Some do, many do not, and you cannot tell by looking. Asbestos appears in American safe patents from the 1830s and, according to the European safe industry, in most fire and data safes made until 1997. Here’s what old safes were filled with, how risky that is, and what to do if yours might be one of them.
1997
most fire and data safe makers used asbestos at least until then, says ESSA
2000
Ireland’s HSA: check any safe or fire cabinet made before this year
8 of 9
samples from a dealer’s used document safes contained asbestos (2012)
A$40–140
to have a sample tested at an accredited lab, per the NSW Government
Key takeaways
- Many old safes contain no asbestos: Victorian British fire safes were usually packed with sawdust and alum, American ones with plaster or chalk-based powders. But asbestos was used from the 19th century and widely in the 20th, as door seals and as packing sealed inside doors and walls.
- You cannot identify asbestos by eye. Treat a fire safe, data safe or fire cabinet made before about 2000 as possibly containing it until a laboratory test or the maker says otherwise.
- Official guidance in Ireland, Britain and the US agrees that intact, undisturbed material is a low risk. The danger comes from drilling, cutting, grinding, scrapping or breaking a safe open.
- Before a safe is opened, moved, sold or scrapped, tell the people involved and, if in doubt, have a sample tested by an accredited professional.
In This Article
The short answer
The only official guidance we’ve found written specifically about safes comes from Ireland’s Health and Safety Authority (HSA). It says asbestos was used by some safe makers “into the late 1990s”, as a woven door seal and as packing or “barrier” material sealed inside the doors or walls, and that any safe or fire cabinet made before 2000 should be checked.1 Here’s the rest of the picture at a glance.
| Where asbestos was used | Woven door seals on the door frame; packing sealed inside doors and walls; thin asbestos sheet linings in some fire files12 |
| Most likely in | 20th-century fire-resisting safes, data safes, fire cabinets and insulated files, up to the late 1990s13 |
| Less likely in | Victorian British safes packed with sawdust and alum, and plaster-filled American safes. Less likely is not never.45 |
| Risk in normal use | Low while the filling stays sealed in16 |
| Never | Cut, drill, grind or scrap it yourself, or scrape out the filling1 |
| Who can confirm | An accredited asbestos consultant and laboratory, or the original maker in writing17 |
What old safes were filled with, by era
A fire-resisting safe is a box within a box, and most of its thickness is filling, not metal: on a typical British safe about four inches in total, of which only about half an inch is steel or iron.8 What went into that gap changed over time, and that’s why the maker and date of your safe matter.
In Britain the usual filling by 1875 was common sawdust mixed with alum, which gives off water when heated. George Hayter Chubb wrote that “almost everything that one can think of” had been tried, from plaster of Paris to “chemicals of all sorts”, and that cheap makers used clay, ashes or mould.4 Chubb’s own early safes used crushed rubble and sand, then powdered plaster of Paris; Tann’s patent combined alum with gypsum.98
Across the Atlantic, makers favoured plaster of Paris from the 1830s. An 1870 history records that soon after New York’s great fire of 1835 “John Scott obtained a patent for the use of asbestos for fire-proof chests”, and that others tried hydraulic cement, soapstone, mica and asbestos before Herring switched in 1854 to a chalky powder left over from making soda water.5 Theodore Hyatt’s patent of 1875 lists gypsum, Glauber’s salts and asbestos as fillings, and the Cary Safe Company of Buffalo advertised its “asbestos packing” in its catalogue of about 1899.1011
The table sums up what the sources say. Dates are approximate, and makers didn’t all change at once.
| Era | Usual fillings | Asbestos in the record |
|---|---|---|
| 1820s–1850s, United States | Plaster of Paris; air gaps and other non-conductors5 | A patent for asbestos in fire-proof chests soon after 1835; asbestos among fillings tried5 |
| 1830s–1900s, Britain | Sawdust and alum (most common); plaster of Paris; alum and gypsum; clay, ashes or soil in cheap safes49 | Not among the usual fillings Chubb described in 18754 |
| 1850s–1900s, United States | Plaster; Herring’s chalk-based powder from 18545 | Hyatt’s 1875 patent; Cary’s “asbestos packing”, c.18991011 |
| 1890s–1920s | Kieselguhr (fossil meal), reported “in safe making as a fire-resisting compound” in 1896; cement linings12 | A 1910 US patent lines a safe with cement, asbestos and water13 |
| 1930s–1990s | Concrete in burglar-resisting safes; separate fire safes, fire cabinets and insulated files14 | Door seals and sealed packing used by some makers into the late 1990s13 |
Did you know?
