25th July 2005

1. Euro-MERiDIAN
At Castle, we are now well advanced in testing the revised software for Euro-MERiDIAN to bring it in compliance with the new requirements. The opportunity is being taken to completely restructure the whole range and we are waiting to complete our final tests with the new compliant RedCare GSM unit, which has been promised any day now!! Details will be available through Sales shortly.

2. PD6662
As manufacturers have got stuck into the job of re-designing products for compliance with the PD6662:2004 scheme, more and more questions have arisen.

As a result, another document (yes, another one!!!) has been produced. Initially generated by the manufacturers, it has been opened up to the inspectorates and insurers, so that this document constitutes an agreed interpretation of a number of issues relating to the scheme. Whilst initiated by the manufacturers, it contains much of interest to other sections of the industry - and we commend it to all.

Unlike all the other documents that you have had to obtain, this one is FREE folks!!! Simply go the the "DOWNLOADS" section of the BSIA website (www.bsia.co.uk) and look for FORM 171: Guideline for the use of the PD6662:2004 scheme for the implementation of prEN50131-1:2004.

3. Restore of Intruder Alarms
As you will know, PD6662:2004 table E.2 mandates “level 3 restore” for all tamper alarms at grade 3 – but permits level 2 restore for all other alarms (except of course at Grade 4, which we will not concern ourselves with here …..). This is reflected by the absence of any requirements in DD243:2004 annex A.4

However, the police have indicated that they expect the current regime of requiring level 3 restore following ALL alarms passed to them to continue after the final demise of BS4737.

ALL systems requiring police response will therefore require level 3 restore – in addition to grade 3 systems for tamper conditions. The exemptions included for certain types of system installed to BS4737 systems included in DD243:2004 clause A.4.2 will NOT be maintained.

This will ultimately be included as a requirement in BS.8473 (the revision of DD245).

4. Specifications of Warning Devices
Annex C of PD6662 appears to suggest that ALL warning devices (ie including those mounted internally) must be self-powered. This is NOT the case. The power supply requirements at C.3.4 and C.4.4 apply ONLY where self-powered devices are required to meet the requirements of prEN50131-1 table 10 (or where specified by an insurer).