Qualified Safe & Vault Advice You Can Trust.

 

Safes Ireland™ managing consultant Alan Donohoe Redd. M.Sec.I.I has been in the business of safe and vaults for over 30 years having worked with major organisations within insurance, banking, law enforcement and defense in Ireland, UK, Europe and the Middle East .

Alan is an Extraordinary Member of ESSA, a member of the Security Institute Of Ireland and the only Irish representative on the European Union's CEN Committee 263 dealing with drafting new European standards for safes, vaults and related locking systems. .

Alan has also been sitting on the the Private Security Authority Of Ireland Working Group for a new licensing requirement for suppliers and installers of safes due to be launched in 2017. Alan was specifically asked to advise on European standards for safes, vaults, associated certified locking systems and insurance requirements.

Alan is chairman of the Irish Safes Ratings Group, an expert group of senior insurance risk managers, safe and vault technicians and regulatory bodies that was established in 2016 to make and periodically update recommended insurance ratings related to the overnight cash cover for certified safes, strong rooms and secure cabinets for the Republic Of Ireland. The groups work is observed by The National Standards Authority Of Ireland, The Private Security Authority, The European Security Systems Association and assisted by the ECB-S.

Alan is a longstanding distributor for Sargent And Greenleaf (Switzerland), Wertheim Safes (Austria) and Kaso Security (Finland). Alan is also involved in project development with IC Service And Maintenance a specialist CCTV, alarm, access control and electrical integration company based in Park West in Dublin.

 

Deposit Safes

Deposit Safes are an essential element for any large cash flow retail business. Unfortunately deposit safes are also the primary safe type where the majority of misinformation and fraud occurs. We Only Supply Certified deposit safes. Genuine certified deposit safes are given the certification EN1143-2 or EN1143-2D as distinct from EN1143-1 which is only used for a safe certified without a deposit facility. If your deposit safe does not display this cert or has no badge inside its door it's not a good sign, if it's a new safe, it's not certified and you may be entitled to a refund. No certification in most circumstances means no insurance.

Remember a certification badge must be one awarded by an accredited European testing house to be insurance valid.

Deposit safe types that are NOT certified and therefore not covered by insurance are as follows;

• Slot deposit safes
• Pneumatic deposit safes
• Tube drop deposit safes
• Capsule deposit safes
• Rotary drum deposit safes
• Modified deposit safes
• Underfloor deposit safes

 

Certified Safes (Non Deposit)

Genuine certified safes, vaults and ATM's are given the certification EN1143-1. Remember a certification badge on a certified safe must be one awarded by a certification body house with accreditation according to ISO/IEC 17065:2012 for safe test certification to be valid for insurance cover in Europe.

AIS approval or L.P.C.B. certification are NOT and make no claim to be certification accredited to ISO/IEC 17065:2012 .

 

Fire Safes

Genuine certified fire data safes are given the certification S120 DIS. Genuine certified fire safes are given the certification LFS(P). LFS stands for light fire storage and P stands for paper. A badge on any certified fire cabinet or fire safe must be one awarded by a testing house with accreditation according to ISO/IEC 17065:2012 for testing fire safes, fire cabinets or fire protection for data. There are many irrelevant fire certifications in the industry most notably AIS approval or LPCB which is not an accredited fire safe certification but there are many more misleading badges and marks.

Safes Ireland™ stock fire safes from Europe's top manufacturers such as Kaso of Finalnd who are top suppliers of fire protection safes and cabinets to N.A.T.O.

 

Fire proof Filing Cabinets

We supply a range of high quality fire resistant filing cabinets designed to store and protect large quantities of paper from fire. These fire protection units are ideal for office and commercial environments. They come in 1, 2, 3 and 4 drawer filing cabinet configuration. Safes Ireland™ offer the best value in fire resistant filing cabinets and fire protection cupboards new and second hand.

