European Standards

EN50131 European Standards For Intruder Alarm Systems

Like all other professional alarm companies, we are now installing to EN50131-1:2004 as of the 1st October 2005.

The old British Standards 4737, 7042 and BS 6799 Wireless Systems are being replaced by the new European Standards BSEN 50131 series as they become available. All new installations should be installed to the new standard.

Insurance companies will now only allow systems to be installed that comply with the European Standards, in association with PD6662.

European Standards are not retrospective, therefore systems which are currently installed to British Standards will continue to be maintained and updated to that standard.

All the standards are regularly reviewed and amended and are engineers repeatedly attend standards upgrade seminars.

As part of this regular review, as of the 1st June 2012 ALL our installations comply with BS EN50131-1;2006 +A1:2009, PD6662:2010 & BS8243:2010 (Formerly DD243:2004) and are graded to insurance grades G2X, G2, G3 or G4

Risk assessment

The implementation of the European Standards has also affected those of us who conduct Risk Assessment and the design, installation, maintenance and repair of Intruder Alarm Systems.

One of the most significant issues within the new EN standards will be evaluating the risk associated with the premises and determining a grade of system. This is because once the grade of a system is determined it will define the extent of the system, its signalling and tamper security requirements.

We will provide a full written risk assessment with every system design proposal.

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The European standards have been under development for some time, and not all of the standards are complete, but work on these standards continues. However, there are a suite of European Standards available to enable companies to install to. To enable this, the European Standards will include a document PD 6662:2010. This is a Published Document (PD) and is used to call up parts of the current British Standards where European Standards are still under development. As new parts of the European standards are completed they will eventually replace those parts of the PD6662:2010, which will eventually be phased out.

Insurance acceptance
European Standards have Insurance acceptance. The Association of British Insurers (ABl) consider that the EN standards have a better structure to the technical design of a security system, mainly because the EN standards are risk based. European standards provide:

• Structured standards

• Graded systems

• Classification of equipment

• Risked based system design proposals

A significant advantage for insurers and surveyors applying European Standards to systems is that a specification will grade a system appropriate to the associated Risk. The grading of a system based on a structured risk analysis will determine the:

• Extent of the system

• Signalling requirements

• Tamper security requirements

Within the European Standards there are four security grades of system and the standard defines the grades as:

Grade 1     low risk

Grade 2     low to medium risk

Grade 3     medium to high risk

Grade 4     high risk

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Grade 1 system
Intruders are expected to have little knowledge of intruder alarm systems and be limited to a range of easily available tools.

Grade 2 system
Intruders are expected to have a limited knowledge of intruder alarm systems and the use of a general range of tools.

Grade 3 system
Intruders are expected to be conversant with intruder alarm systems and have access to a comprehensive range of tools.

Grade 4 system
Security takes precedence over all other factors. At this level intruders are expected to have the ability and resources to plan an intrusion in detail and have a full range of specialised equipment, including means of substitution of vital components within the intruder alarm system. As you can see systems are evaluated against the risk of the level of intruder that may attack the system hence the requirement that system design meets the appropriate grade.

The risk of premises may be defined by a security surveyor, customer or insurers. It is most likely that insurers will specify systems at Grades 2 and 3, where an insurer is involved, unless the risk is exceptionally high, when a Grade 4 system will be speciied.

A further inclusion in European Standards is the classification of components which are used for the intruder alarm system installations. These will be classified and in turn will determine where they are installed. There are four classifications of components

• Class 1 = Indoors controlled temperature

• Class 2 = Indoors uncontrolled

• Class 3 = Outdoors sheltered

• Class 4 = Outdoors exposed

System specifications as we used to refer to them, will in European Standards terms be known as the System Design Proposal and will propose the optimum system available by the installing company.

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As systems will be graded the number of preventative maintenance visits will vary. Dependant on the grade of system the minimum number of maintenance visits will be:

Grade 1

• 1 Site visit per annum

Grade 2 & 3

• 2 site visits

OR

• 1 site visit plus one remote diagnostic test

Grade 4

• 2 site visits

When conducting remote diagnostic system tests we are required to check the following as a minimum:

• a review of the event log for successful setting and upsetting

• a check on the normal and standby power supplies, for correct functioning

• a check on recent activity of all detectors which would be expected to operate during the normal occupation of the building

• a check for the correct operation of any alarm transmission system, in conjunction with the alarm receiving centre

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Detailed records of all the above system checks will be required to be maintained.

Initially to install to European Standards you will require copies of:

• PD 6662 :2010   Specifies use of UK standards where European Standards are not published

• EN 50131 pt1:2006 Specifies system requirements,  Equivalent to BS 4737 Parts 1 pt 2. This document forms part of PD6662:2010. This is because it is currently under a five year review.

• CLC/prTS 50131 pt7 Application Guidelines 2002  Equivalent to BS 4737 Part 4. This document may in the near future become a BS DD. A "BS DD" is a British Standard, Draft for Development and will provide the general public with a chance to comment on the document which may be considered for change.

• EN 50136 Alarm Transmission

As some of the standards are still in the development stage SSAIB will inform companies in the near future clarifying which documents are required closer to the date of implementation.

Finally, CLC/TS50131 pt7 expects Surveyors, Installers, Maintenance and Service personnel to hold an appropriate qualification for the tasks that we undertake in our roles. At present the actually qualifications have not been decided and as a result this may be removed. Having said this the SSAIB would still encourage members to obtain a relevant qualification. This is essential for those working on building sites who will require a CSCS, Construction Skills Certificate Scheme card. Information regarding relevant industry qualifications can be obtained from the SSAIB.

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