The Security Systems and Alarms Inspection Board (SSAIB) is a leading certification body for shop and intruder alarms in the UK and Ireland. As well as regulating standards within the commercial security sector – for Alarm Receiving Centres,  Remote Video Response Centres (RVRC)  and  Management and operation of CCTV monitoring centres – the SSAIB can provide a comprehensive list of companies that meet these standards and also give important information on shop alarm installation. The SSAIB is similar to the National Security Inspectorate (NRI) which also gives help and information for shop owners who are considering having an intruder alarm installed on their property.

If one of these companies is registered with the SSAIB, it will also mean that they will also come with a police URN (unique reference number for an automated police response) for monitored systems. The SSAIB regulations are in compliance with the ACPO and ACPO Scotland Policies.

A company’s Electronic Security Systems Certification covers areas such as intruder alarms (both domestic and commercial), CCTV systems, remotely monitored and detector activated CCTV systems and access control systems. It is vital that the intruder alarm system you have installed on your properly is in compliance with this certification. For example, a company offering intruder alarms will have to be able to install and provide equipment that meets British or European Standards, employ screened personnel, have suitable management systems and procedures in place and provide a 24-hour service for both monitoring and maintenance.

However, the rules and regulations laid down by the British and European Standards can also place responsibility with the owner, such as when there is a false alarm. It is considered the owner’s responsibility to ensure that the system is functioning normally. Statistics show that 94% of police responses are caused by false alarms, and as stated by the ACPO policies, should there be a number of these within a 12 month period, there is the risk that the alarm will not be treated as a priority.

But as much as emphasis is placed on the owner maintaining the intruder alarm system, the systems provider is also required to be compliant with other standards, ensuring that the system is installed and operating at an optimum level.

Thanks to organisations like the SSAIB, there is a level that must now be met by all companies offering alarm-monitoring systems and this means that companies must be able to guarantee the safety and highest protection of privacy for their clients. It is highly recommended that you source an intruder alarm monitoring system provider through the SSAIB, as you will be guaranteed that all these requirements will be met. For companies seeking accreditation form the SSAIB, there are strict measures in place to ensure that applicants are capable of meeting their high standards. And it is not necessarily only the larger companies that will be accredited by the SSAIB, as the board also accepts applications from smaller monitoring system providers, in order for shop owners to have a wider range of services to choose from.

Currently, 94% of police responses to potential burglaries are the result of false alarms. This high figure has caused the police to issue a warning to owners of intruder alarms, and they now monitor the amount of false-alarm calls from each premise over a 12-month period, should there be large number they will be less likely to respond. This is why it is vital that intruder alarms are installed correctly, while, of course, still working at an efficient level.

The UK police are also quick to highlight the different ways burglars will try to gain access to commercial property. Although preventing access will be the first place to start when protecting your premises, it is not always possible to keep burglars out. Ram Raids on glass shop fronts are a common way for thieves to gain quick access and make an equally quick getaway. Obviously, there is very little that can be done to protect against this kind of attack, so it is highly recommended that the alarm on the premises will be able to make contact with the police as quickly as possible.

More opportunistic burglars – such as ones entering a window or attempting access through the roof – are less likely to set off the alarm if the system installed is not able to pick up on infrared signals. Fortunately there is a wide range of infrared and microwave sensors on the market that can not only pick up on the different temperature of objects within the covered area, but will also be able to construct a pattern that can differentiate between regular and foreign objects on the premises. The police response to these sort of burglaries will, of course, entirely depend on how efficient the alarm system is. If the intruder does set off the alarm they will more than likely make for an escape route as soon as possible, as they will naturally be unable to get away as quickly as a ram raid vehicle might.

As well as recommending other security measure such as CCTV cameras, grilles or secure areas and proper staff training, intruder alarms are easily the top of their list. Both the Security Systems and Alarms Inspection Board and the National Security Inspectorate will be able to assist commercial business owners with all they need to know about installing shop alarms.

If you have anything of any value left in your premises after it is vacated, it is highly recommended that you have a monitored alarm system fitted, which, should it go off, will make direct contact with an Alarms Receiving Centre (ARC).

In 2004, the ACPO Security Systems Alarms Policy was created to provide regulated guidelines that would ensure a more efficient police response service to shop alarms. It is essentially a policy that aims to reduce the amount of calls to false alarms and to increase the number of criminals that are being caught. It is worth noting that only ARCs that are registered with the Security Systems and Alarms Inspection Board and the National Security Inspectorate can offer police responses.

One of the most common Intruder alarm components you will find in commercial properties is the passive infrared sensor (PIR), popular due to their efficient and inconspicuous operation. These types of alarm triggers work by measuring the temperature of an object and comparing it to another surface such as a wall. Every object will emit what is known as black body radiation – something that the human eye is not able to pick up – but a phenomenon that these types of alarms use to protect the area.

