As UL Investigates Panel Recall Claims, Says ‘Sees No Imminent Hazard’
As UL continues to investigate the recall allegations, it states claims made are currently not mandated by the applicable standards or code.
UL's investigation into the panel recall allegations continues.
FRAMINGHAM, Mass. — UL released a new statement that further addresses claims made by alarm and security forensic expert Jeffrey Zwirn who argues noncompliance of UL and NFPA 72 codes should result in the recall of tens of millions of alarm panels.
Zwirn has written a 43-page analysis that he says details noncompliance dangers and vulnerabilities within single data-bus connected control units commonplace to hardwired residential and commercial alarm panels.
Under a single fault condition, such as the introduction of a short circuit to the data-bus circuit, fire and intrusion alarm panels can be rendered partially or fully nonfunctional, Zwirns says he discovered as part of his forensic practice.
Zwirn and security industry veteran Keith Jentoft have begun marketing a small control unit module they claim provides an easy fix to non-compliant single data-bus control panels.
UL continues to investigate the claims and states, “[T]hus far, no safety issues have been identified.” On Wednesday, the organization released the following:
UL sees no imminent hazard despite the assertions currently in the market. The current standards address reasonably foreseeable hazards, faults or misuse not intentional disablement of a life safety device. Those making claims have their own commercial interest in driving concern. The requirements being suggested around attack by fire and/or malicious intrusion inside the protected area are currently not mandated by the applicable standards or code. New suggested requirements could be brought to the attention of the Standard Technical Panel. Those making claims are part of the STP and have not brought suggested revisions to the STP’s attention to-date.
On Thursday, Jentoft posted a Linkedin article in response to UL, which you can view here.
SSI continues to report this developing story.
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About the Author
Rodney Bosch, Senior Editor
Although Bosch’s name is quite familiar to those in the security industry, his previous experience has been in daily newspaper journalism. Prior to joining SECURITY SALES & INTEGRATION in 2006, he spent 15 years with the Los Angeles Times, where he performed a wide assortment of editorial responsibilities, including feature and metro department assignments as well as content producing for latimes.com. Bosch is a graduate of California State University, Fresno with a degree in Mass Communication & Journalism. In 2007, he successfully completed the National Burglar and Fire Alarm Association’s National Training School coursework to become a Certified Level I Alarm Technician.
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Alarm Panel Recall – the FREE solution
Many people are discussing a series of new risks for dealers being raised by the possible alarm panel recall including; insurance coverage issues, contract issues, working capital availability, service calls, and increased liability.
Thankfully, Resideo/Honeywell have promptly acted to address their dealers’ concerns. On October 9, Resideo sent out a formal statrement, “Resideo takes compliance with standards seriously and the design, testing and marking of our new products to meet market requirements are among our core competencies,”…”All of our products meet the UL standards with which they are marked at the time of sale.” This is great news for Resideo/Honeywell dealers depending upon their trusted partner. Based upon this statement, I believe that it is now very likely that the president of Resideo will back up this claim before hundreds of dealers and offer to formally indemnify them on these issues at the upcoming Connect Conference in Phoenix on October 24. https://forwardthinking.honeywellhome.com/securitysource/connect2018/
In all likelihood, Rick Britton will do the same at DMP’s Executive Dealer Roundtable in St. Augustine, Florida on November 11. https://events.dmp.com/fall-roundtable/
If the panels actually meet UL and NFPA standards as Resideo claims, the indemnification costs them nothing and demonstrates their good faith to their loyal dealers. If Resideo and DMP offer to indemnify their dealer base, the rest of the manufacturers will probably follow their lead (except Interlogix who made a timely decision to leave the market before this was made public). INDEMIFICATION is the FREE solution that dealers should be looking for. The status quo is preserved and the dealer’s risk is no different that it was a month ago. There are no truck runs or service calls; no Interceptor or other hardware solutions to install. The only cost is a few strokes of a pen by the manufacturer and the problem is solved.
I would guess that the large dealers like ADT and Vector have already negotiated or are in the process of negotiating an indemnification from their suppliers. Perhaps the smaller dealers can request that ESA do the same and negotiate indemnification for their members?