No matter what your secure storage requirement for business, retail or hospitality, we have the expertise to secure stock, cash, jewellery, precious metals, data, offices, and cash offices, blending form and function into a comprehensive physical security system tailored to your specific business needs, with ease of use and long-term recognised certification for insurance purposes as a priority.
- Certified safes, deposit safes and strongrooms with Time locking, audit locking, anti hold-up systems, multi-user setup, training and support
- Deposit safe scanning and monitoring systems to track cash drops and amounts by individual user with advanced bag drop verification
- Alarm and electronic integration of safes and safe locking for seismic and duress capability
- Certified security doors with fire resistant, sound suppression and anti-ballistic options
- Staff training, technical support, service and maintenance including, nationwide safe, vault technical and remote support service, emergency lock opening, locksmith service, and extensive range of specially recorded training and troubleshooting videos constantly being added to.
Brown Thomas, Arnotts, Bvlgari, Boodles, Druids Glen, The Shelbourne Hotel, Crowne Plaza Hotels, Hard Rock Hotels, Tifco Hotel Group, Aloft - Marriott Hotels, PayPal (Worldwide), Grant Thornton, KPMG, Isle of Man Gold Bullion, and many others ....
Our seminars on safes, strongrooms and HNW 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).
Accredited European Certification For Safes And Why It Matters |
European LawEU Parliament regulation 765/2008 created the system that provides the legal basis of accreditation for the certification of safes for, fire resistance, burglary resistance and data to European standards. This system is backed by regular auditing and market surveillance but most importantly, is verifiable proof of standard for litigation purposes. Without legal proof of standard protection, issues may arise if a loss occurs, you change insurance provider, or an insurer becomes aware that the safe you have purchased is not certified by an accredited certification body as being burglary resistant. |
Recognising Accredited European Certification |
Legally recognised certification will always be displayed on a stamped metal plate, never a sticker. An accredited certification plate for a safe, deposit safe, fire safe, data cabinet or strongroom will display the logo of an accredited certification body, burglary or fire resistance grade, and most importantly confirmation that the certification body is accredited to ISO/IEC 17065.
Below are logos of four certification bodies with European accreditation to certify safes. The example images of certification plates below them are from ECB-S and VDS but any of the four logos below may appear on a genuine certification plate.
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EN1143-1 is the burglary resistance standard for safes, strong rooms, and ATM safes - Grades for safes in this standard currently range from 0 to XIII. Resistance to attack rises by 50% between grades. Certification for fire resistance will appear separately to any burglary resistance certification that may appear on a certified safe.
EN1143-2 is the burglary resistance standard for deposit safes - Grades in this standard currently range from I to V. Resistance to attack rises by 50% between grades. No deposit safe has a certification for fire resistance. A deposit safe that displays the certification standard EN1143-1 is a modified unit. Any previous certification the unit may have had is void as the safe's barrier material will have been extensively breached. All certification plates on such a unit should be removed.
Small Business Multi-User Certified Anti-Hold Up Deposit Safes |
Smaller certified deposit safes are ideal for a small business with multiple staff allowing cash to be dropped at regular intervals to be retrieved later by management. All of our deposit safes are fitted with a anti hold-up, multi-user, time delay lock as standard and anti hold-up signage is freely available. A certified deposit safe is a must for any small business, freeing up management time and allowing owners to take days off in the knowledge that operating staff can drop cash and receipts into a secure safe with a recognised insurance rating overnight without needing access to the safe itself.
Larger Deposit Safes & Cash Drop Tracking |
A certified, time locked deposit safe is the ideal solution for department stores, restaurants, hotels, licensed premises, and other retail environments that handle significant amounts of cash that may need to be secured by multiple staff at various times of the day or night. Certified deposit safes (EN1143-2) are designed, tested, and certified to resist both fishing and heavy tool attacks and come in a range of grades and sizes. From compact grade 1 certified deposit safes, ideal for restaurants and small business, to much larger deposit safes with integrated scanning and multi-user cash drop verification and tracking systems normally used by department stores. What all of deposit safes have in common is that multiple users can safely drop cash at any time without it being necessary to open the locked receiving safe.
