The short answer
Industrial door security ratings show how long a certified door or shutter resisted a defined forced-entry attack in testing. LPS 1175 Issue 8 combines a threat letter, A to H, for the tool set with a delay number of 1 to 20 minutes, such as C5. STS 202 uses burglary resistance grades. The rating belongs to the certified product and depends on correct installation.
Key points
- Security ratings certify a manufacturer's tested product, not the installer or the site.
- LPS 1175 Issue 8 ratings combine a threat letter A to H with a delay of 1 to 20 minutes.
- Old SR grades map to specific Issue 8 ratings, for example SR2 to B3 and SR4 to D10.
- STS 202 uses burglary resistance grades; insurers may accept either scheme.
- The rating only holds if the door is installed and kept as certified; check the listing.
What does a security rating on an industrial door mean?
A security rating means a specific door or shutter design has been tested by an independent body against a defined forced-entry attack and certified to resist it for a stated time. It is a statement about the manufacturer's tested product, not about the installer, the building or the site.
The two schemes you will meet most often in the UK are LPS 1175, published by the Loss Prevention Certification Board (LPCB, part of BRE), and STS 202, published by Warringtonfire. Both test complete assemblies, including frames, locks and fixings, because an attacker targets the weakest point rather than the panel or curtain alone.
A door without a rating may still be strong, but there is no independent evidence of how strong. Where an insurer, police crime prevention advice or a security specification asks for a rating, only a certified product will satisfy it.
How does the LPS 1175 Issue 8 rating work?
LPS 1175 Issue 8 gives each product a two-part rating: a letter for the threat level, meaning the category of tools the product was attacked with, and a number for the minimum delay in minutes. A rating of D10, for example, means the product resisted an attack with category D tools for at least 10 minutes.
| Threat level | Attack described by LPCB |
|---|---|
| A | Low technology attack using small, very easily concealed tools |
| B | More determined attack using easily concealed tools of greater mechanical advantage |
| C | Deliberate forced entry using a wide selection of commonly available, easily concealed tools |
| D | Experienced attempts at forced entry |
| E | Experienced attempts using tools of greater battery power |
| F | Professional attempts at forced entry into higher value storage areas |
| G | Enhanced professional attempts on high value assets |
| H | Extreme methods using portable tools against very high value assets |
Delay times are 1, 3, 5, 10, 15 or 20 minutes, giving ratings from A1 to H20.
How do the new ratings relate to the old SR grades?
Earlier issues of LPS 1175 used security ratings SR1 to SR8, and many insurers and specifications still quote them. LPCB keeps those references for specific combinations of tools and time: SR1 corresponds to A1, SR2 to B3, SR3 to C5, SR4 to D10, SR5 to E10, SR6 to F10, SR7 to G10 and SR8 to H20.
LPCB allows manufacturers to keep existing approvals to earlier issues, but they must state which issue a product is approved to. If a specification calls for SR2, a product rated B3 under Issue 8 matches it; a product rated to a different letter or time may not, even if the number looks similar. Ask for clarification rather than assuming equivalence.
What is STS 202 and how does it compare?
STS 202 is a security test standard published by Warringtonfire for burglary resistance of building products, including doorsets, garage doors and roller shutters. Products are graded as burglary resistance (BR) levels. Secured by Design describes the scale as running from BR1, a lower security rating similar to LPS 1175 SR1, up to BR6, similar to SR6, and notes that STS 202 does not extend to the highest risks covered by LPS 1175 SR7 and above.
Both schemes test complete assemblies and both are recognised by insurers and specifiers. Which is acceptable for your site is a question for your insurer or security adviser; some specifications name one scheme, others accept either at an equivalent level.
Ratings also only describe resistance to forced entry. They say nothing about fire resistance, thermal performance or wind load, which are covered by separate evidence such as the Declaration of Performance. A secure door on a heated building still needs to meet the relevant energy guidance, so check both sets of documents when you compare products.
What do insurers usually ask for?
Insurers ask for whatever their risk assessment of your premises requires, and that varies with what you store, where you are, your claims history and your other security measures. There is no single standard requirement for industrial doors.
