NSI Technical Bulletin No. 0028 1 of 7 Dated 3 August 2015 To: All NSI NACOSS Gold, Systems Silver and ARC Gold approved companies TECHNICAL BULLETIN No. 0028 Implementation of BS 8473:2006+A2:2013 British Standard Code of Practice: Intruder and hold-up alarm systems – Management of false alarms (Supersedes BS 8473:2006+A1:2008) Introduction The second amendment (A2:2013) to BS 8473:2006 was published in November 2013. British Standards Institution (BSI) Published Document PD 6662:2010 calls up the first amendment (A1:2008) to BS 8473:2006. An amendment to PD 6662 to adopt the second amendment (A2:2013) to BS 8473, amongst other changes, did not occur. However the Industry Agreement (IA 1501:2015) on the interim update of PD 6662:2010 adopts BS 8473:2006+A2:2013 with effect from 1 September 2015. Please see NSI Circular Letter (Ref: AWEW/mjc/NSI 012/15) for further details of the Industry Agreement. This Technical Bulletin provides details of the changes to BS 8473 moving from the first amendment (A1:2008) to the second amendment (A2:2013). With effect from 1 September 2015 we will apply BS 8473:2006+A2:2013 to all organisations that wish to obtain or maintain NSI approval for any scheme that includes in the referenced criteria ‘Compliance with BS 8473 Intruder and hold-up alarm systems – Management of false alarms – Code of practice’ . The transition to the latest amendment (A2:2013) is not expected to cause any significant issues for companies as the majority of the changes are editorial. Also some of the changes relate to BS 8243:2010 and DD 263:2010, which have been adopted already. However, there are a few changes that may require companies to alter their working practices or documentation to ensure compliance. A summary of the main changes is given together with a full list of all the changes within the standard. NOTE REGARDING THE STATUS OF THE NEW BS: Although issued by the BSI as a Code of Practice, it is important to note we regard compliance with the recommendations given in BS 8473:2006+A2:2013 as mandatory for all organisations wishing to obtain or maintain an NSI approval; subject to any additional clarifications and guidance included within this Technical Bulletin or issued separately. Therefore you must regard the recommendations given in BS 8473:2006+A2:2013 as mandatory requirements of the relevant NSI approval schemes. NSI Technical Bulletin No. 0028 2 of 7 Guidance on document All amendments to clauses in BS 8473:2006+A1:2008 are in bold font. Notes on amendments are in plain italics . General observations In general the term ‘ user ’ replaces the term ‘ operator ’ . In specific areas, where there is a need to differentiate between the standards required for Intruder Alarm Systems and Hold- up Alarm Systems, ‘ IAS ’ replaces ‘ I&HAS ’. SUMMARY OF MAIN CHANGES MAIN CHANGES Sub-clause 5.2 a) 4) ‘ Client documentation is provided in accordance with DD CLC/TS 50131-7 and DD 243 and/or BS 8243 ’ , additional text ‘ and/or BS 8243 ’ is included to reference a new standard . This amendment brings BS 8473 into line with the use of BS 8243, which has been adopted via PD 6662:2010. Annex F in BS 8243 differs from Annex F in DD 243 in that it clarifies the requirement to include details in both the system design proposal and the as fitted documentation. No changes are anticipated since BS 8243 has been adopted already. Sub-clause 5.2 b) ‘ Maintenance of all contracted systems at intervals in accordance with DD 263 ’, text ‘ DD 263 ’ replaces text ‘ PD 6662 ’. AND Sub-clause 5.2 c) ‘Monitoring of demands for and effectiveness of corrective maintenance in accordance with DD 263’, text ‘ DD 263 ’ replaces text ‘ PD 6662 ’. Maintenance requirements were contained in PD 6662:2004 Annex D. These were removed when PD 6662:2010 implemented DD 263:2010. This amendment to BS 8473 clarifies the changeover to DD 263:2010. No changes are anticipated since DD 263 has been adopted already. Sub-clause 5.2 b) and sub-clause 5.2 c) NOTE is amended to read, ‘ This includes systems installed in accordance with BS 4737 ’ in place of ‘ Systems installed in accordance with BS 4737 are maintained at intervals specified in BS 4737-4.2. ’ This amendment directs maintaining companies to implement maintenance requirements in accordance with DD 263 (Table 1), which includes the requirements for maintaining systems installed to BS 4737 as well as those installed to PD 6662. NSI Technical Bulletin No. 0028 3 