Victorian fillings were not always what the seller claimed. Chubb told of a safe “put up” at a Scottish auction as one of the best ever made, which fell, broke open, and spilled “fresh garden-turf, with live worms in it”.4
For the longer story of how makers kept papers from burning, from alum and sawdust to the Salamander, see our history of the fireproof safe.
Where asbestos is most likely
Asbestos is a group of natural minerals valued for resisting heat, and its fibres are too small to see.15 In safes it turns up in three places, and only one of them is easy to see.
- Door seals. The HSA describes an asbestos door seal as “a woven strip or tape attached to the door frame”. This is the part you can see, and the part that wears as the door is opened and closed.13
- Packing inside the walls and door. Barrier material sealed in during manufacture. You will not see it unless the safe is damaged or has been drilled or cut.1
- Sheet linings in fire files and cabinets. Mosler said its insulated files with serial numbers 15527-1 to 22627-106, made up to 1972, had a 1/16-inch asbestos sheet sealed inside the outer metal on all five sides and behind each drawer front. The white powder that can fall into the drawers was, the company said, a gypsum mix, not asbestos.2 More on the firm in our history of Mosler safes.
Which makers? The evidence is patchy but points to the mid and late 20th century. In 2012 a second-hand safe dealer had its own stock tested: according to Locks & Security magazine, eight of nine samples contained chrysotile asbestos, in models by makers including Stratford, Tann, Rosengrens, Guardian, Chatwood Milner, Chubb, Kardex, Hagger & Daniels and Sperry Remington, “by no means a definitive list”.3 A 1992 survey by FuP, the German safe makers’ association, found asbestos “still being widely used” in German safes until the ban there in 1993.3
Not every maker used it. When the US Defense Department’s lock programme had insulation from government security containers analysed, it found asbestos in Remington-Rand containers but not in those by Diebold, Herring-Hall-Marvin, Mosler, Schwab or Shaw-Walker, and stated that no GSA-approved container contains asbestos in its insulation.16 Those results cover the containers it studied, not every safe those firms made.
When asbestos stopped
National bans are a useful clue to the latest date asbestos could have gone into a new safe, as long as you know where and when yours was made. The European Security Systems Association (ESSA) says most makers of fire and data safes were using asbestos “at least until” European certification began in 1997.3
- 1989 US partial ban; most of it was overturned by a federal appeals court in 1991.17
- 1993 Germany bans asbestos, ending its use in German safes.3
- 1997 European safe standard EN 1143-1: units that could “generate harmful substances during testing” cannot be tested.3
- 1999 Asbestos banned in Great Britain.6
- 2000 Ireland’s ban; the HSA’s cut-off for checking safes.31
- 2003 Total ban in Australia from 31 December.18
- 2024 US rule prohibiting the remaining uses of chrysotile asbestos.17
The author of the 2019 Law Society Gazette investigation argues that only a safe with accredited European certification can be assumed asbestos-free, and that a national certification badge giving the date and country of manufacture lets you check it against that country’s ban.3 For anything older, knowing the maker and decade is the first step, which is where identification helps.
How risky is an old safe?
The official answer depends on what you do with it. The UK Health and Safety Executive says that “when asbestos is in good condition and not disturbed the risk of exposure is extremely low”, and the US EPA that undamaged, undisturbed material is “not likely to pose a health risk”.619 The hazard is serious once fibres are released: HSE puts deaths from asbestos-related diseases in Great Britain at around 5,000 a year.6
Low risk
Intact and in use
Sealed-in packing “should not present a risk of exposure during normal use”, and presuming asbestos “will not affect the day-to-day usage” of a safe.1
Act now
Frayed seal or leaking filling
If filling is escaping, take the safe out of use and leave it undisturbed until tested. Have a worn door seal checked and replaced by a specialist.1
High risk
Cutting, drilling, scrapping
Destructive cutting “must not be permitted”, and even precision drilling needs an asbestos contractor alongside the safe engineer.1
Other jobs the HSA rules out on a safe presumed to contain asbestos include cutting into the walls or door to fit a deposit slot.1 By the same logic, do not sand a door seal, scrape out old filling, or sweep or vacuum dust that has fallen from a damaged safe: the EPA’s advice for suspect debris is “don’t dust, sweep, or vacuum” it.19
“Most safes that are fitted with a mechanical lock can be opened by an expert technician without resorting to drilling.”
