What is a Monitored Alarm and how do Alarm-Receiving Centres work?

Construction site security is under threat, due to a 50% increase in construction crime rates since the start of the coronavirus lockdown. Construction site theft has been an ongoing problem prior to the COVID- 19 crises, costing the UK construction industry an estimated £800m per year.

In a survey carried out by the Chartered Institute of Building (CIOB), up to 92% of the respondents confirmed they had been affected by theft and 21 % of respondents reported weekly site robberies.

These statistics reflect an increasing need for adequate security measures, such as installing high-quality monitored alarm systems to deter criminals from attempting theft and vandalism on construction sites.

Continue reading, as we outline what a monitored alarm is, how alarm-receiving centres work, emergency responses to monitored alarm systems and the benefits of installing them on your construction site.

What is a monitored alarm?

Monitored alarms are burglar alarms that are connected 24/7 to a remote alarm-receiving centre.

How do alarm-receiving centres work?

The alarm receiving centre controllers are responsible for monitoring a wide range of security systems, such as intruder alarms, fire alarms and CCTV cameras.

When an alarm is activated, it sends a signal immediately to the alarm-receiving centre. They will respond in a manner appropriate to the type of monitoring alarm system you have chosen. This can range from contacting the property owner, to informing the police, or a keyholder response.

When do the police respond to a monitored alarm?

When a monitored alarm is triggered, a signal is sent immediately to the connected alarm-receiving centre. If the activation signal is confirmed, the alarm-receiving centre will instantly notify the police.

Officers respond by attending the targeted property as soon as possible to arrest the intruders at the scene or collect evidence to be used in criminal proceedings.

When do the keyholders respond to monitored alarms?

A police response is not always necessary. Monitored alarms can also be managed by keyholders specified by the property owner, or by highly professional key holders called “Key Guards”.

They will attend the property in the case of a verified alarm activation, gaining full access using the set of keys given to them. Although Key Guards cannot apprehend or arrest criminals, they play a significant role in ensuring that a property is safe and secure.

What are the benefits of a monitored alarm?

There are a variety of advantages of having a monitored alarm system professionally installed at your construction site. We list several of these benefits below.

24/7 365 Days a Year Alarm Monitoring

A monitored alarm security system never sleeps- you are guaranteed round-the-clock protection while you rest, leave the construction premises to go home, or during quarantine.

Having a monitored alarm system gives you peace of mind that a trained professional is watching your construction site 24-hours a day, 365 days a year.

Essential  Safeguarding of Valuables

Since the COVID-19 pandemic and the initial uncertainty around government guidelines and the temporary shutdown of some construction sites, there has been an increase in construction site theft.

As such, installing a high-quality monitored alarm system is crucial at this present time. A monitored alarm system will help you protect your valuable equipment and tools and deter opportunistic criminals that are targeting vulnerable construction sites.

Immediate Response to Potential Break-Ins or Criminal Activities

With a high-quality monitored alarm system, you are guaranteed that the police or Key Guards will respond promptly if there is a break-in or where criminal activities are taking place at your construction site.

Fire Protection

If there are no workers at the construction site and fire breaks out, you are relying on a good Samaritan or neighbour to call the fire brigade.

With a robust security system in place, your monitored alarm system will send an alert to a connected alarm-receiving centre, where they can quickly alert the local fire brigade and rescue department. With a monitored alarm system, your construction site and valuable goods, therefore, have a higher chance of surviving a fire.

Duress Signal

With a monitored alarm, it is possible to send a secret code signal to the alarm-receiving centre if workers at the construction site are forced by intruders to turn off the monitored alarm system. If this happens, the monitoring team can immediately contact the police or keyholders.

With an unmonitored alarm system, you will not have the opportunity to alert anybody to help you.

Emergency Help

If any workers at the construction site require emergency medical assistance, they can press an assistance button that will send an alert to the connected alarm-receiving centre. The monitoring team will either call a keyholder/or KeyGuard to assist or in some cases, may be able to contact the ambulance service directly.