All of the conventional suppression systems whether CO2 based, sprinklers, water mist etc will entail extensive pipework and control equipment resulting in disruption to the business with, as often as not, considerable costs for installation.

Against this background, the DSPA system (Dry Sprinkler Powder Aerosol) represents a major step forward in fire suppression.  It does not require pipework thereby minimising disruption to the workplace, and installation costs are usually considerably less than for  more conventional systems.   DSPA systems represent a very viable alternative to conventional systems and have been hugely successful in  Europe where it was launched several years ago; it is now poised to become as popular in the UK following its recent introduction to this country.

The DSPA system operates volumetrically suppressing the fire with an aerosol and leaves a harmless residue that can be easily vacuumed up.  The process is completely dry and can be activated by a number of different types of sensors including electronic, thermal and manual.

Oakpark is the south of England agent for DSPA.  Full technical details of the DSPA systems can be found of the DSPA website.

Aesthetics

For their own safety, the residents need to be kept in a controlled environment but, whilst their security remains paramount, this is their ‘home’ and therefore the access control system needs to be as unobtrusive as possible and any parts of the system visible need to be pleasing in appearance.

Ease-of-use

Although not a problem peculiar to a dementia unit, the constant movement of care staff means that the system has to be very easy to use and cause a minimum of delay to the staff when moving through the building

Access control and authority levels

Ideally the system needs to be capable of allowing different levels of access authority to different people, dependent on their individual needs.  The Matron, for example, needs access authority  throughout the building at all times.  Visitors to the dementia unit on the other hand may need  only limited access rights to a specific area or wing of the building,  and only at given times.  A flexible but well structured system can therefore ensure residents’ security whilst allowing visitors to move around the unit without staff needing to escort them; freeing up valuable staff time as well as providing a more relaxed and friendly atmosphere for residents.

Access control in dementia units – to summarise

Equipment used needs to be unobtrusive and operable as simply as possible and allow the necessary movement of staff and visitors whilst ensuring the safety of residents. Experience has shown us that the Paxton Nett2 access control system is comfortably able to meet all of these design criteria with a level of flexibility which enables it to meet, or exceed, any additional local requirements for a particular unit.

Oakpark has recently designed and installed an access control system at Colten Care’s Dementia Care Home at St Catherines View in Winchester; full details are available in our press release, Access control in Colten Care’s Dementia Care Home Unit

We always emphasise that alarm and CCTV systems are designed to detect unlawful entry and incidents, as well as deterring such events, within the areas of protection provided by the systems. They can provide peace of mind but they can’t substitute for making a building physically secure.  Security systems must always be viewed as additional to, rather than instead of physical protection.

As specialists in all forms of electronic security we are able to give comprehensive  and professional advice as to how electronic security measures, be they intruder alarms, CCTV, access control or indeed fire alarms, can be used to optimum effect but can only give very general advice on physical security as this is beyond our remit. If a  client is looking for more detailed advice on physical security, we would recommend they speak to a company specialising in this type of work.

Dorset Doors is an organisation we have worked alongside on previous projects and are able to give this type of advice. They specialise in supply of Specialist industrial security doors as well as palisade fencing and security bollards to customers throughout Dorset and Hampshire.  Full details of their product range can be found on their website at www.dorsetdoors.co.uk

The project comprised the specification, supply and installation of a door and gate access control system, CCTV systems and an intruder alarm system and is the fourth Colten Care development at which Oakpark Alarms has been engaged.

The particular security requirements of a dementia unit combine the paramount need for the safety of residents with the equally important need to provide a friendly and relaxed atmosphere   with security as unobtrusive as possible.

Designed to cover a total of 50 doors and external gates, the Paxton Nett2 Access Control System specified has proven to offer far greater flexibility and ease of use for the staff compared to more conventional equipment.

Reception Staff at St Catherine’s View are now able to issue access cards to people visiting relatives resident in the home that allow them access only to the specific areas they need to visit and are time-limited.  Should the access card not be handed in when the visitor leaves, it will subsequently time out preventing it being from being used subsequently, unless it is revalidated by the Reception Staff first.  This therefore improves security to the residents and staff, whilst at the same time negating the need for Staff to escort visitors through the property.

Displays at Reception and each Nurses Station immediately flag up if a door has been opened in an unauthorised manner, thus immediately drawing attention to an issue requiring urgent attention.

