ICS Group carry out all intruder alarm installation work in strict compliance with European alarm standard EN50131. Intruder alarm systems are surveyed, and risk assessed prior to our system design proposal being developed. Risk assessment allows us to provide an appropriate security grading level for each alarm system that addresses individual customer requirements and risk levels.

• Grade 1: Low risk:
  An intruder is expected to have little knowledge of intruder alarm systems and be restricted to a limited range of easily available tools.
• Grade 2: Low to medium risk: 
  An intruder is expected to have a limited knowledge of intruder alarm systems and have the use of a general range of tools and portable instruments (e.g. a multi-meter).
• Grade 3: Medium to high risk: 
  An intruder is expected to be conversant with intruder alarm systems and have a comprehensive range of tools and portable electronic equipment.
• Grade 4: High risk: 
  To be used when security takes precedence over all other factors. An intruder is expected to have the ability or resource to plan an intrusion or robbery in detail and have a full range of equipment including means of substitution of components in an intruder alarm system.

Each intruder alarm component is certified and graded, this is either stamped on the product or included in back up documentation. It is important to note that the overall grade of an alarm system cannot be higher than the grade of the lowest graded component within the system. Therefore, if we specify a grade 3 system, all components must meet grade 3 at a minimum. Higher grade components can be used, however the grading remains at the lower level.

• Documentation is provided to prove the grade of all components in each alarm installed.

In addition to a certified security grade, each alarm system component has an environmental classification. There is no overall environmental classification, each component must meet the classification for the location where it is installed.

• Class I: Indoor environmental influences normally experienced indoors when the temperature is well maintained (e.g. in a residential or commercial property).
• Class II: Indoor – General environmental influences normally experienced indoors when the temperature is not well maintained. For example: In corridors, halls, staircases or in locations where condensation can occur.
• Class III: Outdoor – Sheltered or indoor extreme conditions environmental influences normally experienced out of doors when IAS components are not fully exposed to the weather or indoors where environmental conditions are extreme.
• Class IV: Outdoor – General environmental influences normally experienced out of doors when components are fully exposed to the weather. All indoor components will be Class II with the external bell box class IV. Class III components would be required if the Intruder alarm includes out buildings which would be exposed to the weather (Class I components are generally not supplied).

Once an intruder alarm system installation is complete, ICS will provide each customer with documentation detailing the exact works carried out. This document will detail clearly any deviation from the system design proposal. Deviations from the SDP normally occur when the customer requests additional equipment or additional environment factors are discovered during installation works which require amended components with a higher environmental class. Once completed, ICS provide system handover documents detailing with a detailed handover checklist to ensure each customer receives all required information pertaining to their new security system.

Each installation is issued with an EN50131 certificate from our certifying partner (EQA). As Part of the EN50131 Certification process, ICS are audited on a yearly basis to insure we comply with the required standards. If your installation is selected as part of the EQA audit process, ICS will contact you and ask for access to the property on a specific date. We will give plenty of notice to each customer in order to ensure the minimum level of disruption applies.

In order to comply with EN50131 standards, all security systems are required to be maintained in accordance with the standards. A maintenance contract will be offered to each customer as part of the system handover process. If the maintenance contract is not accepted, the intruder system will no longer be EN50131 compliant after the one-year warranty period expires.

ICS Group company IC Service & Maintenance Ltd is a certified Intruder alarm installer (Cert No.: 3202) and is also licensed through the Private Security Authority, Licence No: 790. In addition ICS is certified by the RECI to undertake electrical Installations via our Membership No: 30583.

All duties carried out by our staff adhere to the relevant codes and advice and recommendations will always be available to our customers concerning the status of their loss prevention and early warning system/devices.