In the case of larger deposit safes with scanning systems, of the type used in department store cash offices, the deposit drawer for the deposit safe can be located outside the cash office wall, allowing staff to make cash drops from outside a locked cash office. A cash bag scanning system records the sales point number, value, denomination of each cash drop as well as the total amount being held inside the safe at any particular time.
Protecting Staff From Hold-Up And Duress |
For business, retail or hospitality clients, handling cash or easily disposable valuables such a jewellery, anti hold-up measures are a must, particularly as a staff health and safety issue. Staff being placed in a situation where they can be threatened to obtain a key or mechanical combination is an unsafe business practice that could potentially open an employer to litigation. A digital time delay or time lock system, and adequate signage alerting to its presence, not only removes the logic of placing staff under duress but goes a long way to preventing a hold-up in the first place.
The starting point for any anti hold-up system is of course a certified digital lock. Our most basic certified digital safe locks come with a range of features which include alarm module compatibility. Below are a range of features, some found as standard in these locks and some as 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. |
Certified Fire And Security Doors For Retail And Office Use |
There are many security doors on the market but few with EN1627 certification to European standards, even fewer with 60 minutes certified fire resistance to EI60 and even fewer again with sound suppression options to suit commercial and industrial applications. Our burglary tested security doors offer grade III EN1627 burglary resistance, are made to order, and tailored to meet specific size, furnishing, locking, surface and mission requirements. Doors are made of galvanised steel, primed and powder-coated and can come in sound suppression, fire resistance or anti-ballistic versions, with several locking options available, including integrated wiring to allow connection to an access control and alarm system. Integral locking systems come with drill protection. Door colour is available in most RAL and NCS colour charts. Standard size 9x21 or 10x21 but also available in special sizes of door opening in increments of 10 mm. Suitable for inside and outdoor installation.
Standard configuration:
- Certified burglary protection Grade 3 (EN 1627)
- Sound insulation 41dB
Monitoring And Anti Hold-Up Duress For Business Safes |
An increasing number of businesses now choose to link their safe directly with an intruder alarm system with the use of seismic sensors and to a lesser extent duress being the most popular options. Even if you do not intend to do this straight away, or your insurance company has not requested this integration, it is always a good idea to make sure the safe and locking device you choose is prepared for intruder alarm, seismic sensor, and duress to future proof your investment. Many rudimentary safes on the market have no such preparation. With the exception of some of our smallest safes, most of our business safes come with certified alarm cable tracks and seismic sensor mounting preparation as standard.
Most certified digital locks can be monitored via an alarm system via a certified and compatible Alarm Module. With an alarm module in place if you are put under any type of duress the addition of a digit to your normal access code when opening a safe will trigger a silent panic alarm. This is a very powerful tool if you are held-up, allowing for a much faster police response.
In the context of a safe, a seismic sensor is a small high security alarm signalling device that monitors vibration and temperature, specifically configured to detect prising attacks, drill attacks, cutting discs as well as hydraulic and thermal tools. When using seismic sensors on a safe, it is important to understand that these devices should be configured by an alarm installer to always be on, even if the alarm is switched off. Seismic sensors will not be triggered by normal safe use. At Certified Safes Ireland™ we recommend the installation of two EN50131 compatible seismic sensors as An Garda Síochána (Irish Police) alarm response guidelines require two verified intruder alarm sensor activations to trigger an alarm response. Having two sensors located inside the safe should therefore ensure you get response to an attempted burglary, even if the local alarm system is switched off.
A critically important aspect of the addition any type of alarm integration is that all wiring and alarm monitoring devices are kept inside the safe protected from tampering and unauthorised view. Wiring on the outside of a safe is both an unnecessary and unacceptable security risk. It 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.
- If it is necessary to connect to a safe lock many technicians will drill through the barrier material of the safe, even the safe door, severely compromising the safe’s security as well as its certification for burglary resistance.