Health and Safety Authority (Ireland), 2023
What to do if your safe might contain asbestos
- Leave it alone. Do not drill, cut, sand or scrape it, and do not take samples yourself. The EPA notes that you generally cannot tell asbestos “simply by looking”, and recommends that sampling be done by “a trained and accredited asbestos professional”.19
- Work out the maker and date. The maker’s plate, lock and serial number narrow down the decade and country, which tells you which fillings and ban dates apply.
- Ask the maker if it still exists. The original manufacturer may be able to confirm in writing that a model is asbestos-free.1
- If in doubt, presume it. The HSA says a pre-2000 safe whose status cannot be established “must be presumed to contain asbestos”; the EPA says “treat the material as if it contains asbestos and leave it alone”.119
- Get a test before any work. If the safe is to be opened by drilling, moved in pieces, sold or scrapped, or if filling is escaping, have it sampled by an accredited professional (see the table below).
Know the maker, narrow the risk
Not sure who made your safe or when? Send us photos of the maker’s plate, lock and serial number and we’ll help you identify the maker and era. We cannot tell you whether it contains asbestos (only a laboratory can), but the date and country show which fillings and ban dates apply.
Testing and removal by country
| Country | Who tests | Removal and disposal |
|---|---|---|
| United Kingdom | Analysts for asbestos work must be accredited by UKAS, which lists them; your council’s environmental health officer can advise7 | Asbestos insulation and insulating board only by an HSE-licensed contractor; waste to a licensed disposal site, never the household bin7 |
| Ireland | A competent asbestos consultant1 | End-of-life safes presumed to contain asbestos are hazardous waste; the EU ban on selling asbestos products covers second-hand safes1 |
| United States | A trained and accredited asbestos professional; state agencies list them19 | Federal law does not require accreditation for work in a detached house, but some states and localities do; check before hiring19 |
| Australia | A NATA-accredited laboratory, about A$40–140 per sample in NSW, with a NATA-endorsed certificate20 | In NSW any amount of friable (crumbly) asbestos must be removed by a Class A licensed removalist21 |
We haven’t found official cost figures for the UK, Ireland or the US. Ask for a written quote that covers the visit, the number of samples and the laboratory fee, and check the lab’s accreditation.
Opening, moving, selling or scrapping it
Opening. A locked safe with a mechanical lock should go to a safe engineer who can open it by manipulation; if drilling is unavoidable, the HSA wants an asbestos contractor there to capture the dust with a HEPA-filtered vacuum.1 Our guide for anyone locked out of an old safe explains the options.
Moving. Move it whole, never in pieces. See how much an old safe weighs before you book a remover, and tell them it may contain asbestos.
Selling. In Ireland a safe presumed to contain asbestos cannot legally be sold, because the EU ban covers second-hand safes.1 Elsewhere, tell the buyer what you know. Whether yours is worth more than scrap depends on maker, condition and age.
Scrapping. Scrap yards cut safes up, which is exactly what the guidance forbids for asbestos-containing ones. Ramsey County in Minnesota tells residents that a safe known to contain concrete or asbestos “is not accepted for recycling”.22 The US Army at Fort Campbell has old safes checked for asbestos before disposal and double-wrapped if it is found.23 In Britain and Ireland, asbestos waste is hazardous waste: your council can tell you where it may go.71 Always ask the yard or remover before you deliver, and say what the safe is.
For everything else an owner needs to decide, from identifying the maker to finding a buyer, see I have an old safe: what now?
Myths and facts
All old safes are full of asbestos.
Victorian British safes were usually filled with sawdust and alum, and US tests found none in several makers’ insulation. But you cannot rule it out by looking.
Asbestos only arrived in safes after the Second World War.
It appears in a US patent soon after 1835, in Hyatt’s 1875 patent and in Cary’s catalogue of about 1899.
A safe with asbestos is dangerous just to have in the house.
Sealed-in packing is not a risk in normal use, says the HSA. A worn door seal or escaping filling is different and needs checking.
