Ouch, this is difficult! I give in.
It was easy enough under BS4737, you did not need to ‘grade’ systems ….. or intruders.
Now we do, and many installers are finding it difficult to do so. So much so, that some are simply giving up and ‘grading’ everything Grade 2, or else really giving up and leaving the industry. Are they right? Is it really that much of a problem? Let’s see.

Why have grades?
Life is graded, if you think about it. To quote a few: Football teams have a whole series of grades, called ‘leagues’. NHS hospitals are generally graded as ‘Primary, Secondary or Tertiary/Teaching. Our Local Authority rates (sorry to mention a sore point with the budget still fresh) are in grades (called ‘bands’) which determine how much we pay.
Our motor insurance is at least partially dependent on our post code with insurers having maybe 15 or so different bands.

You get the point (even if you do not necessarily agree that it’s a fair way to go).

Ok, so now to intruders. The type of gang that did the Security Express depot for around £8 million a few years ago are not going to be sniffing around private houses, and the type of drug addict who does go sniffing around in more ways than one is not likely to targeting Security Express type operations. So why suggest that the security thinking and design of alarm systems should be based on the same philosophy?

It’s quite simply horses for courses. (And whilst I have zilch interest in horse racing, don’t they have ‘novice chases’ and similar where the horses are effectively graded?)

Who’s in what Grade?
Security installer magazine has been covering this subject extensively, and Tony Weekes from NSI answered this question in a letter to that magazine in January this year. I think it is well worth repeating the gist of this as a helpful guide for installers. After all, they rarely (we hope!) get to compare notes with the bad guys that they are trying to keep away from the honey, so grading them is not going to be an easy task.

Grade 1
Think opportunistic youngsters, maybe on drugs, targeting homes of the elderly, careless (windows left open, doors unlocked etc) generally locally as they often have no transport.

Target goods are cash, credit cards, watches, jewellery, cameras etc. Think hundreds of pounds.

Grade 2
Experienced, more daring. Target larger homes and maybe businesses, or just the latter. Ram-raid and or smash and grab, on the premises for a few minutes and losses may be in the low thousands. May well not operate alone, likely done their homework on the premises beforehand. May attack SABs, will have a fair idea of police response times.

Grade 3
Serious hard core teams of professionals targeting commercial premises, country houses, homes of the famous. Considerable knowledge of intruder alarm systems, will nearly always attack the signalling paths prior to a burglary. Will have done a lot of homework on the premises in question, and be prepared to spend up to four hours (yes, hours) to gain entry.

Thieving to order, they will already have ‘sold’ the goods prior to the theft. Patient, thoughtful, will use any available ‘help’ found on site eg vehicle keys, fork lifts, company vehicles. Detectors, internal sounders, RKPs all may be attacked, STUs ripped out etc. Almost certainly wait for a while to see who turns up after cutting telephone lines, then go in leaving watchman in approach area in case of interruption. Typically hundreds of thousands of pounds of losses.

Grade 4
Terrorists, bank robbers, serious violence against anyone in the way, these intruders are not the province of 99.9% of installers or their intruder alarm systems.

The Big Issue
Grade 1 is lower than BS4737, and it’s End User territory, so not for real installers.
Grade 4 is another league, forget it realistically.

With apologies to Shakespeare, the big issue then is “To Three or not to Three”.
Insurers want installers to go for Three for virtually all commercials, but will not stand up and specify Three to the insured. This is a ridiculous state of affairs. They know the postcode bands, the stock thresholds where 2 Moves to Three, claims history etc. If insurers want Three they should say so.

Until they do, it is simply not going to happen. Installers understandably do not want to price themselves out of the market by risking a Three suggestion against the competition’s Two. Not in the real world.

That said, some buildings are obviously Threes. Large offices, warehouses, off licences, factories, electronic goods, jewellers etc all scream out ‘Three’ on their own, and a professional installer would not risk their reputation by installing a Grade 2.

The average domestic property, florists, local pet food shops, community halls, places where it is obvious there is very little chance of any sizeable loss, are the market for Grade Twos, and consider whether they should be TwoX (if you think of the “X” as meaning “Excluding” remote signalling it’s easy to remember).

The Bottom Line
Route one. I strongly recommend that you ask your prospective clients to ask their insurer to specify the Grade, but that’s not always easy for a number of reasons. Try it where possible. Failing that, take a step back from the property and think which of the intruder types is likely to target the property, and do your System Design Proposal accordingly.

