Money, jewellery and art collections are not the only items that need special protection. Documents concerning personal data and company finances are also very important. Although paper itself is not valuable, the information recorded on it can often be more valuable than gold. Unfortunately, paper is a very easy material to destroy. It is mainly threatened by fire. The best way to protect paper data is with a fireproof filing cabinet.
A fireproof filing cabinet – a must for every company
Although nowadays a lot of information is kept on a computer hard drive, often some documents still have to be in paper form. Data protection regulations oblige employers to secure employee files against unauthorised access.
The fireproof filing cabinet for employee personnel files protects not only against fire and fire. It is made in the form of a safe which is also certified as burglary-proof. If you install such a safe in your company, you will be sure that only you and persons authorised to process personal data have access to data.
A fireproof filing cabinet is not just for storing employee files. You can hide any valuable items there. Order a large cabinet and separate a section for documents and other items. You can store the following items in the safe:
● your laptop and other important electronic devices,
● cash,
● weapons,
● securities,
● jewellery,
● works of art,
● antiques.
Read also about a GDPR compliant safe.
Fireproof filing cabinets – practical use in every home
A fireproof filing cabinet can be used in a company as well as in the home of the average person. After all, everyone has some important documentation, the destruction of which could expose the owner to unpleasantness.
You certainly keep at home such documents as:
● baptismal and marriage certificates, property deeds and notarial deeds,
● university and school diplomas,
● certificates confirming your qualifications,
● invoices for the purchase of your most valuable possessions,
● insurance policies,
● souvenir photos or data carriers containing your photo archive,
● personal notes.
Think of what could happen even if a minor fire broke out, which you could put out yourself in a matter of seconds. You would lose all your important documents irretrievably. Some files can of course be reconstructed, but this requires time and many visits to the offices. The only sensible solution that will effectively protect all paper information is a fireproof filing cabinet.
What fire resistance standards does a fire resistant enclosure meet?
Fire resistance is not determined by the manufacturer. In order to be considered fireproof, an armoured cupboard must meet a number of restrictive regulations and requirements set out in Polish and European standards. Each fireproof filing cabinet is constructed in accordance with the following standards which define fire resistance classes:
● PN-EN 15659,
● PN-EN 1047-1.
Cabinets built in accordance with these regulations not only protect against fire, but also against smoke and fire extinguishing fluid.
EN 15659 refers to light protection only against small fires and speaks of two resistance classes:
● LFS 30 P - 30-minute light fire resistance for paper documents,
● LFS 60 P - 60-minute light fire resistance for paper documents.
The EN 1047-1 standard is much stricter and talks about high and reliable fire resistance. According to this standard, 4 fire resistance classes are distinguished:
● S 60 P - 60-minute fire resistance for paper documents,
● S 120 P - 120-minute fire resistance for paper documents,
● S 60 DIS - 60-minute fire resistance for data carriers,
● S 120 DIS - 120-minute fire resistance for data carriers.
The fireproof cabinet is a robust safe that protects your property
An armoured fireproof cabinet can protect any property also against thieves. The safes are made of multi-layered bodies so that a robber cannot get inside even with the use of specialised equipment.
Many people believe that the weakest link in an armoured cabinet is the door and the lock. This is not true, because the door of the safe have special reinforced bolts, which effectively block the opening from all sides when the door is closed. The door cannot be undermined or broken. The lock in turn is reinforced with an armoured plate.
In many safes, additional security is provided by placing the door hinges inside the cabinet. However, some safe models have the hinges on the outside. This is not a disadvantage as even damage to the hinges will not cause the door to open (it will still be secured by the internal bolts). The external hinges are used so that they allow the safe door to be opened 180° wide.
A fireproof cabinet can perform many tasks and is ideal for both the home and business. However, it is important to pay attention to a few important points before purchasing. If you are concerned about fire resistance, you should check which fire protection certificate a particular cupboard has. It may be worth investing in a safe which will protect the contents of the cupboard from a major fire for up to two hours.
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