Sold Secure
312 test manages to qualify (and
outperform) the 3 star requirement
of TS 007 by being a cylinder only
solution. (There are other Sold
Secure standards that can be used
to approve door furniture such as
handles and escutcheons.)
The diamond level of the SS312
Standard includes EN 1303 testing
by a UKAS accredited test house,
BS 3621 GVA testing by expert MLA
testers and a two-minute attack
test on the cylinder itself. The main
thrust of this is to test the cylinder’s
vulnerability to snapping/pulling
in particular. Whilst a two-minute
attack test does not sound like
a very harsh test, the cylinder is
exposed in the test block (as if the
handle has been removed) with a
45mm hole around the cylinder
(simulating an attack on the doors
structure to provide room for
attacking the cylinder). Tools such
as vice grips and cylinder snappers
have been included in the tool
list for this particular test to fully
replicate the types of attack that
are being increasingly reported.
To date, several manufacturers
have been successful in gaining SS
312 Diamond and Sold Secure is
working with others as they develop
improvements to their products. This
specification offered the very first
third party tested genuine security
LOCKSMITHJOURNAL.CO.UK | MAY/JUN 2017
Sponsored by Insafe International
cylinder that will be recognised as
having genuine attack resistance
on cylinder only and immediately
raised interest by ACPO Secured by
Design who have confirmed they will
accept SS312 Gold as an equivalent
to a 1* Kitemarked Cylinder and
SS312 Diamond as an equivalent to
a 3* Kitemarked Cylinder for their
certification requirements.
Several subtle changes have been
made to SS 312 Diamond over the
years as our knowledge grows of
vulnerability such as making the
attack test longer and making clear to
manufacturers that a tester is allowed
to damage test blocks during attacks
(as a real burglar would). The next
expected change will be to introduce
an additional test key requirement
into the BS 3621 GVA test quoted
directly in SS 312 within the next
12 months, thereby making the
bumping test more representative of
real world scenarios.
ABOUT THE MASTER
LOCKSMITHS ASSOCIATION
Since its inception in 1958,
the MLA has since grown to
become the principal trade body
representing locksmiths and
promoting standards within the
locksmithing industry. Without
regulation, it’s challenging to
maintain security standards.
Subsequently, in 2009, the MLA
transformed security standards
within the locksmithing arena by
becoming the driving force behind
security vetting for locksmiths.
Working closely with the House of
Commons, an amendment to the
Rehabilitation of Offenders Act
(1974) means that a DBS (formally
CRB) disclosure can be conducted
for MLA member locksmiths;
safeguarding consumers more
effectively.