70 • SAFES
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Are All Safes the Same ?
By Jeremy Cassady , Managing Director at Securikey
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JEREMY CASSADY , MANAGING Director at Securikey , discusses some of the distinguishing features of a safe that will offer customers enhanced levels of security for their possessions .
Buying a safe can be an especially daunting purchase for not just a first time buyer , but a seasoned buyer as well . Depending on your customer ’ s requirements , budget and space availability , a number of factors need to be kept in mind when advising on this very important purchase . Buying the incorrect safe can negatively impact a customer in the short run by resulting in loss of cash , valuable items and irreplaceable documents such as passports , birth certificates , wills and insurance papers and , in the long run , leave them with a product that does not cater to their needs . A poor quality safe can also be time consuming to install and offer limited installation options . To help you , we have compiled a clear and concise list of important features to look for in a safe depending on your customers ’ requirements .
FIRE PROOF SECURITY
Safes are always used to store precious items . Some customers may wish to store away important documents while others will be more interested in storing things like jewellery , family heirlooms or even photographs which hold special emotional value . Though all safes may provide a degree of security , not all safes guarantee users protection against elements like fire which can destroy items inside . That is why it is important to source a safe which offers at least a basic level of security against the threat of fire . Most renowned brands , like Securikey , will ensure that they either offer heavy duty models able to withstand temperatures of up to 950 ° C for an hour , which meet European legislation standards and are clearly labelled to show proof that they have been independently tested and certified to meet the stringent criteria stated , or safes which benefit from a doubled wall construction with a fire resistant barrier material to DIN 4102 to offer users fire protection .
‘ Though all safes may provide a degree of security , not all safes guarantee users protection against elements like fire ’
ANCHORING THE SAFE
Safes are ideally fitted in places that restrict access to the sides and top while ensuring that the door can be easily opened when required by the authorised user . Some safes only provide two basic fixings to anchor a safe to a wall or floor , but safes with four fixings ensure greater security by providing a tight grip against a wide variety of materials that the safe ’ s surroundings may consist of . Good quality safes should also provide commonly used complementary anchor fixings that are perfectly tailored to their safes . With today ’ s building types it is vital to get a sound fixing as walls are often only studded constructions and using the maximum amount of support is preferred .
BEING THE MASTER OF YOUR OWN LOCK
One of the most important aspects to discuss with your customer is the locking system of a safe . All safes are fitted with a key-lock as standard , a mechanical combination or a more advanced digital locking system . The electronic digital lock works by allowing users to select a unique code to lock and unlock their safes . This offers users extra security against thieves , but can sometimes pose a hurdle for the users themselves . A common
LOCKSMITHJOURNAL . CO . UK | MAY / JUN 2017 Sponsored by Insafe International