BT Redcare has been developing alarm signalling in the fire and security industry for over 35 years. As a collaborative and industry-focused organisation, it has worked in partnership with ARCs, insurers, installers, homeowners and businesses to develop their solutions.

BT Redcare wanted to independently verify the performance of its products through third-party certification. “As a leader in alarm signalling that provides quality products, we know the work we do in design and development is to make sure we exceed the requirements of the standards. We therefore have the confidence to put our products through the rigorous testing required to get certification from BRE” says Nick Whiting, Head of BT Redcare.

BT Redcare started its certification journey for the Next Generation alarm range in early-2021. BRE’s electronic security specialists provided a high level of knowledge and expertise, and worked closely with BT Redcare to ensure that the test and certification programmes were carefully managed. This, along with BRE’s reputation within the industry, gave BT Redcare the confidence to commission BRE for testing.

Testing was conducted in a joint initiative, the first combined security and fire detection project undertaken by BRE Global (UK) Ltd and BRE Global Assurance (Ireland) Ltd undertaking certification for EN 54-21 Annex ZA for CE marking. This meant that the solutions were assessed against UK and EU rules.

The certification process consists of initial type testing and technical evaluation, ongoing product auditing and the regular surveillance of the manufacturer’s quality system and production procedures, and Nick believes that the regular surveillance is a benefit itself. Nick Whiting explains: “An important part of the certification with BRE is that it’s an ongoing process, with ongoing checks on design, manufacture and supply. It’s not just about getting certification once; we need to make sure that our products continue to exceed those requirements”.

BT Redcare has been able to successfully determine performance by commissioning BRE to test and certify their products. The alarm systems have obtained dual UKCA and CE marking, having been certified in both the UK and Ireland.

Looking forward, the certification demonstrates the company’s ongoing commitment to quality and best practice, and it is incredibly pleased with the certification.

BT Redcare has experienced various benefits as a result of it’s LPCB certification, including:

• Boosted sales of the certified product
• Highlighted ongoing commitment to best practice
• Gaining UKCA and CE markings, have been assessed against UK and EU rules.