I could not agree more with Mr Samm over this. We, as a similar sized company, seem to be spending more and more time and money on the latest European Regs.

How much money has this cost companies in our industry? As soon as you have got the relevant standards, "interpreted them”, had them "interoperated properly for you" by a third party, trained staff and implemented them, they have changed! I agree BS4737 required an overhaul, but to embrace a hotch potch collection of Regs that generally are irrelevant, a step backward and incomplete, is farcical.

Why have we as an industry welcomed this European Standard with open arms?

How many of us actually install equipment outside the UK? Do we not still drive on the left, speak English and use sterling as a currency? Why is it so important that an alarm system here is the same standard as one in Greece?

I would be far happier knowing that my hotel in Greece has been wired to a similar standard as 16th Edition, has a serviced, effective fire alarm, or the boiler is fitted to CORGI standards, rather than the detector in reception is weather proof and the owner has a certain level of access to menus on his alarm system.

Could the powers that be not have seen this right from the beginning and said No, this is not the way forward for our industry?

Could they not have spent and spent their time and what must run into millions of pounds of my/our money on opposing standards that are obviously not going to work and put forward what is right and correct for the alarm industry, customers, police and insurance companies in the UK? We have managed a few small victories for sanity with Grade 2X and 12/24Hr battery standby. Why could this not have been taken all the way? A new set of standards, taking the best bits from BS and EN and benefiting all of us, could have been compiled, instead of embracing the EN Standards which are just wrong.

I really do feel sorry for the industry as a whole, from manufacturers to inspectors, as we are all having to learn and adapt – but to what end and to what cost? Thank you Mr Samm. I'm glad it's not just me who sees it this way.

Haydn Brown (Partner), Security 1 (NSI Gold Company), Gloucestershire

Source

Security Installer