Include in your proposal the fact that you will grade it yourself if insurers cannot/will not, but in that instance, you will be happy to carry out any later changes required by insurers, but at your normal rates. If it’s in writing you cover yourself, and while likely remove the main heat from any future fallout: “Please go back to the quote (oops – I mean SDP) I sent you and you will see that I did advise you beforehand and that’s all I can do……….I have no control you’re your insurer’s timescales, I wish I did!” is the line to take.

I hope that helps…
That’s the best general guidance I can give you. As it is given freely then I cannot take responsibility for any commercial decisions you make after reading this. It’s your show so you have to take responsibility. (If you want to pay me money then that’s an altogether different kettle of fish……..).

I hope to cover the EN50131-7 Risk Survey itself in more detail next time.

Written by Graeme Dow - Visit Website
Graeme Dow is an independent security advisor with extensive experience of manufacturing intruder alarm control panels, technical insurance (efficacy), business development and forensic burglary investigation.

“Thieves can’t steal what they can’t see”

That’s the campaign slogan for Concept Smoke Screen, designers and manufacturers of security smoke generators since 1975 and having used their product I can vouch for its effectiveness as an intruder repellent!
The Concept Smoke Screen generator comes in a variety of sizes making it suitable for small offices, workshops, service stations etc right up to large warehouses and retail outlets.
The smoke is created with an alarm activation, (normally as confirmed by additional detection in the vicinity of the smoke generator), and generates an impenetrable wall of smoke within just a few seconds. The normal response of an intruder is to flee the premises immediately that smoke starts to be generated but for the more determined, the smoke prevents them seeing the goods, hence the slogan “Thieves can’t steal what they can’t see”.
The normal size of smoke particles produced by smoke generators is between 1 and 4 microns, but Concept Smoke Screen have succeeded in producing generators with a smoke particle size of just around 0.2/0.3 micron producing a more persistent and denser smoke with little or no residue left after clearance. The smoke is suitable for all environments including server rooms as the smoke cannot cause damage to goods or electronic equipment.

How does a smoke generator work?

The generator has a heat exchanger, which is constantly heated, (about the cost of a light bulb), and through which the safe chemical smoke fluid is passed, heated and expelled into the protected area as a vapour. As the vapour is expelled from the heat exchanger and hits the cooler temperature of the protected area the vapour condenses into a blanket of smoke, or fog to be technically correct, which quickly fills the area to be protected.

Does it work?

We fitted a Concept smoke generator in a small server room, with air conditioning.
The bracket was easily fitted to a wall and the smoke generator fits onto the bracket and is secured by a nut - we used anchor bolts for greater strength but suitable screws and plugs are an option.
Connected to a 240-volt mains supply via an unswitched fused spur and to the alarm control panel for ’set’ and ‘intruder’ activations, the generator can be connected to a key-operated interface to isolate the unit for servicing and to provide indications, (visible and audible), of faults including low fluid level.
On activation our server room became filled with smoke within a few seconds, entering the room was disorientating and it was quite impossible to see anything inside the room, the overriding desire was to leave the room quickly in order to recover the sense of sight!
It is impossible to believe that any intruder would have been able to remove anything from the room and our customer now has a new found sense of well-being with his server room having such enhanced protection which had been so vividly demonstrated.
The Concept Smoke Screen takes intruder alarm systems to a new level, an intruder alarm can alert that someone has entered the protected property but the Concept Smoke Screen can do more than that, it can cause intruders to immediately flee or prevent them from a productive raid, in fact just what the Concept slogan says, “What thieves can’t see they can’t steal”.

Written by Roger Byng - Visit Website
Roger Byng, owner of RJB Security Systems, has been active in the Security Industry for over 20 years. Being associated with the IAAI, NASS and SSA Trade Associations, Roger helped form the SSAIB in 1994 and served as its Vice-Chairman until retiring from the Board in 2004. RJB Security Systems is UKAS Certified for the installation of Intruder Alarm Systems, CCTV Installations and Access Control and holds the SSAIB "Certificate of Excellence". Operating throughout the South West, South and Mid Wales and the Thames Valley, the company has both domestic, public and high-end commercial amongst its customer portfolio.

Alarm Confirmation – What is it and why do we need it?

In the early part of  2000 the Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO) decided that response to intruder alarm systems was taking up too many police resources and that some remedial action was necessary – some 96% of all police response to intruder alarm activations was as a result of false alarms, a waste of resources that was simply unsustainable.
As a result of this waste of police resources it was decided that police would no longer attend where a single detector had caused an alarm activation and so with the introduction of regulations known as DD243 the position changed in such a way that police would only respond where there was some confirmation that an intruder was on the premises.

