Grade 5 safes | EN 1143-1 burglary and fire resistant

Grade 5 according to EN 1143-1 represents for many applications the best choice in the high-security segment: it is the highest burglary resistance grade offered by a wide range of manufacturers, which gives Grade 5 safes a significantly more favourable price-quality ratio than Grade 6 or Grade 7 — grades built by only a handful of specialist manufacturers. In many countries, Grade 5 is also the highest grade commonly available for professional or private safes. From Grade 5 onwards, we are truly talking about high security. Grade 5 safes are intended for applications with a very high risk profile — where the value of the contents makes an intensive, targeted attack by a highly motivated and technically skilled intruder a real possibility.

Grade 5 safes are certified according to the European standard EN 1143-1, in which specialised test laboratories attempt to force the safe open using various attack methods — mechanical tools (such as hand tools and crowbars), power tools (such as hammer drills and angle grinders) and thermal tools (cutting torches, thermal lance). These tests are carried out under controlled conditions by independent certification bodies such as ECB·S.

Under EN 1143-1, burglary resistance is expressed in Resistance Units (RU). For a Grade 5 safe, the resistance level is 180 RU for partial access and 270 RU for full access. Partial access refers to the creation of a limited opening through which a hand can be inserted, while full access implies complete access to the contents, for example by opening the door or creating a larger opening.

Fire-resistant Grade 5 safes are intended for applications requiring an exceptionally high level of security, both against burglary and against damage caused by fire. These safes combine burglary certification according to EN 1143-1 Grade 5 with an additional fire resistance test, carried out in accordance with a separate fire standard.

This type of Grade 5 fire-resistant safe is used where, in addition to very high-value assets, critical documents, archives or sensitive records must also remain protected in the event of a fire. As fire resistance is not an integral part of the EN 1143-1 standard, this performance is always tested and certified separately.

Depending on the model and the applied fire test, Grade 5 fire-resistant safes may provide tested fire protection of 60 minutes for paper. Such solutions are typically selected in environments where business continuity, regulatory compliance and maximum risk control are essential.

A representative example in this segment is the Fichet-Bauche InviKtus Grade 5. This safe combines very high burglary resistance certified to EN 1143-1 Grade 5 with certified fire protection and an explosion-resistant construction. The InviKtus range therefore illustrates solutions designed for applications where protection against burglary, fire and extreme conditions is critical.