Security and Fire Door Ratings Explained

If you’re looking to invest in fire rated doors for your business premises, it’s important that you’re aware of the relevant industry standards so you may purchase the equipment that best suits your needs. This will ensure you’re not overpaying for an unnecessary level of security, and you will be able to keep your staff safe and assets secure at all times.

To help make sense of the relevant ratings and standards so you can get the ideal security or fire equipment for your needs, we’ve put together this helpful guide. Read on to find out everything you need to know.

 Loss Prevention Certification Board Loss Prevention Standard 1175 (LPCB LPS 1175)

If you’re buying security doors, windows, or grilles, you should make sure that they meet the LPCB standard required to guarantee the safety of your staff. LPCB standards indicate the security level of external security equipment. If you store valuable assets or confidential information on your business premises, then investing in LPCB certified security equipment will go a long way to ensuring their safety, as well as that of your employees and any visitors to your site.

The LPCB’s Loss Prevention Standards (LPS) 1175 certification is heralded as the security standard of choice for the protection of government-associated national infrastructure in the UK, as well as being well recognised in the Middle East as a more stringent alternative to European standards. LPS testing has been formulated by the LPCB with input from the UK government, insurers, and police forces. Invest in a security door or window grille that meets these standards and your business premises will receive a guaranteed level of protection.

Intruder-resistant products are categorised under LPS 1175, which has 8 different ratings. The higher the rating, the more protection the piece of security equipment will provide. To get the ideal solution to your business’s security requirements, make sure you consider the threats your business premises is likely to face and choose the equipment that suits your particular needs.

To help you understand the certification and get the right security equipment for your business’s requirements, here’s a breakdown of the LPCB LPS 1175 security ratings (SR).

Security rating classification	Tool category	Minimum test time	Minimum test duration
SR1	A	1	10
SR2	B	3	15
SR3	C	5	20
SR4	D	10	30
SR5	D+	10	30
SR6	E	10	30
SR7	F	10	30
SR8	G	20	60

 