How would such confirmation be achieved?

There would be a number of possible scenarios:

• Visual verification – by the use of cameras the Alarm Receiving Centre (ARC) would be able to receive images of the site in an effort to establish the reason for the alarm activation, be it intruder, or other reasons
• Audio verification – by the use of microphones at strategic points within the premises the ARC would be able to listen-in to detect sounds of an intruder
• Sequential verification – the most popular and cost effective means was by means of a second detection device confirming the presence of someone on the premises. For example a first activation might be sent to the ARC as a result of a door being forced open and a 2nd or “confirmed” activation would be sent by a movement detector in an area inside of the opened door

The provision of acceptable verification would be dictated by regulation on what would be an acceptable form of additional detection, the following would be acceptable:

• Detectors of two different technologies could be used in the same area even if overlapping, e.g. a PIR and a dual-technology detector
• Two dual-technology detectors may be used in the same area even if overlapping
• A movement detector and another detector e.g. door contact, glassbreak detector, shock sensor

Unacceptable forms of confirmation would be:

• Two door contacts on a single door
• Two overlapping single technology PIR detectors

An alarm condition from the first detector should generate an unconfirmed activation, this would initiate a keyholder request to attend from the ARC. If there is a subsequent alarm within the confirmation time, (normally 30 minutes),  then an unambiguous sequentially confirmed activation should be signalled, initiating a police request to attend from the ARC

Following the success of DD243 confirmation in drastically reducing the waste of police time and resources, some manufacturers invested research and development costs into providing confirmation in a single detector casing. The first of these was the Optex Sequad, a PIR based movement detector that consisted of two PIR elements, one covering two zones to the sides of the detector and the other covering the centre field of view of the detector; an intruder crossing from either side of the detector into the centre area would create a confirmed alarm.
More recently the Pyronix TMD15 has been produced and it contains a PIR and a dual-technology detector within the same casing; being of different  independent technologies this has provided an effective and acceptable means of confirmation in a single detector. The unit can be set to provide “Tri-tech” cover, where both detectors work in unison to provide a single alarm activation – not a confirmed activation but highly resistant to false alarms in an unfriendly environment.

Alarm confirmation has dramatically reduced the waste of police time and has done a great deal to restore confidence in alarm technology. Although initially criticised by many within the security industry it would appear that alarm confirmation, where properly designed and put into practice, is a winner.

Written by Roger Byng - Visit Website
Roger Byng, owner of RJB Security Systems, has been active in the Security Industry for over 20 years. Being associated with the IAAI, NASS and SSA Trade Associations, Roger helped form the SSAIB in 1994 and served as its Vice-Chairman until retiring from the Board in 2004. RJB Security Systems is UKAS Certified for the installation of Intruder Alarm Systems, CCTV Installations and Access Control and holds the SSAIB "Certificate of Excellence". Operating throughout the South West, South and Mid Wales and the Thames Valley, the company has both domestic, public and high-end commercial amongst its customer portfolio.

What is a ‘Hybrid’ Alarm?

A ‘hybrid’ alarm is an alarm system which has a control panel that is able to accept normal wired circuits, (normally closed, normally open, end-of-line, fully supervised and perhaps ‘iD’), but is also able to be expanded to include connection to wirefree detectors. Most such ‘hybrid’ panels accept wirefree detectors only by the fitting of a suitable interface/zone expander, (called a ‘node’, ‘portal’ or similar) which is wired back to the panel and which contains the aerial to receive the signals from the wirefree detectors. So the control panel may have eight circuits available on the main PCB, (printed circuit board - the heart of the system) and expansion may be by way of zone expanders either wirefree or wired.

What are the advantages of using a ‘hybrid’ alarm system?

Most intruder alarm installers prefer to fit wired systems – there are a number of reasons for this e.g. no batteries are required, cables and detector relays can be subjected to diagnostic checks, fear of working with wirefree, some limitation in detector types available etc. However, there are often times when the availability of wirefree can be very useful:

Maybe you would like some protection in an outside garage or store but there is no means of easily running and concealing cable from the control panel to the required location
Part of your house is an extension and concealing cable to the required location in the extension does not strike you as being a tidy option
You live in a flat and you do not have the advantage of a loft or access to flooring voids in which to run cables to detectors away from the control panel

So you can see that in the above circumstances, having an option for the use of wirefree detectors may well make the difference between having or not having an alarm system that you are entirely happy with.

