Buying Guides
Fire protection –
what are you protecting?
Getting it right
Different contents need different protection.
Not everything reacts to heat the same way. Paper, digital media and cash all have different temperature thresholds — and a safe certified to protect one may offer no meaningful protection for another. Before choosing a fire rated product, the first question to answer is always: what am I actually protecting?
Three content types
Paper Documents
Paper chars at around 177°C. Most standard fire rated safes and cabinets are designed to keep internal temperatures below this threshold for their rated duration. Look for UL72 Class 350, EN 1047-1 or NT Fire 017 certification with a 30, 60 or 120 minute rating.
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Digital Media
Hard drives, USB drives, tapes and optical media begin to degrade above 52°C — well below paper's threshold. A standard paper-rated safe will not protect digital media. You need a dedicated data safe certified to UL72 Class 125 or ECB•S EN 1047-1 DIS.
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Cash & Valuables
Cash and valuables require both fire and burglary protection. Fire rating alone is not sufficient — look for dual-certified products that meet both your fire rating and cash rating requirements. Confirm with your insurer before purchasing.
Often overlooked
The danger doesn't stop when the fire does.
Internal temperatures inside a safe can continue rising for six to eight hours after a fire has been extinguished — a period known as the soakout. Quality certified products are tested through this full cooling period, not just during the fire itself. When evaluating data protection products in particular, confirm the certification covers the complete soakout period.
Mixed storage
Storing documents and data together?
Internal temperatures inside a safe can continue rising for six to eight hours after a fire has been extinguished — a period known as the soakout. Quality certified products are tested through this full cooling period, not just during the fire itself. When evaluating data protection products in particular, confirm the certification covers the complete soakout period.
CONTACT SSC
Not sure what protection you need?
Tell us what you’re storing and we’ll recommend the right certified product for your application.