Tool category	Tools included
A	Adhesive tape 1 Cable cutter – 150 mm long Fishing line (e.g. polypropylene multi fibre) Flexible plastic coupon 1 Glass cutter Hexagon wrenches – selection 120 mm long Hooks 1 Knife – blade 125 mm long x 3 mm thick 1 Lever – 0.7 kg/300 mm long Pliers (including self-gripping) – selection 200 mm long Punches Rope 1 Screwdriver – 6.5 mm diameter/square x 150 mm long Spanners – selection 150 mm long Tweezers Wire Wood/plastic wedges
B	Tool category A plus: 1 Bolt cutter – 350 mm long 1 Claw hammer – 350 mm long/0.7kg 1 Drill bit (6 mm diameter jobber – HSS / HSCO / Carbide) 1 Hand drill – 400 mm long/1.5kg 1 Junior hacksaw plus 2 HSS blades 1 Metal plate shears – 200 mm long 1 Multiple slip joint pliers – 250 mm long 1 Pipe wrench – 250 mm long Pliers (including self-gripping) – selection 250 mm long 1 Screwdriver – 7 mm diameter/square x 250 mm long 1 Screwdriver – 14 mm diameter/square x 400 mm long 1 Tube – 38 mm diameter x 300 mm long
C	Tool category A and B plus: 1 Axe – 350 mm long/1.5 kg Brick bolsters – 250 mm long x 75 mm wide blade Cold chisels – 250 mm long x 25 mm wide blade 1 Crowbar – 700 mm long/2.5 kg 1 Drill (cordless with rotary action only) – 7.2 V d.c* 1 Drill bit (10 mm diameter jobber – HSS / HSCO / Carbide) 1 Gas torch (Butane / Propane) 1 Hacksaw plus 2 HSS blades 1 Hammer – 400 mm long/1.5 kg 1 Pad saw plus 2 HSS blades 1 Scissor jack – 750 kg capacity, 100 mm minimum retracted, 200 mm stroke Wood chisels – 250 mm long x 25 mm wide blade * Complete with a spare power pack.
D	Tool category A, B and C plus: 1 “A-tool” lock puller – 500 mm long 1 Bolt cutters – 500 mm long 1 Disc grinder (cordless)* – 12 V d.c with 3 cutting discs 1 Drill (cordless with rotary action only) – 12 V d.c* 5 Drill bits (13 mm diameter jobber – HSS / HSCO / Carbide) 1 Felling/fire axe – 850 mm long/3 kg 1 General purpose saw 1 Hole saw – 50 mm diameter 1 Hooligan bar – 760 mm long 1 Jigsaw (cordless) – 12 V d.c with 3 HSS / HSCO / Carbide blades* 1 “K-tool” lock remover 1 Plate shears – 300 mm long 1 Sledgehammer – 750 mm long/3 kg Steel wedges – 150 mm long 1 Tube – 75 mm diameter x 500 mm long * Complete with one spare power pack.
D+	Tool category A, B and C plus: 1 “A-tool” lock puller – 500 mm long 1 Bolt cutters – 500 mm long 1 Circular saw (cordless) – 18V d.c/200mm diameter with 3 blades 1 Disc grinder (cordless)* – 18 V d.c with 3 cutting discs 1 Drill (cordless with rotary action only) – 18 V d.c* 5 Drill bits (13 mm diameter jobber – HSS / HSCO / Carbide) 1 Felling/fire axe – 850 mm long/3 kg 1 General purpose saw 1 Hole saw – 50 mm diameter 1 Hooligan bar – 760 mm long 1 Jigsaw (cordless) – 18 V d.c with 3 HSS / HSCO / Carbide blades* 1 “K-tool” lock remover 1 Plate shears – 300 mm long 1 Reciprocating saw – 18 V d.c with 3 HSS / HSCO / Carbide blades* 1 Sledgehammer – 750 mm long/3 kg Steel wedges – 150 mm long 1 Tube – 75 mm diameter x 500 mm long * Complete with one spare power pack.
E	Tool category A, B, C and D+ plus: 1 Circular saw – 1100 W/200 mm diameter with 3 blades 1 Disc grinder – 1100 W/125 mm diameter with 3 cutting discs 1 Drill (with rotary / hammer action) – 750W 5 Drill bits (13 mm diameter jobber and long series – HSS / HSCO / Carbide) 1 “Glasmaster” saw 1 Hole saw – >50 mm diameter 1 Pinch bar – 1500 mm long 1 Reciprocating saw – 750 W with 3 HSS / HSCO / Carbide blades 1 Sledgehammer – 750 mm long/6 kg 1 Tube – 75 mm diameter x 1000 mm long 2 Wood boring spade bits
F	Tool category A, B, C, D+ and E plus: 1 Circular saw – 2100 W/300 mm diameter with 3 blades 1 Disc grinder – 2300 W/250 mm diameter with 3 cutting discs 1 Drill (with rotary / hammer action) – 2000W 5 Drill bits (20 mm diameter – HSS / HSCO/ Carbide) 1 Enforcer – 450 mm long/12kg 1 Hooligan bar – 910 mm long 1 Oxyacetylene “Saffire Portapak” cutting kit – 50l/min oxygen consumption* 1 Reciprocating saw – 2000 W with 3 blades 1 Tube – 75 mm diameter x 1500 mm long *Measured at standard ambient temperature and pressure, purity <99.0%.
G	Tool category A, B, C, D+, E and F plus: 1 Breaker – 1900 W / 15 kg plus up to 3 bits 1 Concrete chainsaw (2-stroke) – 15kg / 300 mm maximum cut depth 1 Cut-off (“Stihl”) saw – 5kW / 450 mm diameter / 15 kg with three blades 1 Diamond core drill bit – 125 mm diameter 1 Enforcer – 600 mm long/15kg 1 Hydraulic head and toe jack (“Rabbit tool”) – 15kg/ 5 tonne (S.W.L) output/180 mm spread 1 Oxyacetylene cutting kit – 250l/min oxygen consumption* 1 Pneumatic impact tool (self contained with one spare air cartridge) – 600 blows per minute/ 48.263301052 kPa pressure *Measured at standard ambient temperature and pressure, purity <99.0%.

LPS 1175 SR1 & SR2

SR1 is the lowest level of security recognised by the LPCB. To meet this standard, products must be able to withstand opportunistic attempts at forced entry using minimal tools. The tester can use tools listed under tool category A in the LPS 1175 testing manual — which includes hand-held items such as spanners, knives, and screwdrivers — to attempt to force entry for a total attack time of up to a minute, over a period of 5 minutes.

SR2 testing simulates a more determined opportunistic attack. To reach this standard, a piece of security equipment must withstand a 3-minute attack from an assailant equipped with items from tool category B in the LPS 1175 testing manual — this includes claw hammers, hand drills, and junior hacksaws.

SR1 and SR2 certified security equipment is ideal for any business that stores items totalling a few thousand pounds, and is located in a densely populated area where someone is likely to be alerted to the sound of an opportunistic thief attempting to gain entry to the property. This makes it a great option for office buildings and small shops.

If this level of security sounds ideal for your business, take a look at our M2M¹ security doors and CX2 security grilles for SR1 protection. Our M2M² security doors, Extendor Vulcan grilles and cages, and Spartan2 bar sets are all certified to LPS 1175 SR2.

LPS 1175 SR3

In order to pass the stringent SR3 testing procedures, a door or grille must be able to endure an attack lasting 5 minutes, from an assailant armed with the typical equipment a thief who’s specifically targeted your premises may come equipped with. This includes larger hand tools, such as crowbars, hacksaws, and hammers, as well as items such as cordless drills and gas torches.

If your business is liable to be targeted by thieves, SR3 certified external security features will go a long way to ensuring that any attempts to enter your property are thwarted. If this sounds like the right level of protection for your business, take a look at our M2M³ security doors, SR3 Extendor Eclipse grilles and cages, and Spartan3 bar sets.