Previous experience in dementia units has shown that glass door panels leading into the secure areas can be problematic, so this development has no glazed panels.  Upon staff or visitors using their swipe cards to release the electronic locks controlling these doors, a 7 inch TFT flush, wall mounted CCTV monitor adjacent  to the door immediately comes on to display the area beyond the door for added safety.

In addition to the door monitoring CCTV, a further CCTV system has also been installed to monitor the Reception area and key external areas and an intruder alarm has been installed covering areas where theft of valuable goods or confidential records might be an issue.

Broadly speaking a CCTV system which covers areas to which the general public would legitimately have access, should be registered with the data protection agency if the images from the system cameras are being recorded.

We are all familiar with computer data, such as health or financial records being subject to the Data Protection Act but so are images of people which is why there is a need to register with the Data Protection Agency. Guidelines are published by the Information Commissioner’s Office

If you are using CCTV exclusively to monitor inside your own property and the general public does not normally have access – such as your own home – then the Data Protection Act does not apply and so there is no need to register with the Data Protection Agency.

Obviously if the cameras are capable of viewing private areas outside of area under the ownership of the operator, unless authorisation has been obtained from the occupiers of the adjoining private areas, there is a strong possibility that an offence has been committed under the privacy laws.

All relevant legislation is aimed at ensuring the responsible use of CCTV for the purposes of legitimately safeguarding an individual’s or organisation’s own people and property. So, legitimate use of cameras will not cause any issues, so long as any necessary registration with the Data Protection Agency is made.

Although born and bred in the UK, Carlo’s mother is Italian hence the Christian name. His hobbies include renovation of old motorbikes and he is a keen Radio Ham. Early in 2011 Carlo, along with five other Engineers, was made redundant by his employer when they closed a regional office. At that time, having heard good reports about Oakpark, he approached them to see if there were any vacancies but sadly, at that time, there were not. However, given his level of experience, Oakpark promised to keep his details on file in case the situation changed.

With the increasing workload later in the year a decision was made to take on an additional Engineer and Carlo was therefore re-contacted as promised. Not surprisingly by then he had already been snapped up by another Company but despite this he agreed to ‘jump ship’ and join Oakpark.

His experience and existing skill sets will be a great asset to the Company particularly in the Fire Sector where Oakpark Alarms BAFE registration is leading to a rapid increase in this market sector.

Oakpark Alarms design, install and service fire and intruder alarms, as well as access control and CCTV security systems for both commercial and domestic locations.  Established in 1984 and located on the Dorset/Hampshire border, Oakpark Alarms cover Dorset, Hampshire, Berkshire, Wiltshire and Sussex.

The Police organisation that issues the regulations pertaining to the installation, recording and operation of intruder alarms, particularly those requiring police response.

ARC Alarm Receiving Centre

A highly secure communications centre set up for the receipt of signals emanating from remote signalling alarm systems. Subject to laid down criteria being met, the ARC will then contact the Police requesting Police attendance to the relevant property.

BAFE British Approval of Fire Equipment

Non profit organisation dedicated to improving standards in fire protection. BAFE oversees third party fire protection certifcation.

Dual-Tech Dual Technology Detector

A volumetric detector using two different technologies for detection, typically IR (infra-red, ie heat) and microwave. It needs something to trigger both frequency spectrums to result in an alarm signal. In difficult environments there may be factors, which might ‘spook’ one half of the detector, but the detection technologies are chosen so as not to be ‘spooked’ by the same things and, as a result, the detector is far more reliable in difficult environments.

EN50301

European Standard governing grading of domestic and commercial intruder alarm systems.

FIA Fire Industry Association

The FIA is a not for profit trade association

PAB Personal Attack Button

A device, which is operative 24/7, whether or not the intruder alarm to which it is attached, is ‘armed’. Activating the PAB will initiate a full alarm irrespective of the set/unset condition of the attached control equipment.

Pet Friendly Pet Friendly Detector

A detector designed to filter out activation by animals such that the device can be ‘armed’ to protect an area whilst still allowing the movement of animals within that area. In practice this is achieved in one of two ways. The simplest detectors screen out the areas where the animals are expected to be. Clearly this reduces the area of cover and does not allow for the fact that animals, particularly cats, may climb on the furniture and into unscreened areas, resulting in false alarms. Better quality pet friendly detectors are able to see the animals but by way of their programmed software are able to differentiate between the size of a family pet and an intruder, whilst not compromising on the area covered.