 

Fire proof Data Cabinets

We always have an extensive range of high quality data cabinets in a range of sizes from the very small to walk in cabinets and fire protection vaults. These fire protection units are ideal for office, commercial and data centre environments. Having fire protection for server and computer back-up is not a luxury. Information is the life blood of any organisation and fire is by far the biggest risk you can face. An insurance policy might cover a building but when data is destroyed in can take years to recover. PROTECT YOUR DATA FROM FIRE. Safes Ireland™ offers the best value in fire resistant filing cabinets and fire protection safes new and second hand. The very best in fire protection is probably cheaper than you think! Call Us Today: 01-7076011

 

Insurance Approved Safes

When your buying a safe or vault you want to ensure that your not only protecting your hard earned cash or valuables against theft but also that any loss arising from a breach of your safe or vaults security is covered by your insurance policy. To this end a certain amount of due diligence is called for.

• Make sure the safe or vault you intend to buy is certified by an accredited EUROPEAN certification body for its purpose
• Ensure that the safe or vault's certified grade is listed as having the appropriate cash or contents cover by the Irish Safe Ratings Group. - www.isrg.ie
• If buying a fire safe, media safe or data safe or a safe that is also required to have a fire resistance, make sure the safe has a properly accredited fire test certificate. NEVER accept an “in-house” test.
• When getting advice check the credentials of the person giving that advice. What are their qualifications? NEVER confuse occupational experience with qualifications. Specific training or certification in their field is what you’re looking for if you want reliable advice.
• Never buy any safe at face value, ask for a certificate of testing or in the case of a second hand safe get an assessment from a qualified professional. There are often bargains to be had but BUYER BEWARE.
• If you expect insurance cover never buy a safe that has been physically altered after certification.
• Finally, have your safe or vault fitted by qualified professionals to the required specification. An unbolted safe less than 1 Ton in weight isn't normally covered by insurance.

 

We supply;

• New or second hand Fire Safes
• New or second hand Fire Cabinets
• New or second hand Fire protection for data
• New or second hand Fire protection for Paper
• New or second hand Fire and burglary cabinets
• New or second hand Fire and burglary safes
• New or second hand Fire, burglary and water protection cabinets

 

Second Hand Safes

As we work with major financial institutions and retailers in Ireland and across Europe we almost always have a stock of certified second hand safes and vaults which have been fully refurbished and fitted with Sargent And Greenleaf digital locks.

Unlike the vast majority of second hand safes in the market our safes are properly certified for insurance purposes. All our second hand safes are supplied at a significant discount on a new model and have been re-sprayed and refurbished by staff and technicians certified by S&G Switzerland.

 

Professional Safe And Vault Service and Installation:

All our operational staff and technicians are certified by S&G Switzerland for all electronic lock types. All our installers are also fully qualified locksmiths. With vast experience in high security safes, ATMs, bank vaults, and every safe within homes and businesses, we are Ireland's proven experts in safe and vault supply, emergency opening and repair.

Safes Ireland™ provides safe and vault service and installations to Dublin, Cork, Galway, Mayo, Donegal, Kerry,Tipperary, Clare, Tyrone, Antrim, Limerick, Roscommon, Down, Wexford, Meath, Londonderry, Kilkenny, Wicklow, Offaly, Cavan, Waterford, Westmeath, Sligo, Laois, Kildare, Fermanagh, Leitrim, Armagh, Monaghan, Longford, Carlow and Louth.

We are not an E-commerce based business that see its customers as revenue. Our business and international customer base is a consequence of high standards and conscientious business practice.

 

Insurance Approved Safes And Vaults

An insurance approved safe or vault is an investment, not only of the initial cost but also in protecting your valuables so treat it like any investment and seek professional, experienced advice and standards. Insurance brokers with the best of intentions can make serious mistakes but there's no need to take the risk. We've been advising government and the insurance industry for years and our qualifications, training and experience is unmatched.

 

Safe Moving

Safes Ireland™ has all the right equipment and knowledge to move any safe or vault both in Ireland or across Europe. Most importantly we and any specialist contractors we might work with on large complex projects are fully trained, experienced and insured. Our safe relocation team has over 35 years experience in moving and relocating safes and vaults. We have a variety of specialist safe moving equipment available including stair walkers, ramps, truck mounted cranes, 70 meter crane and high capacity pallet trucks. We can of course provide a structural engineer report where nessary.

