Grade 7 safes according to EN 1143-1 occupy an extremely specialised and exceptional segment within this standard. Although EN 1143-1 formally defines resistance grades up to Grade 13, its application to freestanding safes is in practice generally limited to Grade 6. Grades above Grade 6 are typically applied to vault rooms, strongrooms and vault doors. Grade 7 therefore represents an exception within the range of freestanding safes.
In practice, the availability within resistance grade 7 is very limited, with the primary objective being the achievement of the highest possible level of burglary resistance for a freestanding safe. Burglary resistance under EN 1143-1 is expressed in Resistance Units (RU). For Grade 7, this level is set at 400 RU for partial access and 600 RU for full access, clearly positioning this grade above the resistance levels commonly applied to safes.
For certification to EN 1143-1 Grade 7, safes must be equipped with at least two locks, each certified in accordance with EN 1300, Class C, in line with the requirements of this resistance grade.
Although Grade 7 represents the highest resistance level applied to safes, its practical added value compared to Grade 5 or Grade 6 is highly dependent on the specific application. In many professional environments, a Grade 5 or Grade 6 safe is therefore preferred, potentially combined with multiple security measures, such as a secondary internal safe, installation within a vault room, or additional organisational controls.
For these reasons, EN 1143-1 Grade 7 is primarily considered in very specific scenarios where maximum certification and symbolic value are decisive, rather than as a standard functional security solution.