PIR Passive Infra Red Detector

A detector able to cover large areas of a room by looking for changes in IR levels within the area covered. The body heat of an intruder is therefore detected due to the change in IR emitted by his/her body compared to that of the background. PIR’s are the most popular ‘volumetric’ type of detector and generally very reliable but prone to false alarm if the area to be covered might be subject to drafts or sudden change in temperature eg blown air central heating ducts.

SSAIB Security Systems Alarms Inspection Board

UK and Ireland certification board for installers of electronic security, fire systems and guarding services

URN Unique Reference Number

The Site Identification Number issued by the Police, which identifies a particular alarm installation on their database.

The new grading system describes two elements in an alarm system:

• the robustness of the system to being tampered with by potential intruders is shown by a number (1-4)
• the way in which the alarm system announces that someone is trying to enter the property without authorisation is shown by letter (X,B,C).

 so a grading level would look like Grade 1X, or Grade 2B etc.

As with every system of standards, the full documentation is extremely precise and therefore extensive, but the salient points of the Grading systems are outlined below.

Intruder alarm system robustness  gradings

The robustness of an alarm system is defined by its resilience to being tampered with by intruders trying to disable the alarm system.

Grade 1 intruder alarms

These are the most simple systems and do not include any real tamper proofing.  They are suitable only for the most low level of risk situations and are not normally installed by professional installers and are found mostly in the DIY market.

Grade 2 intruder alarms

This is the level of tamper proofing most commonly found in domestic alarm systems; it is also the minimum level that can be accepted for a Police response system.

With a Grade 2 system, a signal will be triggered if the alarm is tampered with, alerting the key holder of unwanted activity at the location.

Grade 3 intruder alarms

In addition to triggering a signal if the alarm is tampered with or damaged in any way, Grade 3 systems will also activate a signal if they are rendered inactive by, for example, being covered up.  Grade 3 systems are therefore used in higher risk areas and particularly where there is general public access to an area.  Grade 3 systems are therefore rarely needed in domestic alarm systems.

Grade 4 intruder alarms

This is the type of system used for for very high risks eg bank vaults and is very rarely, if ever, used in domestic installations.

Intruder Alarm System response signal grading
 

Alarm system signalling grade X

With a System X alarm, audible and possibly visible signals are triggered at the location, in other words the alarm will sound a siren or similar and may also flash. The intention is therefore to alert people in the immediate vicinity (and of course inside the property) of unauthorised activity and to deter the potential burglar from entering the property.

Grade X corresponds to an ‘Instant audible only’ system in the old BS grading scheme.

Alarm system signalling Grade B

With this level of signalling, a signal is transmitted from the alarm to an ARC (Alarm Receiving Centre).  via the normal telephone network using a digital communicator.

If the telephone line is cut, this of course reduces a Grade B system immediately back to Grade X.  An upgrade can therefore be arranged to a Grade B system whereby Redcare is used.  With Redcare, the line is constantly monitored so any interference or damage to the line is recognised and this information is then immediately passed to the authorised keyholder.  It is important to be aware however that the Police normally need further corroborating evidence before taking action.

Alarm System Signalling Grade C

Two independent paths are used to connect the alarm system to the ARC (Alarm Receiving Centre) in a Grade C alarm system.  One path is usually the normal telephone network (as in the Grade B system).  The second system may be GSM/GPRS (ie mobile phone network system), or increasingly a broadband connection is used in combination with GPRS.

The advantage of using two independent signal paths to the ARC is that  if one path is taken out by an intruder, the signal from another device within the alarm system can be carried by the remaining path.  This is important as the Police normally require two signals from an alarm system  to confirm an unauthorised entry and before taking action.  Since the equipment generating the signal for the second path is usually located inside the  property (either a mobile phone system or broadband) the intruder inevitably  triggers a second signal, such as a door contact alarm, before being able to enter the property and disable the second path.

How to use the new EN501301 grading system

Grading systems are extremely helpful but they are only half of the equation in determining the level of protection afforded by an intruder or burglar alarm system.  The design of the system is crucial too.

A Grade 2C installation could comprise a Grade 2 door contact alarm fitted to the front door of a house and a Grade 2 Passive Infra-red (PIR) detector fitted in the hall, and coupled via a dual path signalling system to an ARC .  Although this system would qualify for a Police URN (Unique Reference Number), the actual level of protection would of course be minimal and unlikely to provide the necessary two triggers needed for Police action. 

