EN50131-1

All intruder alarm installations must now comply with the requirements of the pan-European standard called EN50131.

EN50131-1 is one of a series of pan-European standards that define how intruder alarm systems must operate.  Other standards in the series include:

EN50131-2-x for detectors
EN50131-3 for control panels (now called Control & Indicating Equipment or CIE)
EN50131-4 for bells and sirens (now called Warning Devices)
EN50131-5-3 for Wirefree equipment
EN50131-6 for power supplies and
EN50131-7 application guidelines. 

There is also a standard for signalling equipment called EN50136-x.  As an installer, you need not worry too much about the standards for equipment.  If the product complies, your manufacturer will specify its Security Grade and Environmental Class.  Unfortunately, not all the standards in the series are available yet.

EN50131-1, in conjunction with EN50131-7, includes requirements and recommendations for the design and installation of Intruder Alarm Systems (IAS), Hold-Up Alarm Systems (HAS) and Intruder & Hold-Up Alarm Systems (I&HAS). 
Requirements are given to define how the system should operate under any or all conditions, including:

• Security grade and environmental class
• Event logging
• Access to functions by different users
• Setting and unsetting
• Alarm conditions
• Detector faults and masking
• Standby duration during mains fail

Requirements are also given for any signalling equipment included in the system.