Safe standards and testing institutes: an overview of all terms

There is a proliferation of abbreviations surrounding safes: EN 1143-1, VdS class, resistance grade, security level, RU, SU, LFS. This glossary explains every term in one place. Where a term has multiple names, they are listed directly with the explanation. At the bottom, you will also find product names, as the same design often goes by half a dozen labels in the industry.

Resistance grade and security level

Resistance grade

Classification according to EN 1143-1 for secure safes. Ranges from grade 0 to grade 6, sometimes written as N/0. The higher the grade, the longer the safe resists a break-in attempt and the higher the recognized insurance coverage. See Safe security levels.Also called: class, VdS class, security class, resistance class, safe class, grade, EN class

Security level

Classification according to EN 14450 for security cabinets, marked with an S. There are only two levels: S1 and S2. Security cabinets offer basic protection, below that of secure safes.Also called: level S1, level S2, S-class

Security level B

Not to be confused with S1 and S2. Level B originates from the standard sheet VDMA 24992 and is not a tested certification, but rather a construction specification: double-walled, with a total sheet metal thickness of 4.5 mm. The manufacturer was allowed to self-certify compliance. In 2004, the standard sheet was withdrawn without replacement and replaced by EN 14450, in which an independent testing body attacks the entire safe instead of merely measuring the construction. Because many insurers still use the term today, our models carry both: the construction according to VDMA 24992 and the testing according to EN 14450. You do not need to choose between them. See Safe security level B.Also called: level B, class B, security grade B, VDMA B

VdS class

Denotes the same test result as the resistance grade, but emphasizes that the testing was performed by the VdS institute. Some insurers explicitly require VdS certification. See VDS classes.

Lock class

Classification of the lock according to EN 1300, independent of the safe's resistance grade. There are three classes. The required class depends on the level of the safe. See Safe locks.Also called: VdS class 1, VdS class 2, VdS class 3, when the specification refers to the lock and not the safe

The European standards

EN 1143-1

Test standard for secure safes. Testing is conducted using mechanical and thermal tools; the result is expressed as a resistance grade from 0 to 6.

EN 1143-2

Test standard for deposit safes. Follows the same definitions as EN 1143-1, with additional testing of the deposit mechanism. See Deposit safe.

EN 14450

Test standard for security cabinets. Testing is conducted exclusively with mechanical tools, plus locking systems and anchoring. Result: security level S1 or S2.

EN 1300

Test standard for safe locks. Resistance against violence as well as against mechanical and electronic opening tools is tested.

EN 1047-1

Test standard for fire protection with a fire test at 1,090 degrees and a drop test from 9.15 meters. Test duration 60 or 120 minutes. Distinguishes by items to be protected: paper may heat up by a maximum of 150 degrees, data media only by 30 degrees. See Fire protection classes.

EN 15659

Test standard for light fire protection cabinets. Indicated as LFS with test duration and items to be protected, for example LFS 30 P or LFS 60 P. Without drop test.

VDMA 24992

Historical, no longer current. Old standard sheet with levels A and B. Withdrawn in 2004 due to insufficient quality criteria and replaced by the security levels S1 and S2 according to EN 14450. Safes with this label may still be displayed; please clarify with your insurer if they recognize it.

Who tests and certifies

VdS Schadenverhütung GmbH

German institute for the assessment of safety and loss prevention, one of the most renowned institutions for corporate security. Tests safes and locks and issues the VdS certification. Recognized by almost all German insurers; some explicitly require it.

ECB-S

European Certification Body, founded in 2011. Issues the ECB-S quality mark, thereby setting comparable standards for physical security media throughout Europe. A large number of our safes are ECB-S certified.

IMP

Instytut Mechaniki Precyzyjnej, the Institute of Precision Mechanics in Warsaw. A European-recognized testing institute, accredited by the Polish Centre for Accreditation under AC 041, which tests according to EN 1143-1, among others. Some of our safes carry an IMP certificate.

ESSA

European Security Systems Association, the European trade association for security technology. The parent organization behind the certification body ECB-S. Bremer Tresor is a member.

VDMA

Mechanical Engineering Industry Association (Verband Deutscher Maschinen- und Anlagenbau). Provided the standard sheet 24992 until 2004 and was a co-founder of the ECB. No longer tests safes according to its own guidelines.

Units of measurement and abbreviations

RU (Resistance Unit)

Unit of measurement for the resistance value according to EN 1143-1. It is calculated based on the type of tool used and the duration of its application. A pair is always given, for example 30/50 RU: 30 units for a partial breach, 50 for a full breach. The underlying test times and tool lists are confidential so that burglars cannot draw conclusions from them.

SU (Security Units)

One of two point values for the test according to EN 14450. The SU are calculated from the working time and the tool coefficient.

TP (Tool Points)

The second point value according to EN 14450. The TP are calculated from the point value of the tools used. SU and TP are always given together, and both minimum values must be reached: Security level S1 requires at least 2.0 SU and 40 TP, security level S2 at least 5.0 SU and 60 TP. Together, SU and TP in EN 14450 fulfill the same function as the RU in EN 1143-1, but they cannot be converted due to the different test procedures.

Partial breach and full breach

A partial breach creates a hand-sized hole that allows access to a partial area. A full breach clears the entire interior. Both times are included separately in the classification.

LFS

Labeling for light fire protection cabinets according to EN 15659, followed by test duration and items to be protected. LFS 30 P means 30 minutes tested for paper.

P and DIS

The suffix after a fire protection class identifies the item to be protected. P stands for paper (up to 150-degree temperature rise), DIS for data media such as hard drives and CDs (only 30 degrees). A P-class does not protect data media, even with a longer test duration.

EMA (Intrusion alarm system)

Alarm system that monitors the safe. With a connected alarm system, many insurers significantly increase the recognized insurance coverage. The specific amount is always determined by the insurer.Also called: alarm system, intrusion detection system

Revision

A second, mechanical lock as an emergency opening beside an electronic combination lock. A "combination lock with revision" can therefore still be opened if the electronics fail or the code is lost.Also called: emergency lock, emergency opening via key, combination lock with emergency key

Test plate

Sticker on the inside of the door that states the standard, testing institute, certificate number, level, model, weight, and year of manufacture. Without a plate, a safe is considered non-certified, regardless of how sturdily it is actually built.Also called: plate, seal, test seal, certificate, nameplate

Terms from regulations

Value container (Wertbehältnis)

Term from administrative regulations and insurance conditions for a container in which something must be kept locked. It specifies neither a standard nor a resistance grade. Which level is appropriate results from the value of the contents and the technical regulations that already apply to the respective goods. In practice, this refers to what we call a secure safe.

Evidence (Asservat)

An object that the police, customs, or public prosecutor's office have secured or confiscated and are keeping for legal proceedings. Evidence is only kept as long as the purpose exists; thereafter, it must be released.

Evidence room

The secured room in which evidence is stored. The requirements are regulated by the federal states in individual decrees; there is no uniform federal regulation. According to the custodial regulations of the state of Brandenburg, the storage facility must be "as burglar-proof as possible." Inside the chamber, the following also applies: money, found money, checks as well as valuables and jewelry, weapons (unloaded and separated from ammunition), and narcotics must each be kept in a value container; for everything else, the secured room is sufficient. The room is therefore the shell, and the safe secures the critical categories within it.

Product names: What means the same thing

The same design is often called by very different names in the trade. This list matches the most common product names. Synonyms for technical terms are listed further up directly with the respective explanation.