Expertise
Certified Safes Ireland™ advisor Alan Donohoe Redd is part of the CEN263 Working Group responsible for writing European Standards for safes and vaults for the European Union
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Safes & Strongrooms To Protect High Value Commercial Assets
Certified Safes Ireland™ high value asset safes and strongrooms cater for high value commercial risk profiles and provide a legal proof of standard for compliance and litigation purposes
Certified Safes Ireland™ supply and install prefabricated strongrooms and a range of large diamond core drill resistant certified safes suitable for high value commercial assets. We have the expertise to specify alarm integration, time lock, audit and duress systems configured for maximum security and ease of use, facilitating their integration with a variety of advanced, certified EN50131 compliant alarm signalling devices and access control technologies. Surveys are free of charge, without obligation and entirely confidential.
The Importance Of Accredited European Certification
EU Parliament regulation 765/2008 created the system that provides the legal basis of accreditation for the burglary resistance certification of safes and strongrooms to:
- European standard EN1143-1, the burglary resistance certification for safes & strongrooms
- European standard EN15659 the protection of paper documents from fire
- European standard EN1047-1 the protection of data from fire
The ultimate protection against misrepresentation and a legal proof of standard of burglary and fire resistance, accredited European certification is the most important factor in maintaining insurance cover long term, as well as being the basis for all insurance rate recommendations for safes and strongrooms in Europe. Backed by regular auditing and market surveillance, when there is a need to ensure regulatory compliance for the storage of valuables, important legal documents or data, anything less than accredited European certification and the legal proof of standard it provides can leave an organisation or individual vulnerable.
Prefabricated Strongrooms
Prefabricated strongrooms are constructed from prefabricated strongroom elements which can have a certified burglary resistance from grade 0 to XIII. Designs can be customised to allow for future facility expansion with elements fabricated for each specific site and allowances for cabling and ventilation built in. Individual elements are quickly and easily welded or bolted together to provide a facility that is both secure, flexible, and upgradable.
The very latest EN1143-1 (T2) strongroom panels are manufactured to resist the most up to date heavy power tools yet are surprisingly light weight, enabling light weight strongrooms to be installed to some upper floors without substantial structural reinforcement to the building, but such an approach is always subject to a risk assessment.
Pre-fabricated T2 Strongroom Panels:
Pre-fabricated T2 Strongroom Panels being installed:
Pre-fabricated T2 Strongroom Panels being installed:
EN1143-1 T2 Strongroom installed:
Safes To Protect High Value Commercial Assets
Certified Safes Ireland™ supply a range of diamond core drill resistant certified safes prepared for 24/7 alarm integration, seismic sensors, duress, audit and time locking with accredited certification to European Standard EN1143-1 CD for diamond core drill resistance. A diamond core drill is one of the most potent tools a professional burglar can use and the exact tool used to defeat the Hatton Garden Safe Deposit Vault in London.
For many businesses multiple high grade monitored safes have distinct advantages over a strongroom as risk can be split between multiple units, while different classes of valuables can be segregated and access restricted to specific personnel, specific assets, or specific times. Combine this with staggered time locking, interlocking or OTC and the level of control and audit that can be provided can offer huge advantages over a single strongroom.
Alarm integration is critical for high grade safes but should always be tamper proof and hidden from view
Integration is a critically important aspect when installing any type of facility intended to protect high value assets while it is important all wiring and alarm monitoring devices are kept inside the safe protected both from tampering and unauthorised view. All three safes shown above were configured for alarm and access monitoring via integrated alarm cable tracks, not visible when the safe doors are closed.
Wiring on the outside of a safe is an unnecessary and unacceptable security risk and should not be accepted for the following reasons:
- External wiring advertises the presence of alarm monitoring and the possibility of duress signalling to anyone who sees the safe.
- Provides the opportunity to circumvent or tamper with the alarm devices or wiring.
- The possibility of accidental damage to the equipment, particularly in a commercial setting.
Locking, Alarm Integration And Monitoring Options
A digital lock is the starting point for all electronic integration
The starting point for EN50131 compliant alarm integration of a certified safe is of course a certified digital lock. Most certified digital safe locks from class "B" upwards come with a range of basic features which will include alarm module compatibility. Listed below are a range of features, some found as standard in a digital lock and some optional extras that can be achieved with various lock and alarm integration combinations. All options listed are certified compliant with the EN1300 safe lock standard and the EN50131 alarm standard.