Although, infrared sensors may seem to be quite technical, they essentially operate on a basic principle of signal flow. Invisible infrared radiation is picked up by the senor face and inside the sensor there are up to four areas known as ‘pixels’ that are made of pyroelectric material. When the pixels are connected in an opposite configuration, the measurements of the covered field are cancelled out and cease to affect the sensors electrical signal.
A PIR-based motion detector is one of the more popular types of infrared intruder alarm. These are often covered with a plastic screen to stop insects or dust from inadvertently setting off the alarm. The PIR is also able to recognise the standard temperature of the field in view by acting much like a camera and recording the surroundings. When a part of the internal chip is focused on a particular area, it will be able to pick up on significant changes in temperature – such that is emitted from a human body. This temperature is then able to ‘move’ across the sensor as the person moves from one part of the room to another.  As this reading passes on to different chips, it then sends a signal to trigger the intruder alarm.
When it comes to installing a shop alarm such as a PIR, manufacturers will highlight the necessary steps that need to be taken in order for the alarm to function properly. Such sensitive devices can be susceptible to slight changes if they are not installed correctly. If the infrared sensor is facing a window, there will be a danger that heat from car headlights or even the sunlight will cause the sensor to heat up and activate the alarm. Although these types of intruder alarm will not be able to penetrate through glass (for example, a person outside the shop window will not be detected), the heat from outside sources will.

Another possible interference that should be looked out for is air conditioning units or vents. If these are emitting a sufficiently cold airflow close to the sensor, it will be unable to pick up on temperature changes within range, and will thus fail to protect the area

The very latest passive infrared sensors to come on the market are able to measure the temperature of an object remotely and this means more precise readings will be given. However, this new technology is still in the early stages of development and has yet to have a significant impact on the market.

The National Security Inspectorate (NSI) provides accreditation to intruder alarm monitoring system providers in the UK. They are considered the leading regulator within the commercial security sector and the majority of major security companies will have received an NSI certificate. And if a company has received one of these certificates it will mean that they will be able to meet the strict standards laid down by the police, fire and rescue services as well as insurance companies. The NSI also offers valuable information for shop and commercial property owners. If you are considering having an intruder alarm installed on your property it will be vital that the company you choose has received NSI accreditation. This organisation is similar to the Security Systems and Alarm Inspection Board, which also awards certificates to reputable intruder alarm companies and gives important information on security for shop owners.

The organisation was begun in 1971 (starting out as the National Supervisory Council for Intruder Alarms), and now has a mission statement “to raise standards in the security and fire industries in the interests of the customer.” Of course before organisations like the NSI and SSAIB came into being the security systems industry was suffering from a high number of companies providing a poor service. But due to these organisations separating the good from the bad – as well as the introduction of strict British and European standards – the security industry has been revolutionised.

The service the NSI offers makes finding the right monitoring system provider easy and efficient. Through their website you can search for accredited companies by area and also by the standard which they have achieved, such as Gold, Silver and Bronze. These different levels are used to show which services are provided by which company  – Gold indicating that the company in question has met the specific industry specific ISO 9001:2008 Quality Management System Standard. However, it might not be necessary to go with a provider that meets all of these standards, unless of course, you are considering a fully monitored service that will offer its own police URN (unique reference number). Gold companies will tend to charge a higher price for the extra services they will offer.

NSI accreditation has now become a necessary requirement for companies offering monitoring systems. With the stringent measures put in place, these companies have to have properly screened personnel, provide a 24-hour monitoring and repair service as well as ensuring that all their products’ meet British and/ or European standards. Alarm Receiving Centres (ARC’s) are also under an obligation to provide a certain level of service for commercial and shop alarms.

The NSI lay out some key points that should be addressed before you choose the right security service provider for your property. As well as highlighting the requirements listed above, the organisation also states that you should find out whether the company has received an independent and rigorous inspection within the last six months, are properly insured and are able to offer you a Certificate of Compliance for your intruder alarm system.

The technical side of shop premises alarm technology may cause many people to be put off, but it is vital that you are familiar with the terminology that installation companies will use when advertising their products. If you don’t have the right intruder alarm installed in your shop or commercial property you may run the risk of not being sufficiently protected from burglary.

When it comes to the different types of sensors that will be installed, Magnetic Contact Sensors (often abbreviated to MCS) will be a common choice. These are perhaps the most basic of all the sensors available – operating with a magnet on one side and a contact on the other. They are placed on door entrances and opening windows and can either be flush with the frame or of the surface type (which will be visible and placed on top of the frame). Although they are basic in operation, it is recommended that they are only fitted on the main exit and entry point and any other vulnerable areas of the property, as it can prove quite costly to have them installed on every window and door.

Vibration and Acoustic Sensors are placed on walls and can either pick up noticeable movement, or measure airborne vibrations, such as that caused by the breaking of a window. Hidden Attack Buttons are another common feature for shop alarms and are usually found in retail environments where they are out of sight of the customer. They work by pushing a simple button and can then be reset with a key. If you run a business where there are employees moving around the premises, portable devices can also be offered that will work in the same way as the mounted alarms.

Whenever an intruder alarm is installed, the property will be divided up into different zones, which are managed from the central control unit. Also in the interior of the building is the Internal Sounder, which emits a loud signal. This not only covers areas where the external bell cannot be heard, but will also make the burglar unable to hear what is happening outside and therefore put them in a more vulnerable position.

The external ‘Bell Box’ does pretty much as the name suggests and can either come with a ringing or siren sound. To keep in accordance with noise pollution laws, external intruder alarms can only sound for 20 minutes, after which only the strobe flash will still be operational. If any attempt is made to tamper with the bell box, it will still be able to function as power will be supplied form an electronic printed circuit board inside the device.

However, if you think you live in a conservation area you may need planning permission to install an exterior alarm. Fortunately, many of the alarm system providers will be able to provide alternatives, such as secluded or camouflaged bell boxes.  

Also worth noting is Remote Signalling, which will refer to contacting the ARC (Alarm Receiving Centre) and – should you require automated police response – is probably the most vital link in the chain for your security system.