LPS 1175 G10 (SR7) Security Rating Explained

LPS 1175 G10, the Issue 8 rating commonly compared with SR7, certifies that a complete product has resisted an attack with heavy construction and demolition equipment, including concrete chainsaws, hydraulic jacks and diamond-core drills, for at least ten minutes. It is one of the highest ratings in the standard, specified for vaults, strongrooms and the most sensitive areas of government, defence and critical infrastructure sites. This guide explains what G10 means, how it differs from F10 and SR7, and how to specify and verify a G10 product.

What Does LPS 1175 G10 Mean?

LPS 1175 is the Loss Prevention Standard for intruder resistant building components, published by the Loss Prevention Certification Board (LPCB), part of BRE Global. Every Issue 8 rating has two parts: the letter sets the tools and the attack scenario, and the number sets the minimum delay in minutes the product must achieve.

At G10, the test team attacks the locked product with Category G tools and must not create a 400 mm x 225 mm opening, the minimum size a person can climb through, within ten minutes of working time. Any part of the assembly can be targeted, including frames, infill panels, locks, hinges and fixings.

The Category G tool set

Category G represents an extreme threat: a well-equipped professional attack using construction-grade equipment against the product itself. The kit includes everything in Categories A to F plus:

• Categories A to F: hand tools, bolt cutters, an axe, a crowbar, a gas torch, sledgehammers, 18V and 36V cordless saws and grinders, mains-powered saws and grinders over 2000W, and oxyacetylene cutting equipment
• Added at Category G: concrete chainsaws, hydraulic jacks, pneumatic impact tools, 2000W drills with diamond-core bits and petrol-driven disc grinders

These are tools for cutting, spreading and breaking concrete and heavy steel. Hydraulic jacks can force frames apart, diamond-core drills bore through solid sections, and concrete chainsaws cut through materials that defeat lighter tools. At this level the attack is as much about demolition as forced entry.

G10 vs SR7: Issue 8 and Issue 7 Explained

LPS 1175 Issue 8 came into effect in 2019 and was the most substantial revision of the standard to date. It replaced the single SR1 to SR8 scale with a tool category letter (A to H) followed by a minimum delay in minutes (1, 3, 5, 10, 15 or 20). G10 is the Issue 8 classification commonly compared with the old SR7.

The letters shift between the two issues. Issue 7 used an enhanced Category D kit, written D+, for SR5, and Issue 8 turned that kit into Category E. Every tool category above it moved up a letter, so the Issue 7 tool set behind SR7, called Category F, corresponds to Issue 8 Category G. When comparing older documents with new ones, compare the rating, not just the letter.

What G10 Means for Design and Installation

At G10, the attacker has tools that cut concrete as easily as steel, so the building structure is exposed to the same attack as the certified product. A G10 rating is almost always part of a wider protective design, and several factors decide whether the certified delay is achieved in practice:

• Matching structure: the walls, floor slab and roof around a G10 product need equivalent attack resistance. With concrete chainsaws and diamond-core drills in the tool set, a standard wall is a weaker route than the door.
• Internal positioning: products at this level often protect strongrooms and secure stores deep inside a building, where every outer layer adds delay before the attacker reaches them.
• Getting equipment to site: heavy tools and generators have to be brought in. Perimeter barriers, vehicle mitigation and controlled access all make that harder and more visible.
• Detection and response: the delay only has value if an attack is detected early and a response arrives within it. Match the rating to the response time set in the threat assessment.
• Layered protection: each certified layer keeps its own rating; ratings do not add together on a certificate, but every layer adds delay and another chance to detect the attack.

Where G10 Is Specified

G10 is specified where the credible threat includes heavy professional equipment and the consequences of a breach are severe. Typical applications include:

• Vaults and strongrooms
• Cash and bullion centres
• High-value secure stores
• Sensitive government facilities
• Defence and military sites
• Critical infrastructure core areas

A rating at this level should always come from a formal threat assessment. In government and critical infrastructure contexts, that assessment is typically informed by NPSA (National Protective Security Authority) guidance, and it will set the attacker profile, the response time and therefore the rating required for each layer.

Specifying a G10 Product: Checklist

• Confirm the product holds an LPCB certificate showing G10 under Issue 8 (both the letter and the number), and check the current listing on Red Book Live
• Check that the certificate covers the exact configuration, size and opening direction being specified
• Use only the locking systems listed on the certificate; other locks do not carry the rating
• Design the surrounding walls, floor and roof to match the attack resistance of the product
• Detail fixings and the connection to the structure, which sit outside the certificate
• Align the delay with the detection and response plan in the threat assessment
• Plan an uninterrupted power supply for powered locking and access systems if the rating must hold during a mains failure
• Remember that resistance of access control systems to non-mechanical attack is outside the scope of LPS 1175

Frequently Asked Questions: LPS 1175 G10 and SR7

Related Premier Security Resources

• LPS 1175 Security Ratings Explained: the full SR1 to SR8 and A1 to H20 guide
• LPS 1175 F10 / SR6 Rating Guide: the rating below G10
• LPS 1175 E10 / SR5 Rating Guide: the Category E high-end battery tool rating
• Ballistic Resistance: EN 1522 FB and EN 1063 BR ratings explained
• Blast Resistance: ISO 16933, EN 13123 and EN 13541 ratings explained
• Hostile Vehicle Mitigation: protection against vehicle borne threats
• Contact Premier Security: technical consultation and project enquiries