 

WARNING on Tests And Alterations to safes

All certified safes tested to the EN1143-1 standard are tested as they were manufactured and are certified once the test is complete to their proven level of resistance. Once a test certificate has been issued for a particular product only very minor alterations may be permissible such as a lock upgrade or an alarm cable track.

It stands to reason that any physical alterations to the unit such as vacuum tube, capsule deposit, or rotary deposit drum all of which involve cutting large apertures into the certified safe body will of course make the EN1143 certification that existed before the alteration void for all purposes.

In the case of the pneumatic tube or capsule deposit, because a hole has been cut into the safe (usually around 65mm) the safe certification couldn't possibly be still valid as the barrier material has been extensively breached. It is only the very ignorant or dishonest who will assert otherwise. This has been openly acknowledged by The Association Of Insurance Surveyors.

 

Responsibility For Mistakes When It Comes To Insurance

When it comes to insurance it is the policy holder's responsibility to see that all details regarding a safe, strong room or vault are correctly submitted. Please be aware that all national certification bodies in the E.U. are not necessarily accredited so make sure you check.

Insurance companies insure your safe or vault based on the information you give them. In the event of a robbery an insurance claim can be declared void if is found that this information is incorrect. In our experience if an insurance claim is declared void or reduced significantly the fault is nearly always with the information provided to the insurance company by the client or the safe or vault supplier. As the risk in the goods usually passes to the client who purchases the safe or vault the supplier can't usually be held liable unless they state something which is not true.

To be fair to the insurance industry it is not their responsibility to ensure you buy from qualified professionals.

 

Safe And Vault Identification

With a vast experience in high security safes and bank vaults Safes Ireland™has gathered together a huge database of safe serial numbers, literature and images. We use this information and experience to provide a safe identification and assessment service.

We are Ireland's acknowledged experts in Safes and Vaults being called on advise the P.S.A. safe and vault working group, the insurance and banking industry on a regular basis. Insurance surveyors and risk managers wishing to identify safes and obtain an indication of their cash and jewellery rating regularly sendimages and safe details direct to us.

No charge is made for this service but in the event that it is necessary to advise policy holders to obtain a new safe, we ask that we are given an opportunity to quote for its supply. Please send us as complete information as possible if you wish to have us identify a mystery safe or vault.

The most important method of establishing a safe identity is to open it. All tested safes will carry test certification plates on the inside of the door. This gives the model name, the grade achieved, and the name of the test house.

Take any safe number you can find and note where it was found on the safe. For older safes often you will find a number stamped on the door bolts or on a hinge. Note accurate external and internal measurements in milimeters (Height, Width, Depth) Body Thickness. Usually half or less the thickness of the doorplate.

Locks.

The number of key locks, combination locks etc. Date purchased. If known, when and where purchased and details of any invoice number and/or date. Detailed photographs of the safe, particularly the bolts, the door plate and the hinges should be taken and sent to us.

 

Emergency Opening Of Safes And Vaults

With vast experience in bank vaults, high security safes and ATMs we can carefully open and repair any safe or vault without the need for cutting or removal from your premises. We specialise in the non-destructive opening and repair of Safes and Vaults for business, government and private clients and have never failed to open any safe or vault.

If drilling is required we do so strictly within EN1143-1 specifications using state of the art precision component targeting. Remember: There is NEVER a need to remove a safe for opening. If an engineer has ever suggested this to you, it's a sure sign of a complete lack of competence. Safes and vaults must be opened within their certification standards and this is something that requires knowledge and specialist training. Doing otherwise will invalidate certification and may result in a denied claim if a robbery occurs later. There is no reason to take the risk. A qualified technican is often not as expensive as the untrained amateur and will leave your safe or vault as good as it was before opening or better.