LPS 1175 SR4 & SR5

Items certified to SR4 and SR5 can resist attempts at forced entry from an experienced assailant for a duration of 10 minutes. During the SR4 test, the engineer attempting to breach the equipment has access to tool category D, which represents the kinds of equipment an experienced and prepared thief is likely to use. This includes cordless disc grinders, drills, and jigsaws, alongside manual tools such as sledgehammers and plate sheers. SR5 also includes the tools from tool category D+, which includes items such as a circular and reciprocating saws, and a cordless disc grinder.

To protect your business from all but the most intense of attacks, invest in our M2M⁴ security doors. These have never been breached, are often used for the protection of critical national infrastructure, government buildings, and other high risk establishments. They offer protection for premises that require all but the most intense physical security options.

LPS 1175 SR6, SR7 & SR8

Products rated SR6, SR7 or SR8 offer the ultimate protection against would-be intruders. The tests include repeated entry attempts made using a range of mains-powered tools in order to replicate professional attempts at entry from highly qualified assailants. These tools include circular saws, disc grinders, and drills.

To pass SR6, the equipment needs to endure 10 minutes of attack from an assailant armed with weapons from tool category E, which includes 1,100W circular saws and disc grinders amongst other mains-powered tools. The SR7 test also includes 10 minutes of assault over a 30-minute test period, but the tester has access to equipment from tool category F. This includes mains-powered saws and grinders exceeding 2,000W and an oxyacetylene “Saffire Portapak” cutting kit.

To pass the highest rating, SR8, a piece of security equipment must withstand twenty minutes of assault from an expert equipped with items from tool category G, which includes concrete chainsaws, hydraulic jacks, pneumatic impact tools, and 2000W drills fitted with diamond-core drill bits.

It should be noted that no manufacturer is yet to develop a product that meets the testing criteria for SR7 or SR8, and these standards exist primarily as something for engineers to aim for. For example, the Ministry of Defence is satisfied with the security offered by SR4, and it’s very rare that manufacturers get a request for anything higher than this.

Warrington Certification Certifire Rating

In order to ensure the safety of your employees, it’s important to invest in fire resistant equipment. This is especially the case if you own a factory or warehouse that houses machinery, as your premises is more likely to suffer a fire. Fire-rated doors are essential for emergency escape doors in industrial environments, commercial premises, offices, and schools.

Certifire is an independent, third-party certification that is recognised as the mark of fire safety across the UK. The government recommends that companies invest in third-party accredited fire safety materials in their Approved Fire Safety Document B for maximum safety, and a product with a Certifire mark guarantees that it will hold its integrity for the noted amount of time in the event of a fire.

In order to earn a Certifire rating, fire doors are subjected to a furnace test in which they have to endure temperatures of up to 1,100°C for the designated time. The test ends when the doors are compromised and smoke begins to leak from them, or after 240 minutes, the maximum Certifire rating.

The Certifire rating of a door is represented by FD and then a number (30, 60, 120, or 240). This number represents the total number of minutes a door maintains its structural integrity in the event of a fire.

To ensure the safety of your staff, invest in fire doors with a Certifire rating. The level your premises requires depends on how likely it is to suffer a substantial fire. If your business operates from a standard office block full of work equipment that does not pose an obvious fire threat, such as computers and standard office equipment, the lowest rated fire door should provide the sufficient level of protection.

However, if you’re investing in the fireproof equipment for a warehouse or factory where industrial machinery and handling equipment is often used, a fire is more likely, and a door with a higher rating will be necessary. This is also true of buildings that contain invaluable items or documents, such as banks and government buildings.

You should keep in mind how long it takes your business premises to be completely evacuated when investing in a fireproof door, as you will require one that will maintain its structural integrity until the building has been emptied. You should be aware of how long this takes from your fire drill records, and you should invest in a door that will stay intact for the length of the evacuation. The larger your business premises, the higher FD rating you’ll require when buying your fireproof doors.

If you’re looking for fire doors for your business, then take a look at our range of fire rated doors and steel fire doors, which are Certifire accredited up to FD240. All of Bradbury’s LPS 1175 rated doors are also available with optional Certifire rating, making them the perfect choice if you want to protect your staff from fire hazards as well as external physical threats.

Secured by Design

Secured by Design is an initiative run by the police that recognises security products and construction materials that are helping to ‘design out crime’. It works with manufacturers to create the highest possible security standards that respond to the latest trends in crime.

A company is awarded Secured by Design status when it produces security products that demonstrate their effectiveness in preventing or reducing crime. Purchase your security products from a Secured by Design recognised manufacturer such as ourselves, and you can be sure of their quality.

Find out more about Secured by Design on the official website.

Look out for these certifications on all of the security products you invest in, and you can rest assured you’re getting the right level of protection for your business. If you have any further questions, contact us today to talk to one of our experts about your security and fireproofing needs, and we’ll be able to advise the ideal solution for your business.