Penalty Lockout (Standard Feature) |
| The penalty lockout feature on a certified digital lock shuts the lock down for ten minutes if four or more incorrect codes are entered in a row making manipulation and random code entry attempts virtually impossible. This is a standard feature with all certified digital safe locks which has no equivalent with any mechanical lock type. |
Multi-user Codes (Standard Feature) |
| Most certified digital safe locks have multi-user codes which means no two people have to use the same code to access a safe. In a commercial setting this means an individual code can be removed at will by management. No need to worry that keys may have been copied etc.... |
Dual Codes (Standard Feature) |
| Most certified safe locks will allow or have a version that allows for dual code operation, which means two codes have to be entered to open the lock. Ideal in situations where dual person operation is preferred. |
Duress Silent Alarm (Extra Module Required) |
| Many certified digital locks can be added to your alarm system via an Alarm Module. With an Alarm module in place if a hold-up occurs addition of a digit to the normal access code will trigger a silent alarm. |
Time Delay Option (Standard Feature Class B,C,D) |
| A programmable time delay of 1 to 99 minutes is another standard option in all but the most basic electronic lock models with a time delay opening window that can be set from 1 to 15 minutes. This is a powerful anti hold-up measure. |
Time Lock (Keypad Type) |
| Time Lock gives you all the benefits of a bank level high security time lock system with built in audit. You can control when your safe can be accessed, by whom and download access logs from the lock telling you who opened the safe, when, and how long the safe door and lock was open. Up to 30 holidays can be programmed that override the normal schedule. Automatically adjusts for daylight saving time. We can even program a time lock schedule that restricts specific people’s access. |
Audit Trail (incorporated into most time locks) |
| A powerful feature of many digital locks is an audit trail which can be easily downloaded to a USB drive once you have the correct download code. This tells you who opened the lock, for how long, time, date and if there were any attempts to open the lock with an incorrect code. The standard audit trail is 1000 events. An audit trail can also be downloaded remotely directly from a compatible alarm system using an alarm module bolt position interface. |
Seismic Sensor (Extra Module Required) |
| As a properly anchored safe is secured to at least 5 tons, and a certified digital safe lock cannot be manipulated open, power tool attack or a prising attack is the only option left for a professional burglar. A Seismic Sensor will detect prising, cutting, drilling and heat attacks, but is not triggered by normal everyday use of the safe. What is particularly convenient about a seismic sensor is it is tamper proof and works 24/7 even when an alarm system is switched off. |
One Time Code (requires special lock type and set-up) |
| Easily retro fitted onto most existing safes or strongrooms, a One Time Code system (OTC) means that opening and closing is controlled by single use codes generated by a certified monitoring station after the identity of the person requiring access has been verified. The person accessing the safe or strongroom also requires their own personal code and a special key fob that records the opening and closing state of the lock. Time and date specific one-time codes can be issued in advance by the monitoring station for use within a 15-minute window, weeks, or months in advance. |
Protecting Your Confidentiality
We understand the need for confidentiality
As Government and NATO contractors Certified Safes Ireland™ understand the need for confidentiality and will always respect yours. We guarantee the confidentiality of all of our clients. Any photos taken for survey purposes have location data removed and are erased directly after use unless directed otherwise by the client. All booking records and client information pertaining to completed work is anonymised across all of our systems at the end of each month in compliance with the G.D.P.R.
For Free, Confidential Expert Advice Call: +353 1 7076011
Certified Safes Ireland™ in-house advisor on keeping jewellery, watch collections, goods, cash, documents and data, safe, secure, yet readily accessible, is Alan Donohoe Redd.
Alan Donohoe Redd is a member of the European Committee for Standardisation (CEN) Working Group responsible for writing European Standards for safes, strongrooms (vaults), secure cabinets and physical data protection for the European Union and a member of the U.S. Underwriters Laboratories (UL) Standards Technical Panel TC72 covering standards for fire resistance of record protection devices. Alan is also a registered NATO supplier and a longstanding member of the European Security Systems Association. Alan has a vast range of experience spanning almost 40 years encompassing installation of safes, strongrooms, physical data protection, firearms security, secure storage of pharmaceuticals as well as access control, doors and equipment used for Sensitive Compartmented Information Facilities (SCIFs) in government, military and I.T. sectors.
An expert on standards and fraud issues related to secure storage in Europe, the UK and the use of asbestos in European safe and cabinet manufacturing, Alan has had articles related to these subjects published by The Law Society Gazette and Irish Broker Magazine, has forced retractions of multiple false claims related to secure storage offerings to the public and has been pivotal in having misleading standards and practices recognised and withdrawn in Ireland, the UK and at a European level.
Alan's seminars on safes, strongrooms and high net worth secure storage have been part of Continuing Professional Development for underwriters and insurers having been awarded CPD points by the Insurance Institute of Ireland and the Chartered Insurance Institute (UK).
Alan's expertise has been relied on by:
N.A.T.O. Europe, The U.S. Air Force (Europe), The National Treasury Management Agency (Ireland), The Department Of Communications (NCSC Cyber Security) (Ireland), The Revenue Commissioners, The Department of Foreign Affairs, Electricity Supply Board (Cyber Security) (Ireland), The Danish Defence Forces (Afghanistan), PayPal (Worldwide), Grant Thornton, The Insurance Institute of Ireland, The Royal College Of Surgeons, An Garda Síochána (Irish police service), BFC Bank, Interxion Data Centres, Isle of Man Gold Bullion, Brown Thomas, Bvlgari, Boodles, Druids Glen, The Shelbourne Hotel, and many others ....
Standards
All of our safes have accredited European certification of burglary resistance, essential legal proof of standard to maintain insurance cover long term
Documentation
Accredited burglary resistance certification documents are provided with all of our safes. A certificate of anchorage is available on request for all safes we install
Insurance Liaison
We are uniquely qualified to liaise with your insurer regarding certification, alarm integration, or general risk assessment related to your choice of secure storage
