Drug Safes – The Legal Facts of Storing Dangerous Drugs in Australia

drug safe, the legal facts of storing dangerous drugs in australia

The Australian Health Department demands that all Australian drug safes used in Australia be designed and constructed to meet strict guidelines as per these specifications.

Our range of drug safes or controlled drugs cabinets are built and often exceed these requirements to offer a high quality medical safe to safely store and protect prescription drugs. Fully compliant controlled drug cabinets are a legal requirement in Australia for the storage of controlled drugs and here at Safeguard Safes we are proud to say we have Australia’s largest drug safes and medicine safe range. Our drug safes are the preferred choice for pharmacies, vets, doctors, dentists, chemists and hospitals and other leading health care professionals. With over 35 years of manufacturing experience in drug safes and custom made medical cabinets, we have built a reputation for providing high quality drug safes to the Australian general medical sectors.

Although we stock a huge range of certified drug safes, some of our clients require custom made drug safes, so just give us your specific requirements and we can manufacture a drug safe to meet your exact specifications and at a price and time frame to meet project and mandatory requirements.

Some features that are required in an Australian drug safe to comply with the (TGA) Therapeutic Goods Administration Act including the body and door of the drug safe must be constructed of 10mm thickness of a single layer of mild steel plate and with continuous welding of all joints the full length of the drug safe body and needs to incorporate a full length steel lock keeper bar welded to the inside of the drug safe on the lock side and also a full length steel bar welded to the inside of the drug safe on the hinge side that acts as a tamper proof recess for a dog bar.

For installation Australian drug safes must have 4 suitably sized holes in the back plate or 2 suitably sized holes in the back plate and 2 suitably sized holes in the base of the drug safe. The door of the medical cabinet safe must be constructed of no less than 10mm thick steel plate and when the door is closed it must fit flush with the body of the drug cabinet and have a clearance around the door of not more than 1.5mm and the high security drug safe door must incorporate an anti drill hardened steel plate between the drug safe door and between the lock site attachment to protect all parts of the lock from attack by high speed drills and also have a solid, full length dog bar down the inside of the door on the hinge side, that recesses by the bar. The drug safes locking feature must be aluminium six-lever pick proof lock or a lock mechanism of a higher level or equal to the six lever anti pick safe lock in construction. It is crucial that all welds on the Australian drug safes are to be continuously welded to the inside face of the door and incorporate a steel saddle around the lock, welded to the inside face of the doorand be fitted with a steel guard around the bolt of the lock welded to the inside face of the door. The door hinge on the drug safe is constructed of heavy duty steel and welded to the door by continuous welds and the body of the receptacle tamper proof and concealed on the inside of the drug safe if possible.

Some mentionable drug safes are:

Ardel: DC2K

Chubb: DC1

CMI: DS3K

Guardall: DSK2/300K

Safeguard Safes