GLOSSARY

A certified safe has passed independent testing and is backed by an ongoing certification process. Independent testing proves the design meets a recognised security standard. Certification then maintains that proof through regular production audits, which confirm the safes leaving the factory still match the tested design.

Certification, not a test result alone, is what insurers recognise.

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Testing is the first step towards certification, not certification itself. An independent test can show that a design met a standard on the day it was assessed. On its own, it says nothing about the safes built and sold afterwards.

Note that products described as “tested”, or as “tested in accordance with a standard”, are not the same as being certified.

Learn how products are assessed in our test procedures

Independent certification means a safe has been tested and approved by an accredited third-party body that certifies safes, not by the manufacturer. These bodies work to recognised standards and have no commercial stake in the result. That independence is what gives the certificate its credibility.

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The certification plate is a metal label fixed inside the safe, usually on the door. It records the standard met, the grade or class achieved, the certifying body and a unique certificate number. You can check that number against the certificate and the third-party body’s records. It is the simplest way to confirm a safe is genuinely certified, not just marketed as secure.

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A production audit is a regular, independent check of the factory that makes a certified safe. It confirms that the safes being produced still match the design that was originally tested and approved. Certification depends on these audits continuing over time, not on a single past test.

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A security standard is an independent benchmark that defines how a safe is tested and how its resistance is measured. Standards such as EN 1143-1 for burglary resistance or EN 1047-1 for fire are set by recognised third-party bodies, not by manufacturers, so the same rules apply across the market. This makes it possible to compare products on a common basis.

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Standards are reviewed and updated over time, so each version carries a revision year, for example, EN 1143-1:2019. They are revised because attack methods and tools continue to evolve, and the tests have to keep pace. When comparing products, check which revision of the standard a safe was certified to, as a later revision often reflects more current threats.

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A grade is the level of burglary resistance a safe has achieved under a security standard. Generally, higher grades resist more determined attacks over a longer time, using more tools. Under EN 1143-1, safes run from Grade 0 up to Grade XIII. The grade is set by the standard and confirmed through certification, not chosen by the manufacturer.

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Class describes the same idea as grade: a level of security defined by a standard. The word used depends on the standard and the certifying body. EN 1300, for example, classifies high-security locks from Class A to Class D, while EN 1143-1 sets out burglary grades for safes. Different labels, the same purpose, which is to state a measured level of protection.

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A cash rating is a guideline figure for the value of cash a safe is suitable to hold. Note that this is a starting point, not a fixed rule. It is a separate figure from the jewellery rating. Individual insurers set their own requirements and may adjust the figure up or down based on your circumstances. Always confirm the cover with your insurer.

A jewellery rating is a guideline figure for the total value of jewellery, precious metals and similar items that a safe is suitable to hold. It is usually a multiple of the cash rating, because these items are valued differently for insurance. As with the cash rating, it is a guideline, and your insurer decides the cover that applies.

Core drill (CD) protection is an optional level of resistance against core drilling attacks. It means different things for different products. In safes, it adds a delay, slowing an attack rather than stopping it. In strong room doors and vaults, it is expected to stop a core drill attack completely. Reach out to our experts to learn what CD covers for our different products.

EX protection is an optional level of resistance against explosive attacks. It refers to a small, controlled charge, not a large blast. It guards against opening a safe or strong room door, with explosives to remove the contents intact, rather than blowing the safe apart. A safe without EX protection is not rated against this type of attack.

Anchoring, sometimes called bolting a safe down, means fixing it in place following the manufacturer’s instructions. Whether it is required depends on weight: a safe certified to an EN standard and weighing below 1,000kg must be anchored, or its certification no longer holds. Heavier safes may be exempt, so always check the certificate.

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Certification can be nullified by unauthorised service or modification. Changing the lock, altering the boltwork, replacing a seal or adding a deposit slot can all invalidate a certificate. To keep certification valid, have any service, repair or change carried out by the original supplier or an accredited partner.

An electronic lock opens with a keypad code that the user can change. Electronic describes the operation of the lock, not its security or certification. Some electronic locks are independently certified to a lock standard such as EN 1300, and some are not. Check the certification, not the lock type.

A mechanical combination lock is a keyless dial lock with a code that the user can change. It works without batteries or electronics. Mechanical and electronic locks can both reach high, certified levels of security, so neither is more secure simply because of its type. What matters is the certification the lock holds.

A certified high-security lock for safes, vaults and doors that has undergone extensive testing, including manipulation tests.

Two users must enter their details before any operations can be performed.

Allows one user to control the functions and access for other combination holders.

The lock can provide usage reports, and may show times of operation, codes used, and operations performed. Note that this varies depending on the lock model.

This feature provides a preset delay between trying to open and actually accessing the safe. The operation may vary between lock types.

The time lock feature allows you to set periods during which the lock may be operated, for example, during business hours. Available options vary between lock models.

An alarm engineer can link the lock into a monitored alarm system. It is then possible, by a given procedure, to operate the lock, open the safe and silently signal to the monitoring station that this is being done under duress.

A manual key-operated lock.

Most security standards, together with lock standards such as EN 1300, require a certified safe to use a certified lock of an equivalent level. This applies across safes and strong room doors, and to some safe deposit lockers and fire cabinets. The rule is simple: no certified lock, no certification. Fitting a non-certified lock or swapping a certified one for an uncertified replacement invalidates the safe’s certification.

Most cabinets sold under the Chubbsafes brand have undergone rigorous fire tests. When a cabinet passes these tests, it can be certified.

High-security solution for depositing and storing cash, valuables and documents, often well-suited for bank or retail environments.

A secure mechanical or electronic locker, typically located in a vault or an automated machine, for storing cash and valuables in a banking environment.

The number of users who can program their own access code.

An assembly consisting of the door frame and leaf, together with the hardware (handle, lock, hinges, etc.).

Mechanism used to automatically close the door quickly, slowing the door’s movement in the final phase. It can be of standard arm or slide channel type.

A mobile and adjustable mechanism that connects the leaf to the door frame and enables it to be rotated. It can be double or triple-bladed.

A component that serves as the frame’s central panel. It can be solid or glass.

The space needed for the leaf to be able to move.

According to the EN 12519 standard, the left door is the one that is pulled to the left or pushed to the right. It opens by rotating around its hinges, which are located on the left side when viewed from the side where the door opens.

According to the EN 12519 standard, a right door opens by being pulled to the right or pushed to the left. It opens by rotating around its hinges, which are located on the right side when viewed from the opening side.