Let’s have a look at a typical ‘hybrid’ control panel.

Honeywell Galaxy G2

The Honeywell Galaxy G2 is the latest in a long line of Galaxy panels which have been so widely used by many installation companies, including some of the major national suppliers – you will undoubtedly have seen the Galaxy Mk7 Remote Keypad in your corner shop or local high street even if you did not know it when you saw it.
The Galaxy G2 is a Grade 2 panel as stipulated by EN5011 PD6662 and is therefore suitable for a low risk situation such as most normal household premises and some small commercial properties. The panel comes equipped with an on-board digi-modem which enables the panel to accept remote diagnostics by up/downloading and which also provides a means of alarm signalling be either SMS text messaging to up to three mobile phones or 24-hour alarm monitoring through an Alarm Receiving Centre (ARC) for police response. The G2-44 version of the panel also accepts a plug-on GSM radio module to provide wirefree alarm signalling, excellent for remote locations or where a simple dual-path signalling method is preferred.
Like all hybrid panels the Galaxy G2 has 12 on-board circuits available for standard wired detectors such as door contacts, PIR’s or shock sensors but expansion is also available by what are called ‘RIO’s’ (Remote Input Modules) or by a maximum of two RF Portals, which is the name given to the Galaxy interface for wirefree detectors. Having the option of fitting up to two RF Portals is extremely useful in difficult premises, perhaps due to foil-clad walls and ceilings, thick stone walls or similar things that may restrict the passage of radio signals. The RF Portal is not dedicated to any particular zones, it merely functions as a signal receiver, so up to 20 wirefree detectors can be received in the Galaxy G2-20 and up to 44 in the Galaxy G2-44. If two RF Portals are used then signals from the wirefree detectors can be received by either or both of the portals making for a more secure method of signal reception.

The Galaxy G2 panels have a variety of wirefree detectors available to use in conjunction with the RF Portal:

• Domonial PIR – a 12 x 12 metre PIR with look down zone and white light filter
• Door contact – a compact contact with magnet for fitting to door or window
• Glassbreak detector – unusual for many wirefree systems a 360 degree 7.5 metre range detector to detect the smashing of nearby glass such as a window or door glass
• Smoke detector – coverage of up to 50 metres and triggering on a temperature of 57C or on the presence of smoke
• RF Fob – a small radio fob to set/unset/part set the system and to activate a personal attack alarm (if programmed to do so)

So there may well be times when a hybrid alarm will best fit the bill for the effective but sensitive installation of an alarm system in low risk premises. With the option of SMS text messaging, remote monitoring, off-site diagnostics and an optional GSM module, (G2-44), the Galaxy G2 panel may well be the best choice.

Written by Roger Byng - Visit Website
Roger Byng, owner of RJB Security Systems, has been active in the Security Industry for over 20 years. Being associated with the IAAI, NASS and SSA Trade Associations, Roger helped form the SSAIB in 1994 and served as its Vice-Chairman until retiring from the Board in 2004. RJB Security Systems is UKAS Certified for the installation of Intruder Alarm Systems, CCTV Installations and Access Control and holds the SSAIB "Certificate of Excellence". Operating throughout the South West, South and Mid Wales and the Thames Valley, the company has both domestic, public and high-end commercial amongst its customer portfolio.

The Growth in Wirefree

In recent years the use of wirefree alarm systems has become considerably more popular than in past years and this is primarily the result of the improvement in the quality of wirefree components. Some years ago the Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO) gave approval for the use of wirefree systems for police response, provided these were able to carry out suitable supervison of components this required compliance with a British Standard BS6799 Class 6; the conventional and often used Class 3, (often DIY wirefree), or Class 5 would continue to be unacceptable for police response.
With the recognition by ACPO of wirefree systems came merely a trickle of such systems available to the installer, particularly of note were FM Electronics, Scantronic and couple of others. However, more recently, manufacturers have seen the available market for wirefree in the domestic sector and this has given rise to an increase in wirefree and hybrid systems, (hybrid meaning a normal wired control panel with a wireless add-on); manufacturers now include Honeywell, Texecom, Menvier, as well as the old faithfulls FM Electronics and Scantronic and a number of new rising stars from the East.

Why has wirefree become so popular?

