When people think about safes, they often focus on preventing theft, but fire can also devastate valuable assets, leading to significant financial loss and possibly even the end of your business.

With over 16 years of experience as a specialist in fireproof safes, I've encountered many misconceptions about fire safety. Here are some of the most common ones:

Aren’t all safes fireproof, like they are for theft protection?

Unfortunately, no. While burglary safes provide some level of fire resistance due to their insulating materials, this protection is limited in duration and temperature. Even safes with identical burglary protection levels can vary greatly in their fire protection abilities.

This principle is similar to fire suppression systems in buildings. For example, chemical systems in IT rooms may damage data with debris, while sprinklers can cause water damage. In contrast, a fire safe acts as a silent form of insurance, protecting you in the worst-case scenario.

Although insurance companies often require you to safeguard valuables, fire protection is often overlooked compared to theft protection.

Isn’t fire protection outdated now that everything is stored in the Cloud?

We’ve been hearing about the paperless office since the late 1980s, but it’s still a work in progress. While many businesses use the Cloud, physical records and media are still necessary. In the event of a fire, a fireproof safe can help you recover critical data with minimal disruption. As digital storage becomes more compact, it becomes more vulnerable to fire damage.

Fireproof safes have different temperature tolerances depending on the items you’re protecting: documents (below 170°C), data media like CDs and DVDs (below 70°C), and magnetic media such as memory sticks (below 50°C). If your safe is only rated for documents, a fire could destroy your digital media.

What are the temperature thresholds for different types of media in a fire?

Fireproof safes are designed to maintain internal temperatures below these destructive levels to protect your assets.

Is it really necessary to worry about fire protection? Losing data in a fire isn’t that critical, is it?

Imagine losing essential business data in a fire—contracts, invoices, employee records, inventory systems. How would you continue operations? Many businesses struggle to recover after a fire, losing vital records and cash flow. The insurance process can be lengthy, and proving ownership of certain items (like property deeds) can be nearly impossible.

Can you provide any examples of how fireproof safes are crucial?

Yes. A Middle Eastern bank lost all its loan agreements and property deeds for 70,000 customers when a branch burned down, resulting in hundreds of millions of dollars in losses. Now, they are considering fireproof safes for all their branches.

In 2008, a Swedish bank experienced a major fire that destroyed computers and materials in one of their branches. However, thanks to their newly installed fire-resistant safes, key documents and data were preserved, enabling the bank to resume operations in just three days.

A fireproof safe is like a silent insurance policy. It doesn’t wear out or expire; it just works continuously.

Do fireproof safes contain a lot of asbestos?

No. Modern fireproof safes usually contain aerated, gypsum-based concrete with up to 80% water. When heated, this material undergoes an endothermic reaction that releases steam, helping absorb heat and keep temperatures lower.

For data safes, composite barriers include foam concrete to maintain temperatures below 100°C, as well as insulation materials like special polyurethane foam and “phase change” materials that absorb heat as they transition from solid to liquid.

How are fireproof safes tested?

Testing is more scientific than just exposing a safe to fire. Some manufacturers may claim their safes are fire-tested, but it’s essential to verify their certifications. The two most recognized standards are the European EN 1047-1 and the American UL Standard 72. These tests simulate fire heat and the impact of a safe falling through multiple building floors. The safe must maintain a temperature below 170°C for documents and below 50°C for digital media.

Certified fire safes come with an information label detailing the resistance time and the type of testing the safe has undergone. If there’s no label, there’s no certification.

In summary:

  • A burglary safe provides limited fire protection, often inadequate.
  • The paperless office is still a long way off, and physical data storage is crucial.
  • Fireproof safes are essential for businesses to protect both documents and digital media.
  • A certified, reliable fireproof safe ensures your business can survive even the most catastrophic fires.