Putting a Lock on Security

Part 1: Technology Solutions for Door-Hardware Retrofits

Part 2: Electronic Lock Cylinders Provide Secure Retrofit

Part 3: Software Solutions Make Electronic Lock Cylinders Scalable

Part 4: Door Hardware: Stand-Alone Locking Widely Available

Part 5: Draft Standard Targets Door Control Panels

Draft Standard Targets Door Control Panels

By Mark Visbal - September 2009

The Security Industry Association (SIA) has released a draft set of revised standards for security system control panels and their associated arming and disarming devices that are intended to reduce the incidence of false alarms.

The Control Panel Standard-Features for False Alarm Reduction is meant for use by manufacturers in designing control panels and alarm-signal receivers. It also can serve as a reference for security-system installers, specifiers and users; central stations; and manufacturers of central-station products, such as receivers and automation software.

The new standard would make several significant changes, including:

• eliminating single-button devices to initiate panic alarms

• providing exceptions for the specified time ranges of the entry and dialer delay times

• expanding the range for swinger shut-down programming

• requiring more specific product documentation.

Specifiers can download the draft version of the standard from the SIA Standards Control Panel Working Group Web page at www.siaonline.org. Comments should be directed to Joe Gittens, SIA’s manager of standards, at jgittens@siaonline.org.