- The possibility of accidental damage to the equipment, particularly in a commercial setting.
This photo is of a Chubb Europa, a model of safe that comes prepared with an internal alarm cable route and seismic sensor mounting plates, yet despite this, a well-known safe technician drilled both the barrier material at the side of the safe and more worryingly the barrier material on the door of the safe close to the safe lock in order to run cabling to the safe lock. External wiring like this not only damages the barrier material of a safe, severely compromising security as well as the safe's certification for burglary resistance, but it advertises the presence of alarm integration and the possible presence of duress signalling to criminals. Being advised of this in advance, the probability criminals will employ tactics such as Tiger kidnapping for high value targets, rather than a straight forward burglary, are a lot more likely.
In the example shown below, a deposit safe for commercial use, we can clearly see there is never a need for an external door loop or any other indication that alarm signalling devices (seismic sensors, alarm modules) may be present. With such devices located inside the safe they are also protected from view, tampering and possible circumvention.
A Common Unaccredited Burglary Resistance Mark To Watch Out For |
The Loss Prevention Certification Board (LPCB) (UK)![]() |
Nationwide Safe And Locksmith Services, Training, Support And Maintenance |
Certified Safes Ireland™ offer training and remote support to all of our clients, their staff, and on-site maintenance personnel, including, software installation and GDPR compliant management for audit and time locking, deposit safe cash drop scanning operation and back-office software, multi-user time lock and time delay lock programming and basic on-site trouble shooting, backed by an extensive range of specially recorded training and troubleshooting videos that is constantly being added to.
Certified Safes Ireland™ offer an efficient and highly cost-effective safe, vault, and locksmith service to all our clients, including nationwide coverage, 7-day support and emergency lock opening. Our chief safe and strongroom technician is a licensed locksmith and a specialist in non-destructive lock or combination manipulation (Non-Destructive Entry - NDE) with vast industry experience in Ireland and Europe.
As part of a larger group, we can offer fast and efficient service 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, to attend planned maintenance, commissioning, repairs and call-out duties, not only on safes, strongrooms, security doors and locks, but on all types of data infrastructure, fire, alarm, CCTV and electrical equipment on a contract basis. Our group partners IC Services And Maintenance has built its reputation on efficient planned programmes and quick response. Our integration specialists are the best in their respective fields and are always up to date with relevant codes of practice and training.
Expert Advice |
Certified Safes Ireland™ director Alan Donohoe Redd is a member of the European CEN263 Working Group responsible for writing European Standards for safes, strongrooms (vaults), secure cabinets and physical data protection for the European Union. 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 and encompassing installation of safes, strongrooms, physical data protection, CCTV, alarms, access control, secure storage control systems and Sensitive Compartmented Information Facility (SCIF) specification, design, and installation.
Alan is an expert on standards and fraud issues related to secure storage in Europe and the UK, 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, including some published by the Irish Times, and has been pivotal in having misleading standards and practices recognised and withdrawn in Ireland, the UK and at a European level.
Due Diligence Notes |
Contrary to what many people may believe the profession of "Locksmith" has long been recognised as one almost completely separate from the supply and installation of safes and strongrooms in the E.U. With most insurers and An Garda Síochána (Irish Police) advising against the use of mechanical locks on safes due to the ease of opening via non-invasive manipulation, the last connection between these two professions is quickly disappearing. There are exceptions to every rule, and a locksmith may have the necessary knowledge to correctly specify, survey for, and anchor a certified safe, however, most locksmiths have very little knowledge in relation to European standards for safes and The Private Security Authority (PSA) does not require any qualifications to issue a locksmith license.
Ireland and the UK are notorious black spots for fraud and misrepresentation in the safe supply sector. Well-known safe suppliers being penalised for tax evasion and having served time in jail are just some indications of a wide range of malpractice and illegal activity throughout the safe supply industry. We strongly encourage due diligence before engaging a safe supplier or having someone survey your home or business, irrespective of who recommends them.