Underwriters' Laboratories

1. UL BURGLARY TESTING MEASURES UP TO ANYTHING THE BAD GUYS CAN DISH OUT.

UL testing for burglary is one of the toughest testing procedures in the world. And, although the number of people, the tools and the time spent working to break into the safe vary with each burglary rating, the UL label provides assurance that each unit is built strictly according to UL standards. Tools used on the safe may include diamond grinding wheels, high-speed drills with pressure applying devices or common hand tools such as hammers, chisels and carbide-tip drills.

The time assigned to each burglary classification is a net working time (time spent trying to break into the safe). For example, the RSC (Residential Security Container) Label is based on testing conducted for five full minutes of net working time while a TL-30 label is based on a net working time of 30 minutes. What makes this form of testing even tougher is that factors such as changing drill bits and even planning these tests are not included in the net working time. Plus, the UL follow-up service assures that the customer is buying a unit exactly like the one that successfully passed the UL test.

2. UL TESTING PUTS IT THROUGH HELL BEFORE IT GOES TO YOU.

For maximum protection, any fire-resistant safe should carry no less than the Underwriters' Laboratories Class 350 one-hour fire resistance label. And it's a label that definitely doesn't come easy. For starters, the safe is heated for one full hour to reach an exterior temperature of 1700 degrees. Because paper will begin to char around 400 degrees, the unit must maintain an interior temperature of less than 350 degrees.

After the one- or two-hour fire test, the unit is subjected to a cool-down period - a key part of the overall test that non-UL-listed products may not include. In this part of the test, the unit is left in the oven with the heat turned off and allowed to cool. Because of the intense heat of the one- or two-hour test, the interior temperature continues to climb, not exceeding 350 degrees (in some cases for up to an hour), before cooling begins and the test is over.

The next part of the UL test comes in the form of a mandatory explosion hazard test. In this procedure, the unit is inserted into a preheated 2000 degree oven. If not constructed properly, the rapid heating of the insulation would likely cause an explosion. All UL fire-rated safes must pass this intensive test.

Further testing is done with the drop test. In this test, the unit is subjected to a 1550 degree oven for 30 minutes and then hoisted 30 feet in the air and dropped on a pile of rubble. As if that's not enough, the unit is then inverted and resubmitted to the oven for another half hour at 1550 degrees to assure that no structural damage allowing heat penetration occured in the drop.

Just as important as the fire and burglary testing is the UL follow-up service. Taking many forms, this service allows a UL inspector to drop in unannounced and at any time to see that all units are being built under the same construction methods used on previously tested units. In addition, UL requires that manufacturers keep accurate logs of all products produced and even requires that a sample of our insulation is kept on hand for spot testing by the UL inspector. Obviously, following up is an important part of the UL listing procedure. Many of these follow-up tests and services are not found in other labels.

Whether you need fire protection, burglary protection, or both, don't take chances with any safe that's not UL tested. Get the best protection your money can buy - the protection you'll only find in a UL tested safe which includes the Meilink line of safes and fire files.