JP Lock and Safe

Selection and Supply of Safes

There are many different manufacturers and grades of safes available to meet the individual customers requirements. To provide a common approach, safes are now tested and graded to common standard EN1143-1 for safes and EN1143-2 for depost safes, known as Eurogrades. Insurers maintain lists of safe types and their approved ratings for all Eurograde safes and many historic safes which pre-date this standard. Please contact us if you have any concerns about the suitability or cash rating of your safe and one of our engineers will assit you.

Whilst safe manufacturers will provide a Maximum Recommended Cash Value, your Insurance Company will often consider other risk factors, such as the buildings location, your likleyhood of being a target and any other physical protection measures eg Intruder Alarms, CCTV etc. Based on the various risk factors your Insurance Company may reduce your insurance cover from the manufacturers recommended cash values. It is therefore essential to confirm with your Insurance Company the suitability of the make / model of any safe or deposit safebefore you purchase it.

Your Insurance Company will require the safe to be anchored (securely fixed) by a professional safe engineer in accordance with the maufacturers recommendations.

Maintenance by qualified safe and vault engineers is essential to prevent 'lockouts' and to ensure that the security integrity of the safe is maintained. Some insurance companies have refused to pay claims where replacement parts have been fitted that were of unapproved types or the incorrect grade to maintain the integrity of the safe.

JP Lock and Safe can provide advice and guidance on selection of safes for domestic, retail and commercial applications. We hold stock of new and reconditioned safes and have supply arrangements with several manufacturers so we can provide a fast turn around for your requirements. In addition to supplying the 'ideal' safe for your requirements (eg Fire Safe, Cash Safe, Deposit Safe, Underfloor Safe etc). We a install, maintain and repair all types of safes and strongroom doors.

We hold stock of new and reconditioned safes and have supply arrangements with several manufacturers so we can provide a fast turn around for your requirements. In addition to helping you source the 'ideal' safe for your requirements (eg Fire Safe, Cash Safe, Deposit Safe, Underfloor Safe etc) we will be pleased to install it for you.

Upgrading Safes

We are able to refurbish and upgrade safes according to your specific requirements, this includes

Repainting and repairing cosmetic damage
Cost effectiveness of upgrading or changing safes
Replacing mechanical keylocks or combination locks with digital combination locks
Upgrading from 1 to 2 locks - where your safe is suitable
Setting up individual security codes for different keyholders
Advising on security arrangements including ratings, safe types, locations etc
Regular servicing arrangements to keep safes operating smoothly

Digital combination locks do not require personnell to carry large safe keys and they bring more modern features, such

Very simple to use, no forgetting the keys.
Individual user access codes.
Ease of code change.
Optional overnight time lock.
Time delays after codes are entered.
Automatic re-locking
Optional dual-code operation.
They also keep an audit trail which can be useful in any post event investigation.

Moving Safes

We routinely move and relocate safes for retail and commercial customers. In order to protect the assets therein, most safes are made of dense materials such as steels and specially hardenedconcrete, they are therefore usually very heavy. Many safes will be heavier than an individual can move without specialist lifting equipment. Part of the safe design is to resist it being removed or stolen, hence there are usually no lifting features and they are frequently anchored into the floor or walls. Even a relatively small safe (eg 600mm x 600mm x 600mm) can weigh over 250kg and some larger safes will be in the range of 2 - 3 Te. Lifting equipment available at local hire shops is unlikely to have the correct ratings for moving safes and accidents with such heavy weights can be fatal or lead to significant structural damage. If a safe is bumped or dropped the internal tamper features (called re-lockers) may be activated preventing the safe from being opened.

When moving a safe the slightest incline can suddenly feel like a major hill. A doorway can seem like passing through the eye of a needle and even a low door threshold becomes a very significant challenge. Getting a safe up a single step can feel like climbing Everest !

Whilst it might look relatively easy, the removal and relocation of safes is a job for the professionals who have the right equipment and experience. As part of our removal and relocation service we will ensure that the safe is prepared for movement (re-lockers etc are disabled). We will then relocate the safe using our specialist equipment. When the move is complete we will ensure that the new anchors are fitted, the relockers etc are restored and perform a full health check before handover to the customer.

JP Lock and Safe are equipped with the appropriate equipment and experience for lifting and shifting safes of all shapes and sizes. We hold extensive Public Liability Insurance so that you are further protected if the worst should ever happen.

EUROGRADES (EN1143-1)

Grade Cash Valuables Locks

0 £6,000 £60,000 1

1 £10,000 £100,000 1

2 £17,500 £175,000 1 (2 optional)

3 £35,000 £350,000 1 (2 optional)

4 £60,000 £600,000 2 Minimum

5 £100,000 £1,000,000 2 Minimum

6 £150,000 £1,500,000 2 Minimum

7 £250,000 £2,500,000 2 Minimum

Safe Design

In addition to the physical structure of the safe and its materials of construction, the types and grading of the locks is of critical importance. There are several different standards for the locks, but most common are EN1300 which has 4 Grades A - D and VdS which has 4 classes of lock. These standards specify the number and types of locks required to meet the minimum security standards, with Grade A (aka Class I) providing the lowest level of protection and Grade D (aka Class IV) providing the greatest level of protection . To aid understanding we have described a typical mechanical lever lock that corresponds to the Grade or Class, however this can be achieved by either standard key locks, electronic combination locks or mechanical combination locks as required.

Safe Minimum EN1300

Grade Locks Grade Requirement

1 1 A 7- 9 Lever Lock

2 1 A 7 - 9 Lever Lock

3 1 B 11 Lever Lock

4 2 B 11 Lever Lock

5 2 B 11 Lever Lock

6 2 C 14 Lever Lock

7 2 C 14 Lever Lock

The Grade of the lock is determined based on the number of unique combinations; its resistance to manipluation (picking etc); and its resistance to physical attack with an assortment of tools like hammers, chissels and screwdrivers etc. Based on the results of these tests locks are then graded A - D. Grade A locks provide the lowest level of protection and Grade D locks provide the highest. EN1300 Grade D locks are only normally fitted to secure vaults.