Safe Ratings

Safe Ratings

The following is a basic description of the different labels and rating used in describing the ability of a safe to protect your valuables. To most people they mean little but to your insurance company they mean quite a bit.

Safe Manufacturers National Association / UL

Labels used on Insulated Fire Safes / Vault Doors

These are safes that should only be used for the protection valuable papers against fire and offer very little protection against burglary attempts. The following list contains how long a safe can withstand a fire with little to no damage to its contents.

Class Hours

A 4

B 2

C 1

D 1

E 1/2

150 1,2,3,4 (depending on rating / used for protecting Data)

Insulated Fire Vaults can be found with a 2,4,6 hour rating.

Labels Use On Burglary Safes

These safes are designed to protect your valuables ( money, jewelry etc.) As a rule they offer very little protection against fire. Burglary safes are rated on how long they will be able to withstand an attack using power tools and in some cases cutting torches and high explosives.

B rate - simply means your safe is equipped with a combination lock and some type of external relocking device. Both door and body are 1/2 inch steel. Most are small safes that can be easily carried off if not bolted down. It is not recommend that valuables be left in these safes over night.

C rate - a safe with a door 1 inch thick door and body 1/2 inch thick.

E rate - a safe with a 1 1/2 inch thick door and a 1 inch thick body.

TL 15 - a safe that must weigh at least 750 pounds and resist expert attack using power tools for a net working time of 15 minutes.

TL 30 - a safe that must weigh at least 750 pounds and resist expert attack

using power tools for a net working time of 30 minutes.

TRTL 15 / TRTL 30 - same as above but also must resist expert attack by a cutting torch during the attack

TRTL60 - a safe that must weigh at least 750 pounds and be able to resist expert attack by both power tools and cutting torch for a net working time of 60 minutes

TXTL60 - a safe that must weigh at least 1000 pounds and resist expert attack by power tools , cutting torches and high explosives for a net working time of 60 minutes. (no longer produced to my knowledge)

Net Working Time: The actual time working. It does not include the time required to change worn out or broken drill bits and saw blades, replace drill motors to hot to handle or any other of the many things that takes place during these test.

Composite Body Safes

These are becoming the most widely use class of safe used in business today as they offer both fire and burglary protection. With the TL15 , TL30 and TRTL 30 being the most popular. There is also another rating this style safe can be found in. It is known as the X6 (ie. TRTL30X6). This simply means that any barrier that can be found in the door to resist attack can also be found in the top, bottom and sides offering even more protection for your valuables.