White powder from an old safe means asbestos.
Plaster and gypsum fillings are white too; Mosler said the powder in its 1972 files was gypsum. Only a laboratory can tell.
Frequently asked questions
Do old safes contain asbestos?
Some do. It was used in door seals and sealed packing by some makers into the late 1990s, and appears in safe patents from the 19th century. Many older safes use sawdust and alum, plaster or concrete instead.
Did fireproof safes use asbestos?
Fire safes, fire cabinets and data safes are the most likely to. The European safe industry says most makers of fire and data safes used it at least until 1997.
Is my safe asbestos? How can I tell?
Not by looking. Identify the maker and date, ask the maker if it still exists, and otherwise have a sample taken by an accredited professional and tested by an accredited laboratory.
Is it safe to keep an old safe that may contain asbestos?
According to Ireland’s HSA, yes, in normal use with the filling sealed in. Take it out of use if filling is escaping, and never cut or drill it.
Can I scrap an old safe with asbestos in it?
Not as ordinary scrap. Presumed-asbestos safes are treated as hazardous waste in Ireland and asbestos waste must go to a licensed site in Britain. Ask your council and the yard first.
Sources:
- Health and Safety Authority (Ireland), “Asbestos risks in safes and fire resistant cabinets”, information note (updated September 2023). ↩︎
- Mosler Inc., “Frequently asked questions about Mosler products”, mosler.com, ©1999 (archived 1 March 2000), answer “Is the white powdery substance in our file drawer asbestos?”. ↩︎
- Alan Donohue Redd, “Safe as houses? Real danger of workplace asbestos exposure”, Law Society Gazette (Ireland), 16 July 2019. Reports the ESSA position, a 1992 survey by the German safe makers’ body FuP, and quotes Locks & Security magazine (April 2012). ↩︎
- George Hayter Chubb, Protection from Fire and Thieves (London, 1875), ch. IV “Safes against fire”, via Project Gutenberg. ↩︎
- One Hundred Years’ Progress of the United States (Hartford, 1870), section on locks and safes, pp. 396–397, via Internet Archive. ↩︎
- Health and Safety Executive, “Asbestos: introduction”. ↩︎
- Health and Safety Executive, “Asbestos: frequently asked questions” (“I think I may have asbestos in my home”, “How should I dispose of asbestos waste?”, “How can I find an asbestos analyst?”). ↩︎
- safeman.org.uk, “About safes”. ↩︎
- safeman.org.uk, “Edward Tann” (early fire-resisting compounds; Chubb’s 1835 patent and plaster of Paris). ↩︎
- Theodore Hyatt, “Improvement in fire-proof safes”, US patent 166,107, 27 July 1875, via Google Patents. ↩︎
- Cary Safe Co., Catalogue (Buffalo, NY, c.1899), text on the diagrams and sizes pages; scan by Brian D. Szafranski, Internet Archive. ↩︎
- “Fossil meal”, Ann Arbor Courier, 9 December 1896, via Ann Arbor District Library, Old News. ↩︎
- James M. Allen, “Safe”, US patent 960,767, 7 June 1910, via Google Patents. ↩︎
- safeman.org.uk, “Modern times”. ↩︎
- Occupational Safety and Health Administration, “Asbestos”, safety and health topic overview. ↩︎
- DoD Lock Program (US Navy), Security Facts!!, vol. 5, no. 1 (Summer 2002), “GSA-approved security containers do not contain asbestos”. ↩︎
- US Environmental Protection Agency, “EPA actions to protect the public from exposure to asbestos”. ↩︎
- NSW Government, “When was asbestos banned in Australia?”, asbestos.nsw.gov.au. ↩︎
- US Environmental Protection Agency, “Protect your family from exposures to asbestos” (last updated 25 June 2026). ↩︎
- NSW Government, “Getting an asbestos sample tested”, asbestos.nsw.gov.au. ↩︎
- NSW Government, “Unlicensed asbestos removal”, asbestos.nsw.gov.au. ↩︎
- Ramsey County, Minnesota, A–Z Disposal Guide: “Safes” (archived 18 October 2020). ↩︎
- US Army Fort Campbell, Directorate of Public Works, Environmental Guidance Handbook, A-8 “Asbestos (Disposal of Unserviceable Safes and Asbestos Gloves)”, 26 June 2026. ↩︎