Common requests include:
- a minimum security rating on external doors and shutters, sometimes quoted as an SR grade;
- approved locks, or locking that engages automatically when a shutter closes;
- protection of motors and manual override points from outside;
- intruder alarm contacts on doors and shutters;
- evidence such as the product certificate and installation records.
Get the requirement in writing from your insurer or broker before specifying. Then specify a certified product that meets it, and make sure installation follows the certified design. We supply doors carrying the manufacturer's rating; we cannot advise on whether your insurer will accept a particular product.
Remember that the door is one layer. Delay only helps if someone is alerted and responds, so a rated shutter usually sits alongside an intruder alarm, lighting and, on some sites, perimeter fencing and gates. The rating you need may be lower where those other layers are strong.
Why does correct installation matter for the rating?
A security rating only holds when the door is installed exactly as it was tested, because the test covered the whole assembly: frame, fixings, locks and the way it meets the building. Fixing a rated shutter to weak blockwork, using different anchors, leaving gaps at the guides or swapping the specified lock can undermine the protection the rating describes.
Points we check on rated installations:
- the substrate is strong enough for the specified fixings;
- fixings, spacings and packers match the manufacturer's installation instructions;
- locks, hardware and any motor protection match the certified configuration;
- no holes or modifications have been made that the certification does not allow;
- the product's label or identification matches the certificate.
Later changes matter too. Adding a pass door, fitting a different motor or cutting a cable entry can affect the certified configuration, so check with the manufacturer first.
How do you check a door's certification?
Check certification against the certifier's own listing, not just the sales literature. LPS 1175 products are listed in the LPCB Red Book, published online at redbooklive.com, which also lists suspensions and withdrawals. For STS 202 products, ask for the certificate issued by Warringtonfire and confirm its status with the certification body. The certificate or listing should name the manufacturer, product, rating and the issue of the standard.
Ask the supplier for the certificate number and the product's identification label details, and compare them with the listing before you order. Check that the listed sizes and configurations cover your opening, because certification often applies to a range of sizes and specific options only. Red Book Live also publishes notices about counterfeit claims and invalid certificates, which are worth a glance if a price looks too good. Keep a copy of the certificate in your building records. For security-led openings, our industrial roller shutters and steel personnel doors include certified options, and bollards help stop vehicle-assisted attacks on doors and shutters. Prices for rated products are confirmed in writing after survey.
Frequently asked questions
Is a steel roller shutter automatically secure?
No. A steel shutter is a solid barrier against casual entry, but without independent certification there is no evidence of how it would perform against a determined attack. Weak points are often the guides, the bottom rail, the lock and the motor's manual override. Where security matters, specify a certified product and install it exactly as tested.
Our insurer asks for SR2. What should we buy?
Look for a product certified to LPS 1175 SR2, or B3 under Issue 8, which LPCB lists as the equivalent combination. If your insurer accepts other schemes, an STS 202 product at an equivalent grade may also be acceptable. Confirm in writing with the insurer or broker before ordering, then check the certificate in the certifier's listing.
Can an existing shutter be upgraded to a security rating?
Generally not. A rating applies to a complete tested assembly, so adding bars or locks to an uncertified shutter does not create a rated product. Extra measures may still improve security and satisfy a particular insurer, but if a rating is required the reliable route is replacing the shutter with a certified product, installed to the manufacturer's instructions.
Does a higher security rating cost much more?
Usually, yes. Higher ratings need heavier laths or panels, stronger guides, better locks and more robust fixings, and the substrate may need strengthening too. Specify the rating your risk actually requires rather than the highest available. Prices for rated doors and shutters are confirmed in writing after a free survey of the opening.
Sources
- LPCB guide to changes to LPS 1175 Issues 5 to 8 (Red Book Live)
- LPS 1175 security ratings infographic (Red Book Live)
- Loss Prevention Standards (Red Book Live)
This guide is general information about UK rules and good practice, not legal advice. Check the official sources and your own risk assessment for your site.