1. Overview

   This policy provides for compatibility, consistency, and quality of alarm systems utilized on the Athens campus of Ohio university, and provides for a standardized review and approval procedure.

   No building or area on campus will be equipped with an alarm without conforming to this policy. For the purposes of this policy, an "alarm" shall mean any device or system that monitors conditions at a location on campus and alerts personnel at a remote reporting center to a condition requiring action.

   The application of this policy shall not result in systems or specifications that conflict with provisions of the Ohio basic building code or other authorities having jurisdiction.

2. General provisions

   1. Ohio university shall maintain a single-source vender contract to provide consultation, installation, maintenance, and monitoring of all remote reporting alarm systems that monitor environmental or security conditions on campus.

   2. Fire alarm systems report remotely, but are not covered by the single-source vendor contract.

   3. Any department or office seeking to install a remote reporting alarm system, other than a fire alarm system, must do so using only the approved vendor contract.

   4. With the exception of legacy systems already in place on the effective date of this policy, all costs associated with the installation and maintenance of an alarm system shall be born by the office or department installing the system.

   5. The office or department installing the alarm system must bear the ongoing cost of monitoring, in accordance with the contract.

3. Environmental alarms

   1. Environmental alarms include all alarm systems that monitor conditions that do not involve hazardous materials, threats to human life, or potential criminal activity.

   2. A department or office installing an environmental alarm system must provide the alarm company with detailed information about the conditions to be monitored, acceptable parameters for those conditions, and what conditions result in an alarm.

   3. A department or office with an environmental alarm system must provide detailed instructions to the alarm company describing the actions to be taken by the monitoring service in the event of an alarm condition. These instructions must include a twenty-four hour, prioritized contact list with names and phone numbers for department or office personnel to be notified of an alarm condition. The contact list shall be kept current.

   4. OUPD shall not be listed as a point of contact for environmental alarms unless specific arrangements for doing so have been reviewed and approved by the chief of police or his designee.

4. Security alarms

   1. Security alarms include all alarm systems that monitor conditions indicative of potential criminal activity or threats to human life, with the exception of fire alarms and hazardous material alarms.

   2. A department or office seeking to install a security system must submit a detailed description of the proposed installation to the chief of police or his designee. The description shall include all conditions to be monitored, the location of all sensors, typical hours the system will be in effect, and any specific safety concerns relative to the alarm area. In addition, a twenty-four hour prioritized contact list with names and phone numbers of department or office personnel to be notified in case of an alarm condition or problem with the system must be provided to the Ohio university police department (OUPD) and kept current.

   3. The department or office installing a security system will inform the alarm company that OUPD shall be the only point of notification for all alarm activations or trouble with the system. In case of an activation or trouble notification, OUPD will determine the appropriate response, dispatch police personnel if the activation requires it, and notify the department or office personnel of the alarm or trouble notification accordingly. OUPD shall also be provided with access to arm and disarm all security alarm systems.

   4. OUPD may issue a written warning to any department or office with a security alarm system that results in repeated false alarm activations due to employee error or other correctable conditions (e.g., a fan left on blowing papers and activating a motion sensor). OUPD may levy a per incident charge for each false activation occurring after a department or office has received a written warning.

   5. Any department or office with a security system that discontinues active use and monitoring of the system must notify the chief of police or his designee in writing that the system is being deactivated and the effective date of the deactivation.

5. Hazardous material alarms

   1. Hazardous material alarms include all alarm systems that monitor levels of harmful agents such as chemicals, radiation, lasers, etc., with the exception of fire alarms.

   2. A department or office seeking to install a hazardous material alarm system must submit a detailed description of the proposed installation to the director of environmental health and safety (EHS) or his designee. The description shall include all conditions to be monitored, the location of all sensors, typical hours the system will be in effect, and specific instructions and safety precautions for emergency responders in the event of an alarm condition. In addition, a twenty-four hour prioritized contact list with names and phone numbers of department or office personnel to be notified in case of an alarm condition or problem with the system must be provided to OUPD and kept current.

   3. The director of EHS or his designee shall approve or modify the proposal and return it to the department or office, which shall then coordinate installation with the alarm company, per the university contract.

   4. The department or office installing a hazardous material alarm system will inform the alarm company that OUPD shall be the only point of notification for all alarm activations or trouble with the system. In case of an activation or trouble notification, OUPD will determine the appropriate response, dispatch appropriate emergency personnel if the activation requires it, and notify the department or office personnel of the alarm or trouble notification accordingly.

   5. Any department or office with a hazardous material alarm system that discontinues active use and monitoring of the system must notify the director of EHS and the chief of police, or their designee(s), in writing that the system is being deactivated and the effective date of the deactivation.

6. Fire alarms

   1. Fire alarms include all alarm systems that monitor conditions indicative of a potential fire.

   2. A department or office seeking to install a fire alarm must submit a detailed request to the director of EHS or his or her designee.

   3. The director of EHS or his or her designee shall approve or modify the proposal and provide the department or office with an estimated cost.

   4. The department or office will submit the request and estimate cost to the planning unit head for approval. If the funds are identified and the installation is approved, it shall be completed under the direction of EHS in accordance with all applicable state and national standards and regulations.

   5. All fire alarm systems shall remotely report activations to a dedicated reporting terminal located in the emergency communications center responsible for dispatching emergency services to the location of the fire alarm system.

   6. System maintenance shall be the responsibility of EHS.

7. Transition of legacy alarm systems

   1. Legacy alarm systems refer to those alarm systems already installed and operational on the effective date of this policy.

   2. All departments or offices with a legacy alarm system will be notified in writing of the transition to the single-source vendor contract for continued maintenance and monitoring of alarm systems. The written notification shall include the estimated cost to the department or office to maintain their existing alarm system for the remainder of the current fiscal year and all of the following fiscal year.

   3. The cost of transitioning legacy systems to the single-source vendor will be born by OUPD, unless a legacy system is incompatible with the single-source vendor and would require the procurement and installation of a new system.

   4. The monitoring fees associated with continuing a legacy system shall be born by the department or office.

   5. Included in the written notification will be a suspense date by which departments or offices shall decide to continue their alarm system with the single-source vendor, or deactivate their alarm system.

   6. Departments or offices choosing to continue their alarm system shall coordinate the transition with OUPD and the single-source vendor. In addition, they shall provide all contact lists and response instructions as required elsewhere in this policy.

   7. Once transitioned, all alarm systems will be maintained in accordance with this policy.

Reviewers

Proposed revisions of this policy should be reviewed by:

1. Vice President for Finance and Administration

2. Associate Vice President for Risk Management and Safety

3. Chief Information Officer

4. Director of Environmental Health and Safety

5. Director of Facilities Management

6. Planning Unit Heads

Forms, References, and History

1. Forms

   There are no Ohio University forms that are required by this policy.

2. References

   There are no external items that are particularly relevant to this policy.

3. History

   Draft versions of this policy that were circulated for review, their cover memos, their forms, and Reviewers' comments on them are available on the password-protected Review site.

   Prior versions of this policy were approved on:

   1. August 8, 2016 (re-formatted)

   2. October 1, 2013

   3. March 18, 2008

   4. May 15, 1988