From the customer point of view, there is an element of relief in not having the home disrupted by the lifting of carpets and floorboards which normally has to take place with the fitting of a wired system. Wirefree systems are seen as a means of avoiding disruption to the decor and of other mess that often accompanies any major installation in the home. The installation a completely wirefree system will normally take less time than a wired system although with a larger system or a hybrid system that time will of course be increased.
Many wirefree systems now have the provision of a speech dialler to contact a number of telephone contacts to alert them of an alarm activation; some sport a digital communicator and often GSM radio signalling as an optional add-on to provide connection to an Alarm Receiving Centre (ARC) for 24-hour alarm monitoring. More advanced systems now have the built-in provision of two-way audio, voice prompting and messaging - even remote control via a mobile telephone.
Although wirefree is still available in its “lower form”, many systems are now available to comply with EN50131 PD6662 Grade 2 and so can provide a convenient system for police response.
Additional benefits for the busy installer and the user alike can be found on many wirefree systems, with the option of remote up/downloading to enable off-site diagnostics, programming (where appropriate) and system checks. This option is particularly useful when changes need to be made to the system but it is inconvenient to have to wait for an engineer to attend the premises.

Let’s take a look at a top of the range full wirefree system:

Scantronic Homelink 75

The Scantronic Homelink 75 is a very convenient system both for user and installer alike, it’s simple flowing programming menu is both easy to navigate and to understand, with optional voice prompts for the user such as “The system is now setting“. Users can leave a recorded “memo” for other members of the family … “Johnny, don’t forget your homework before you put the television on!“. With a simple menu structure the system can be accessed by a mobile telephone to switch the system on or off, listen in or talk etc, all from a remote location.
The Homelink 75 offers the option of wireless door contacts, PIR’s, shock sensors, remote keypads, prox-tags, RF fobs, (telecommanders); a wireless siren and the provision of two wired zones, should they be required or convenient to use, completes the felixibility of the Homelink 75. The provision of a wireless shock sensor is a particularly welcome addition missing in many other systems. The shock sensor detects an attach on a window or door and thereby provides a useful form of perimeter protection, ideal in bungalows for example.
The control panel in a smart silver colour with central keypad and LCD English display looks good in any environment and is particularly easy to use with a quick-set button, twin push emergency buttons for police, fire and medical services and for the elderly or infirm,  a dedicated social alarm call button to allow two-way conversation with a dedicated call centre.

The specification of the Homelink 75 is quite impressive:

General

• Four independent partitions, each of which can be full set or part set
• Provides alarms for intruder, fire, technical, PA and social care
• Built-in siren
• Supplied as a kit with PIR, door contact, telecommand and prox tag

Inputs

• 32 fully supervised (to EN50131-3) radio input zones
• 2 FSL wired input zones

User Interface

• Built in keypad and graphic display
• Voice prompts (can be disabled)
• Multi-function remote operation fobs
• Integral prox reader
• Remote control by telephone (mobile or land line)
• Built-in microphone
• Loud-speaking facility
• Voice memo recording facility

Communications

• Integral digital communicator offering SCANCOM, Fast-Format, SIA l, ll & lll Extended, and Contact ID formats
• Plug on adaptors for Internet Protocol over Ethernet or GPRS
• Plug on adaptors for GSM (mobile phone)
• Integral social alarm function with Tunstall and SCANCOM Fast-Format communications and half-duplex voice communication 
• Integral speech dialler with one 12s home message and up to four consecutive messages each 8s long with listening-in and talk back facility

Radio

• Scantronic AE2 dual diversity narrow-band 868 MHz radio receiver
• Integral radio field-strength meter for accurate detector siting
• Supervision and jamming detection on all detectors
• Radio learning of detectors and outputs

Power

• NiMH batteries giving at least 12 hours standby operation
• Mains power from standard outlet (built-in power supply)

Service/Maintenance

• Full upload/download and remote servicing facility
• 350 event log
• Programmable from a PC or laptop using a built-in USB port

http://www.versigo.co.uk/forum/index.php/topic,148.new.html#new

Written by Roger Byng - Visit Website
Roger Byng, owner of RJB Security Systems, has been active in the Security Industry for over 20 years. Being associated with the IAAI, NASS and SSA Trade Associations, Roger helped form the SSAIB in 1994 and served as its Vice-Chairman until retiring from the Board in 2004. RJB Security Systems is UKAS Certified for the installation of Intruder Alarm Systems, CCTV Installations and Access Control and holds the SSAIB "Certificate of Excellence". Operating throughout the South West, South and Mid Wales and the Thames Valley, the company has both domestic, public and high-end commercial amongst its customer portfolio.