ALOA Safe and Vault Services 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which drilling technique for opening a safe targets the drill point directly above or through the combination dial to access the wheel pack?
- Nose drilling (direct drive drilling through the dial spindle area) (Correct answer)
- Screw drilling
- Side drilling
- Bottom drilling
Correct answer: Nose drilling (direct drive drilling through the dial spindle area)
Nose drilling targets the spindle area behind the combination dial to access the wheel pack and either read positions with a borescope or destroy the lock's bolt-blocking mechanism.
Question 2: What is the function of a 'day-lock' or 'relocking feature' on a high-security safe?
- Allows the safe to be quickly closed and re-locked without requiring the full combination during business hours (Correct answer)
- Permanently locks the safe after a wrong combination is entered
- Activates a silent alarm when the safe is opened
- Extends the time between required combination changes
Correct answer: Allows the safe to be quickly closed and re-locked without requiring the full combination during business hours
A day-lock (or day gate) allows staff to close the safe and re-lock it in a latched position accessible with a simple motion, without requiring the full combination until end of day.
Question 3: What is a 'gun safe' rated to and how does that differ from a UL-listed burglary safe?
- Gun safes are typically not UL burglary rated and offer basic storage security, while UL safes meet independently tested standards (Correct answer)
- Gun safes are rated to TL-15 by default
- Gun safes are fireproof but not burglar resistant
- Gun safes carry the same ratings as fire safes
Correct answer: Gun safes are typically not UL burglary rated and offer basic storage security, while UL safes meet independently tested standards
Most consumer 'gun safes' are not UL burglary rated and only provide basic security against opportunistic theft; true UL-rated burglary safes are tested to specific attack resistance standards.
Question 4: Which fire rating classification indicates a safe has been tested to protect paper documents (ignition point ~350°F) for 1 hour?
- UL Class 350-1 Hour (Correct answer)
- UL Class 150-1 Hour
- UL TL-30 Fire
- NFPA 232
Correct answer: UL Class 350-1 Hour
UL Class 350 fire safes are tested to keep the interior below 350°F (the ignition point of paper) for the rated duration (e.g., 1 hour) when exposed to external fire.
Question 5: What is the correct way to change a combination on a dial combination safe lock?
- Follow the lock manufacturer's specific procedure, typically dialing to a change index position, inserting a change key, and re-dialing the new combination (Correct answer)
- Simply re-number the dial face
- Drill out the old combination wheels and install new ones
- Enter the old combination twice followed by the new combination
Correct answer: Follow the lock manufacturer's specific procedure, typically dialing to a change index position, inserting a change key, and re-dialing the new combination
Changing a combination requires the manufacturer's specific procedure using a change key (or change index), which temporarily unlocks the wheel mechanism so new gate positions can be set.
Question 6: What is a 'time lock' on a vault?
- A mechanism that prevents the vault from being opened until a preset time has elapsed, regardless of whether the correct combination is dialed (Correct answer)
- A device that locks the vault at a scheduled time each day
- An alarm that triggers after the vault has been open too long
- A clock-based combination that changes daily
Correct answer: A mechanism that prevents the vault from being opened until a preset time has elapsed, regardless of whether the correct combination is dialed
A time lock is a clockwork mechanism inside a vault that prevents the bolt work from being retracted until the preset time has elapsed, defending against forced combination extraction after hours.
ALOA Safe and Vault Services 2
Which drilling technique for opening a safe targets the drill point directly above or through the combination dial to access the wheel pack?