of 7 Sub-clause 10.1 NOTE 5 ‘ NOTE 5 Restoration of the ‘hold – up’ alarm is not subject to remote restoration ’ is an addition. The intention of this note is to draw attention to the amendments of the first two bullets points in Clause 10.1 ( ‘IAS’ replaces ‘I&HAS’ ), which exclude the requirement for Hold-Up Alarm Systems (HAS) to be denied user set or restore after an alarm requiring a police response has been initiated by the system. These amendments confirm existing practice. Annex A, Sub-clause A.4 – Filtering The text of second paragraph is amended to read, ‘ This need not apply to remotely notified alarm conditions originating from IAS using the unsetting methods described in DD 243:2004, 6.4.2, 6.4.3 and 6.4.6 . ’, in place of ‘ This need not apply to remotely notified alarm conditions originating from I&HAS using the unsetting method described in DD 243:2004, 6.4.2. ’ This amendment adds two further clauses in DD 243:2004 (older systems) which do not require filtering at an ARC prior to initial handling as these means of unsetting are also considered less likely to generate false alarms. DD 243:2004, 6.4.3 – Prevention of entry to the supervised premises before all means of confirmation have been disabled DD 243:2004, 6.4.6 – Unsetting is carried out in conjunction with an ARC ARCs may need to review their procedures to remove the filtering requirements from activations generated by systems conforming to these additional unsetting methods. However filtering remains as a requirement if the method of unsetting is unknown. Annex E, sub-clause E.3 Sub-clause E.3 is an additional clause. Subsequent clauses in the original document (E.3 to E.9) increase by one in the amended document to become E.4 to E.10. E.3 With the introduction of hold-up confirmation, there may be a requirement to operate two different hold-up devices, or perhaps one device that requires two different methods of operation. Users should familiarise themselves with these devices and ensure their staff are trained in their operation to ensure they are used correctly. NOTE BS 8243 provides requirements for hold-up confirmation. Further information should be sought from your alarm company. The amendment to Annex E does not affect alarm companies directly as it is a guidance document for users. However, alarm companies should consider the need to update their guidance to users. NSI Technical Bulletin No. 0028 4 of 7 LIST OF ALL CHANGES WITHIN BS 8473:2006+A2:2013 Clause 2 – Normative references Additional references BS 8243:2010, Installation and confirmation of intruder and hold-up alarms designed to generate confirmed alarm conditions – Code of Practice BS EN 50518, Monitoring and alarm receiving centre (all parts) DD 263:2010, Intruder and hold-up systems – Commissioning, maintenance and remote support – Code of Practice Clause 3 – Terms and definitions Amended text Sub-clause 3.3 alarm filtering – the term ‘ user ’ replaces the term ‘ operator ’ . Additional definition Sub-clause 3.8 duty officer – operator(s) on duty at the RMC responsible for authorising resets and/or restores of remotely notified I&HAS This is a term used in BS 8473:2006+A1:2008, but previously undefined. Amended text Sub-clause 3.10 false alert – the term ‘ user ’ replaces the term ‘ operator ’ . Amended definitions Sub-clause 3.13 user – the term ‘ user ’ replaces the term ‘ operator ’ in the title of the definition and in the text of the definition. Sub-clause 3.14 user-related false alarm – the term ‘ user ’ replaces the term ‘ operator ’ in the title of the definition and in the text of the definition. Clause 4 – System design A dditional text ‘ and BS 8243’ There is a printing error in the amendment and the text should read: ‘Further guidance to assist in designing systems for minimization of false alarms is given in DD 243 and BS 8243.’ Clause 5 – Administration Sub-clause 5.2 a) 4) A dditional text ‘ and/or BS 8243 ’ is included to reference a new standard (see summary of main changes). NSI Technical Bulletin No. 0028 5 of 7 Sub-clause 5.2 a) 6) T he term ‘ users ’ replaces the term ‘ operators ’ . Sub-clause 5.2 b) ‘ DD 263 ’ replaces ‘ PD 6662 ’; the term ‘ users ’ replaces the term ‘ operators ’; The NOTE is amended to read, ‘ NOTE This includes systems installed in accordance with BS 4737. ’ in place of ‘ NOTE Systems installed in accordance with BS 4737 are maintained at intervals specified in BS 4737-4.2. ’ This reflects the fact that DD 263 provides the requirements for maintenance, including systems installed to BS 4737 (see summary of main changes). Sub-clause 5.2 c) ‘ DD 263 ’ replaces ‘ PD 6662 ’ . The NOTE is amended to read, ‘ NOTE This includes systems installed in accordance with BS 4737 ’ in place of ‘ NOTE Systems installed in accordance with BS 4737 are maintained at intervals specified in BS 4737-4.2. ’ This again reflects the fact that DD 263 provides the requirements for maintenance, including systems installed to BS 4737 (see summary of main changes). Sub-clause 5.3 T he term ‘ user ’ replaces the term ‘ operator ’ in relation to ‘ user-related false alarms ’. Clause 6 – Documentation and training Sub-clause 6.1 T he term ‘ users ’ replaces the term ‘ operators ’ . Clause 10 – Restoring of remote notification I&HASs capable of policed alarm conditions Sub-clause 10.1 T he term ‘ user ’ replaces the term ‘ operator ’; in the first and second bullets ‘ IASs ’ replaces ‘ I&HASs ’. Sub-clause 10.1 NOTE 5 ‘ NOTE 5 restoration of the ‘hold – up’ alarm is not subject to remote restoration’ is an addition (see summary of main changes). Sub-clause 10.2 a) A dditional text ‘ or BS EN 50518 (all parts) ’ is included to reference the new ARC standard. NSI Technical Bulletin No. 0028 6 of 7 Sub-clauses 10.3 and 10.4 T he term ‘ user ’ replaces the term ‘ operator ’ in several places. Sub-clause 10.5 A dditional text ‘ and BS EN 50518 (all parts) ’ is included to reference the new ARC standard. Sub-clauses 10.6, 10.7, 10.8 and 10.9 T he term ‘ user ’ replaces the term ‘ operator ’ in various places. Sub-clause 10.9 b) 1) A dditional text ‘ or BS EN 50518 (all parts) ’ is included to reference the new ARC standard. Annex A – Typical steps in the transmission and filtering of alarm conditions Sub-clause A.4 T ext of second paragraph amended to read, ‘ This need not apply to remotely notified alarm conditions originating from IAS using the unsetting methods described in DD 243:2004, 6.4.2, 6.4.3 and 6.4.6 . ’ (see summary of main changes) . Annex B – Progress of an alarm condition Amended text Figure B.1 The t erm ‘ Alarm connection ’ replaces term ‘ Alarm condition ’; the term ‘ user ’ rep laces the term ‘ operator ’ in relation to ‘ User related ’. Figure B.2 The t erm ‘ Alarm connection ’ replaces term ‘ Alarm condition ’; the term ‘ user ’ replaces the term ‘ operator ’ in relation to ‘ User related ’ . Annex C – Examples of false alarms Sub-clauses C.2, C.2.2. C.2.3, C.2.4 T he term ‘ user ’ replaces the term ‘ operator ’ . Annex D – Preventing false alarms: Points to remember Sub-clause D.6 – the term ‘ user ’ replaces the term ‘ operator ’ Annex E – Hold-up alarms and hold-up alarm confirmation Additional text in Title of Annex E , ‘ and hold-up alarm confirmation ’ . NSI Technical Bulletin No. 0028 7 of 7 Additional sub-clause inserted at E.3 (see summary of main changes). E.3 – With the introduction of hold-up confirmation, there may be a requirement to operate two different hold-up devices, or perhaps one device that requires two different methods of operation. Users should familiarise themselves with these devices and ensure their staff are trained in their operation to ensure they are used correctly. NOTE BS 8243 provides requirements for hold-up confirmation. Further information should be sought from your alarm company. Sub-clause E.10 T he term ‘ users ’ replaces the term ‘ operators ’ . Annex F – Corrective maintenance report form. Fig F.1 Field 3 T he term ‘ user ’ replaces the term ‘ operator ’ in relation to ‘user related’ . Annex G – Recommendations for the recording of remotely notified alarm conditions Sub-clause G.3 c) T he term ‘ user ’ replaces the term ‘ operator ’ in relation to ‘user – related’ . Figure G.2 Line G T he term ‘ USER-RELATED ’ replac es ‘ OPERATOR-RELATED ’ . Annex H – Attendance on false alarms Additional sub-clauses inserted at H.2.2 Sub-clause H.2.2 a) T he term ‘ user’s ’ replaces the term ‘ operator’s ’ . Sub-clause H.2.2 d) 4) – ‘ Shock (Vibration) detectors and Glass Break detectors to ensure their sensitivity are still correctly set; ’ Sub-clause H.2.3 T he term ‘ user ’ replaces the term ‘ operator ’ and text ‘ DD243:2004, 6.4.2 ’ is amended to read ‘ DD 243:2004 and BS 8243 ’ . Bibliography Other references [2] – amended to read, ‘ POLICE SCOTLAND. Policy on police response to security systems. Glasgow: Association of Chief Police Officers in Scotland, April, 2013. ’