diff --git a/armi/utils/__init__.py b/armi/utils/__init__.py
index 2c8cfbb1d..be6dbc234 100644
--- a/armi/utils/__init__.py
+++ b/armi/utils/__init__.py
@@ -806,17 +806,38 @@ def merge(self, *otherDictionaries) -> None:
 
 def safeCopy(src: str, dst: str) -> None:
     """This copy overwrites ``shutil.copy`` and checks that copy operation is truly completed before continuing."""
-    waitTime = 0.01  # 10 ms
+    # Convert files to OS-independence
+    src = os.path.abspath(src)
+    dst = os.path.abspath(dst)
     if os.path.isdir(dst):
         dst = os.path.join(dst, os.path.basename(src))
     srcSize = os.path.getsize(src)
-    shutil.copyfile(src, dst)
-    shutil.copymode(src, dst)
+    if "win" in sys.platform:
+        cmd = f'copy "{src}" "{dst}"'
+    elif "linux" in sys.platform:
+        cmd = f'cp "{src}" "{dst}"'
+    else:
+        raise OSError(
+            "Cannot perform ``safeCopy`` on files because ARMI only supports "
+            + "Linux and Windows."
+        )
+    os.system(cmd)
+    waitTime = 0.01  # 10 ms
+    maxWaitTime = 1800  # 30 min
+    totalWaitTime = 0
     while True:
         dstSize = os.path.getsize(dst)
         if srcSize == dstSize:
             break
         time.sleep(waitTime)
+        totalWaitTime += waitTime
+        if totalWaitTime > maxWaitTime:
+            runLog.warning(
+                f"File copy from {dst} to {src} has failed due to exceeding "
+                + f"a maximum wait time of {maxWaitTime/60} minutes."
+            )
+            break
+
     runLog.extra("Copied {} -> {}".format(src, dst))
 
 
diff --git a/armi/utils/tests/test_utils.py b/armi/utils/tests/test_utils.py
index c2131c308..7c763cc6d 100644
--- a/armi/utils/tests/test_utils.py
+++ b/armi/utils/tests/test_utils.py
@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@
 
 """Testing some utility functions."""
 from collections import defaultdict
+import os
 import unittest
 
 import numpy as np
@@ -21,6 +22,7 @@
 from armi import utils
 from armi.reactor.tests.test_reactors import loadTestReactor
 from armi.settings.caseSettings import Settings
+from armi.tests import mockRunLogs
 from armi.utils import (
     directoryChangers,
     getPowerFractions,
@@ -37,6 +39,7 @@
     getCumulativeNodeNum,
     hasBurnup,
     codeTiming,
+    safeCopy,
 )
 
 
@@ -166,6 +169,33 @@ def testFunc():
         self.assertEqual(getattr(testFunc, "__doc__"), "Test function docstring.")
         self.assertEqual(getattr(testFunc, "__name__"), "testFunc")
 
+    def test_safeCopy(self):
+        with directoryChangers.TemporaryDirectoryChanger():
+            os.mkdir("dir1")
+            os.mkdir("dir2")
+            file1 = "dir1/file1.txt"
+            with open(file1, "w") as f:
+                f.write("Hello")
+            file2 = "dir1\\file2.txt"
+            with open(file2, "w") as f:
+                f.write("Hello2")
+
+            with mockRunLogs.BufferLog() as mock:
+                # Test Linuxy file path
+                self.assertEqual("", mock.getStdout())
+                safeCopy(file1, "dir2")
+                self.assertIn("Copied", mock.getStdout())
+                self.assertIn("file1", mock.getStdout())
+                self.assertIn("->", mock.getStdout())
+                # Clean up for next safeCopy
+                mock.emptyStdout()
+                # Test Windowsy file path
+                self.assertEqual("", mock.getStdout())
+                safeCopy(file2, "dir2")
+                self.assertIn("Copied", mock.getStdout())
+                self.assertIn("file2", mock.getStdout())
+                self.assertIn("->", mock.getStdout())
+
 
 class CyclesSettingsTests(unittest.TestCase):
     """
diff --git a/doc/release/0.3.rst b/doc/release/0.3.rst
index b2ad25ad6..bf2a51e70 100644
--- a/doc/release/0.3.rst
+++ b/doc/release/0.3.rst
@@ -38,6 +38,7 @@ API Changes
 Bug Fixes
 ---------
 #. Fixed four bugs with "corners up" hex grids. (`PR#1649 <https://github.com/terrapower/armi/pull/1649>`_)
+#. Fixed ``safeCopy`` to work on both Windows and Linux with strict permissions (`PR#1691 <https://github.com/terrapower/armi/pull/1691>`_)
 #. TBD
 
 Quality Work