With this scenario, any Insurance Claim could be dismissed on the grounds that the system design was inadequate and the victim of the crime would be limited to trying to recover losses from the installing company, assuming of course they were still in business.

In order to ensure that a domestic alarm system will adequately protect a property and any insurance claim be honoured, it is always advisable to use an installer that has approval from one of the industry’s regulatory bodies, such as the SSAIB.  As the example above shows,  it is essential that the design of the intruder alarm system takes into account the  type of property, its location and the level of risk being protected.  A registered installer will be able to advise on both the system design and its specification and ensure that should a claim ever be made, the alarm system will be deemed suitable and appropriate.

False economies can so often end in disaster but where your home is concerned, it could mean losing both precious and valuable possessions and then losing an insurance claim you believed covered them.

In point of fact , Police Response alarm systems are not ‘linked’ to the police but rather they send a signal to an ARC (Alarm Receiving Centre) which, on receipt of the automated signal from the alarm, will consider the nature of the signal received and, if it meets the required criteria, the ARC will contact the Police for response.

In passing the details to the Police, the ARC does not normally give the property address where the alarm has been activated, but simply quotes a site I/D Number – the URN (Unique Reference Number) allocated to that site by the Police. The Police Controller then enters this number onto their database which automatically displays the full details of the property concerned.

Clearly using the URN to communicate the location of the alarm-triggering incident is much quicker than trying to pass address details and speed is important in these circumstances. However for an alarm at a property or location to be allocated a URN, the alarm must meet the police criteria.

Firstly the alarm system has to fully comply with the current regulations (EN50131 etc) and has to have been installed by a Company that is registered with one of the Alarm Industry Approval Organisations, such as the SSAIB. There must also be at least two key holders within twenty minutes driving distance available for ‘out of hours’ attendance to any policed alarms. For domestic installations, the Occupier at the same address does however qualify as one of the key holders. The two key holder rule is also generally waived if a Guarding Company is providing a key holder response service on behalf of the end client.

The Police make a ‘one off’ administration fee for allocating the URN to the property and this fee is regularly reviewed. However Oakpark can complete all the relevant paperwork on your behalf and submit it to the relevant county Police Force whether it is Hampshire, Dorset, Wiltshire, Somerset, Sussex, Surrey or Berkshire or whichever is appropriate.

Their schemes not only cover organisations designing, installing and maintaining security equipments but also extends to Alarm Receiving Centres, Remote Video Response Centres and CCTV Management and Operation Centres.

The SSAIB is recognised by insurers and is accredited by the United Kingdom Accreditation Service (UKAS).

The SSAIB is also an approved assessing body for the Security Industry Authority (SIA) and the Approved Contractor Scheme (ACS). They also operate the British Approvals Board for Fire Equipment (BAFE) SP203 Standard under licence from BAFE.

With around 1,300 companies registered the SSAIB has the greatest number of security service providers in the UK.

Why should you choose an SSAIB approved installer?

Well to quote from their own website:
“When it comes to protecting your property from the potentially devastating impact of crime or fire you can’t afford to take any chances. The correct choice of fire or security protection system and service provider is vital.

Having a fire or security systems provider in whom you can trust will ensure peace of mind for you and demonstrate to your insurer that you have acted responsibly to protect your home or business. This need not be a matter of luck; it can be an informed choice if you select an SSAIB certificated firm.

SSAIB approval provides confidence

SSAIB only certificate companies that can demonstrate technical and managerial competence through an inspection of the processes and procedures they operate.

SSAIB certification means that you can be confident in the quality of service provided to protect your business from the potentially devastating consequences of fire or crime.

Increasingly insurers require evidence that all reasonable steps have been taken to mitigate risk and ensure the safety of personnel and assets within the workplace. SSAIB certificated providers will meet or exceed your insurer’s requirements.

For increased confidence when buying a fire or security system you should:

• Use only SSAIB certificated companies.
• Always agree a written specification.
• Ascertain what repair or call out cover is provided.
• Ensure that you are given a Certificate of Conformity for your system. This confirms that the system has been installed to all relevant standards.
• Confirm whether you have bought or leased the system.
• Have your system regularly maintained; this may be a condition of cover.
• Seek and follow up references.
• Ensure that your Intruder Alarm System provider obtains a police unique reference number for monitored installations, as this will be used to verify the alarm and initiate a Police response. Only certificated providers are able to obtain Police URNs.

If you are in doubt and would welcome advice when purchasing a fire or security system, contact SSAIB on 0191 296 3242.”