Buying a Safe for Your Business?
Be Sure You are Buying the Correct Protection!
By Jimmie Newell
Buying a safe for your business can be a daunting task, there are so
many places you can buy a safe, there are so many kinds of safes to choose
from, and there are many safes on the market that will not provide the
proper protection.
The first step in selecting the proper safe, is choosing where you will
buy it, your choices are many, however choosing the right one could save
your business.
Many businesses use incorrectly rated safes for overnight storage of
money, and other valuables, some store records in a non-fire rated container,
others store sensitive and fragile computer media in the wrong kind of
fire container. Choose the wrong kind of safe for burglary, or fire protection
and you could lose all that is valuable to your business, and your insurance
company may refuse to pay your claim.
Statistics show that if a company's records are lost in a fire, 17%
can no longer furnish a financial statement, 14% suffer a reduction in
credit rating and 43% go out of business completely. No home or business
is safe from fire.
How are you going to get information on what is the correct protection
for your needs? I recommend a professional safe retailer, or professional
locksmith who also sells safes, these businesses buy and sell safes everyday,
they are educated, trained and have access to every kind of safe and security
container available. They are the experts. Are you going to gamble that
you are getting the proper protection, on the recommendation of a minimum
wage "big box retailer" clerk?
What items do you need to protect, what do you want to protect them
from, what will be kept in the safe and when, does your insurance company
require a particular fire or burglary rating, what size safe do you need?
These are just a few of the questions you will need to answer in order
to properly choose your safe. Getting the correct answers to these questions
will save you time, money and possibly even your business.
If your primary concern is the protection of records and customer files
from fire, you may not even need a safe, a fire rated filing cabinet may
fill your needs better. Fire files and safes are rated by the length of
time that they are tested to maintain the interior of the container below
the temperature at which paper will char or begin to burn. Common ratings
are ½ hour, 1 hour, 2 hour etc. All fire files or fire rated safes
currently manufactured in the US, contain a �wet� fill insulating material
that, when exposed to a fire, will release some of it�s moisture in the
form of steam, this steam helps maintain the interior temperature below
350 degrees Fahrenheit, and seal openings against flame entry, for the
at least the rated time.
This release of moisture is the problem with storing some computer media,
video tapes, film or other sensitive materials in a fire rated safe. If
you need to protect these materials, media safes are available that use
a �dry� fill or other composite material to achieve the proper protection.
These safes are usually much heavier and more expensive than the typical
fire rated container.
Does your business handle large amounts of cash? Is your business a
high traffic retail store? Do you employ many different people who handle
cash? You may need a depository safe, a skim safe, or even a computerized
cash handling safe that will record who, how much, and when money was withdrawn
or deposited, and, in some cases, dispense predetermined amounts.
If you handle jewelry, guns or other high value items, your insurance
carrier may require that you have a particular kind of safe. If you have
or control certain types of documents you may be required to have a �GSA�
container. You may also fall under the requirements of the new �HIPA� regulations
for the control of public records.
The place to get all of the correct information, to choose, and to buy
your business safe is your local professional safe retailer or professional
locksmith. You will save time, money, and possibly your business. You will
also have the peace of mind that you have made wise decisions.
Jimmie Newell
Please visit http://www.secureyourstuff.com/safes.htm
for links to manufacturers sites and crime prevention sites, many of which
have additional security tips. This information could save your property
or even your life!
Jimmie Newell a Security Professional and Consultant for over 35 years,
operates a web site who's mission is to bring you information about security
systems , security devices and security hardware. To help you to make informed
and educated decisions about securing your personal property, your home
and your business property. Visit http://www.secureYourStuff.com
for more info. Sign up for our newsletter!
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