We utilize only those opening, repair and service procedures which are recommended or endorsed by ESSA and by virtually all of the major OEM safe & vault service sectors. We also service and maintain all types of safes and vaults including: Bank and Mercantile Vaults ATMs Night Depositories High Security Jeweler's Safes Insulated Fire and Data Safes, Vaults and Fire-resistant files. U.S Government (GSA) Security Containers. Money Depositories and Commercial Safes frequently used in supermarkets, restaurants, etc. Heirloom, antique, rare, exotic, unusual and unique safes and vaults.

 

Fitting Of Timelocks And Anti Hold-up

Most amateur safe technicians or locksmiths can provide you with an uncertified mechanical timelock system for your safe but fitting a certified digital system correctly and providing you with the correct training and options is work for validated trained professionals.

Always ask for evidence of training in fitting of a timelock or anti hold-up system before you engage a contractor. Most contarctors may only be qualified for mechanical systems which are NOT certified or may not be qualified at all. 

Our group's technicians have been certified by two leading manufacturers for programming and fitting of timelocks and anti hold-up from basic group B to group C and vault locking systems.

Safe and vault modification must be performed within the units certification standards and this is something that requires knowledge and specialist training. Doing otherwise will invalidate certification and may result in a denied claim if a robbery occurs later. There is no reason to take the risk. A qualified technician is often not as expensive as the untrained amateur and will leave your safe or vault as good as it was before opening or better. 

 

Safe, Vault Timelock And Anti Hold-Up Procedures

The majority of armed robberies are not well planned. Offenders are rarely rational or in control however you can reduce the likelihood of a hold-up quite significantly with better cash handling facilities and procedures.

Remember: DO NOT RESIST AN ARMED ROBBERY EVER! Your response should appear to co-operate with the offender and always do exactly as you are told.

Daytime Anti Hold-up: (Time Delay) Time delay locking was engineered for the transitory protection of cash during business hours. Usually fitted to a deposit safe where deposits are inserted through the deposit trap but the safe can only be opened after the pre-determined delay period the Time Delay lock has been set for. This can be anything from 1 min to 99 minutes.

Purpose: It is widely accepted that the majority of robberies take 90 seconds to complete and it is very important to avoid putting staff in a position where they feel they must resist an attack. With a time delay system in place a code can be freely handed over but the contents of the unit will remain secure unless the raider is prepared to wait for the delay period to end. In a daytime hold-up situation this is almost impossible.

Overnight Hold-up prevention: (Time Lock) A Timelock is an essential component for any commercial safe not only to prevent loss but more importantly protect staff! As part of an overall cash system the timelock restricts access to bulk cash during business hours and prevents it completely outside of business hours making an overnight robbery impossible.

Modern timelocks are digital 365 day certified solutions which do not need to be set and can not be interfered with by operators. Time delay can be added to the timelock for daytime use and audit trail is another option that can be integrated to the system to give total control and complete records of all access to cash.

Anti Hold-up Signage: Time delay and timelock not only reduces loss and protects staff but also deters future attacks and may even prevent them completely. With the use of our free signage advertising the fact that a time delay system is present, criminals are aware that cash is not freely available greatly increasing their risk of getting caught. This system and signage is used widely by the Banking industry for good reason.

Remember: NEVER BRING A SAFE KEY HOME! Your safe key should be useless outside of business hours if you have a timelock in place. We recommend totally eliminating the need for keys on all commercial safes particularly deposit safes.

 

All Safes.ie is Not Safes Ireland™

We would like to point out that Safes Ireland™ has no connection with the web site allsafes.ie

Name Confusion

Our business is the owner of the company All Safes Ltd but the allsafes.ie URL is the property of Memotech Ltd based in Duleek County Meath who registered it as a trading name.

Memotech display the words "Safes Ireland - Welcome to AllSafes.ie" on their allsafes.ie landing page and use the words "Safes Ireland™" to advertise on Google which has understandably been the cause of some documented confusion.

The words "Safes Ireland" are a registered Trademark of our business and we have pointed this out to Memotech and asked the owner on several occasions to adjust his landing page but have received no response. The matter is currently with our solicitors.

If you have been mislead by the use of our trademark Safes Ireland™ in advertising or on a web site other than this one we'd like to hear from you.

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