You may have come across the acronym “ULC” when searching for security solutions but have no idea what it really means. Underwriters Laboratories of Canada (ULC) is an independent company that tests, inspects, and certifies alarm monitoring and safety products. This non-profit organization must certify alarms and alarm systems so that buyers can be confident that their systems are the best and most reliable on the market. Before being sold in Canada, any kind of alarm monitoring system must have this certification. Companies that install ULC certified alarm monitoring systems only install equipment that has been thoroughly tested and proven to be the most reliable.
Fire Alarm vs Fire Monitoring System
One of the most common problems is that people don’t know what the differences are between a fire alarm system and a ULC-listed fire alarm monitoring system. Many people believe that their fire alarm system is also the equipment that notifies the fire department of an alarm.
A fire alarm system is made up of a main control panel and all of the fire alarm devices that are commonly found in a building. This can include things like manual pull stations, heat detectors, smoke detectors, and alarm bells, among other things. Fire alarm systems are designed with a single goal in mind: to detect a fire and get people out of the building as quickly as possible. Sprinkler systems work in a similar manner, with the additional benefit of being able to put out a fire if one breaks out. Usually, these devices are NOT designed to notify the fire department when an alarm has been triggered UNLESS your building has a fire alarm monitoring system.
What is CAN/ULC-S561?
CAN/ULC-S561 is a monitoring standard written by the Underwriter’s Laboratories of Canada (ULC). This standard serves as a point of reference in the Fire Code and Building Code for every structure whose fire alarm or sprinkler system must be regulated.
⁃ It mandates that equipment used to control fire alarm systems be built and tested in accordance with the CAN/ULC-S559 standard.
⁃ The CAN/ULC-S561 standard specifies the construction of the signals receiving center, ensuring that the structure used to control your fire alarm is safe and stable.
⁃ The CAN/ULC-S561 specification also includes the installation of the monitoring transmitter in your building for optimum protection. The ULC also requires installers to register with them, and the ULC inspects installations on a yearly basis at random.
⁃ When alarms are received, the ULC-S561 standard dictates how they are managed. Fire alarms must be dispatched to the fire department without verification within 30 seconds of receipt.
In order to monitor your fire alarm system and be compliant with ULC-S561 in your building, make sure the equipment is ULC classified for fire alarm system monitoring.
ULC Fire Alarm Monitoring Certificate
The standard for fire alarm monitoring is CAN/ULC-S561, and your monitoring company must be able to provide a ULC Certificate to show that your device was installed and is being monitored according to this standard. This ULC certificate is the only physical evidence that your facility’s monitoring installation and service meet the requirements.
Despite the fact that most fire departments have adopted and accept the CAN/ULC-S561 fire alarm monitoring standard, you can still come across monitoring companies that do not (or cannot) meet its specifications. It is strongly advised that you request a ULC certificate as part of your fire alarm monitoring system as a customer.
If you’re interested in learning more about the ULC alarm monitoring, contact the Expert Security Solutions. We have expert qualified technicians ready to install your ULC approved fire panel monitoring system. Here at Expert Security Solutions we use only ULC certified monitoring stations for both security and fire monitoring.
