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🏒 Win a Family Ticket to Belfast Giants vs Dundee Stars! 🎉

Diamond Systems is spreading festive cheer this season with a special Linkedin Competition!

Our Systems Design Technician, Jonathan McPolin, has kindly donated a family ticket (2 adults & 2 children) to the Belfast Giants vs Dundee Stars ice-hockey game at the SSE Arena on Wednesday, 11th December, 2024 at 7 PM.

✨ How to Enter our Competition:
1️. Follow our LinkedIn page.
2️. Like the competition Linkedin post.

It’s that easy! Don’t miss your chance to experience the thrill of live ice hockey at the home of the Belfast Giants.

⏳ Deadline to Enter:
Entries close on Friday, 6th December 2024, 5pm. The lucky winner will be announced shortly after, and tickets will be sent via email.

Good luck, and a huge thanks to Jonathan for this fantastic prize! 🙌

Terms and Conditions

1. The promoter of this competition is Diamond Systems.
2. The prize draw is open to LinkedIn users aged 18 years or older.
3. The prize draw is not open to employees of Diamond Systems.
4. Prize: A family ticket (2 adults and 2 children) for the Belfast Giants vs Dundee Stars game on 11th December 2024 at 7 PM at the SSE Arena, Belfast.
5. Entry is via LinkedIn only. To enter, participants must:
   • Follow the Diamond Systems LinkedIn page.
   • Like the competition LinkedIn post.
6. Only one entry per participant will be accepted.
7. The competition closes at 5pm on Friday, 6^th December 2024.
8. The winner will be selected at random and announced on LinkedIn by 9pm on Monday, 9th December 2024.
9. The winner will be contacted via LinkedIn and must provide a valid email address to receive the tickets.
10. Tickets will be sent via email and are non-transferable or exchangeable.
11.  The prize is not transferable and no cash alternative is available.
12. The winner agrees to take part in publicity in connection with this prize draw, and that their entry may be used by the Diamond Systems for promotional purposes, including, but not limited to, online, or the promoter’s social media sites.
13. This promotion is in no way sponsored, endorsed or administered by, or associated by LinkedIn. LinkedIn is in no way responsible for any aspect of this promotion. However, all entrants shall comply with LinkedIn’s terms and conditions throughout this promotion.
14. If the prize is unclaimed after reasonable efforts have been made to contact the winner the promoter will be entitled to dispose of the prize as it sees fit without any liability to the winner for having done so.
15. All times referenced in these Terms and Conditions are to London, UK- time.
16. The promoter is Diamond Systems,  Diamond House, Harbour Court; 5 Heron Road; Belfast, BT3 9HB.
17. Diamond Systems reserves the right to cancel or amend the competition and these terms and conditions without notice.
18. By entering this competition, participants agree to be bound by these terms and conditions.

Angela Bennett, our Joint Managing Director, has become the first ever Northern Ireland winner of “Woman of the Year” at the UK Women in Fire Safety Awards.

She took delivery of her prestigious title at a special ceremony in London where she was presented with her award, which recognised an exceptional contribution to the fire safety industry, by category sponsor Mike Ward of the Association for Specialist Fire Protection (ASFP).

Angela said: “I feel tremendously honoured.  Diamond Systems has become a trusted name in fire and security solutions across these islands and this a fantastic endorsement.”

Angela’s previous accolades include wins at the UK Women in Security Awards in 2020 as well as being named Director of the Year by the Northern Ireland Institute of Directors in the Family Business and SME categories.

This latest award means Angela has achieved a remarkable industry double – winning top honours in both the fire safety and security sectors.

Angela said: “I believe this award is a reflection of the incredible progress Diamond Systems has made within our industry. Every day I learn something new about fire detection and as a team, I’m also of the firm view that Stephen and I continue to raise the bar on fire safety, not just here in Northern Ireland.

Angela faced stiff opposition to claim the new title from a record breaking number of nominations.

Event organisers Chloe Antoniuk and Kate Blake declared: “This year’s competition has been nothing short of legendary. The judges were blown away by the accomplishments which cast a well-deserved spotlight on the inspiring individuals in our industry.”

The Women in Fire Safety awards were introduced five years ago because of the rapidly growing number of females working in the industry.

Sponsor Mike Ward said:

“The ASFP has sponsored the Women In Fire Safety Woman Of The Year award since it’s very beginning, the association took the decision some five years ago to engage with women’s groups across the construction and fire sectors to improve the opportunity for ASFP members to access what is over fifty percent of the nations talent pool.  The ASFP acts as the conduit between members and said women’s groups, the association’s objective is to support member companies by improving skills, knowledge and experience via recruitment of women, close the gender pay gap and support the advancement of women into senior roles within said member companies.  Member companies had often commented to the association’s leadership council that the inability to access new and diverse talent was restricting their business growth and other than the usual methods of recruitment did not know where to turn to find people that could improve and advance their business.  ASFP’s response to this was the championing of opening dialog between said women’s groups and member companies.  The ASFP will continue to support and promote this initiative in the hope we create tangible opportunity for women in the passive fire protection sector and improve diversity and inclusion for member companies that supports their growth aspirations.”

As the 2024 Woman of the Year, Angela has been invited to feature in Mike’s “Sparking Interest” podcast, where she is looking forward to showcasing the family business on an international stage.

Watch this space!

Today we hosted our first Fire Safety workshop for business owners and premises managers, at our offices in Belfast. We had a fantastic group of people from all sorts of sectors – commercial business, banking, housing associations and manufacturing.

We plan to deliver these workshops monthly, with dates now released up until the end of 2024.

The fire safety workshops are packed with valuable insights, practical tips, and engaging discussions on fire safety responsibilities in the workplace. Here is a flavour of what we cover:

🔹 Who’s the “Appropriate Person”? It’s crucial to identify who holds this responsibility under fire safety law within your organization. For businesses with multiple premises, this might involve more than one person.

🔹 Weekly Fire Test: Attendees learn how to properly conduct and record this test, with a demonstration of how cloud-based systems like Tio Fire Safety can automate reminders.

🔹 NIFRS False Alarm Stats: Attendees are always surprised to learn that nearly 99% of activations responded to by NIFRS are false alarms! Many were also unaware of the NIFRS policy change regarding response, effective since February 2024.

🔹 P50 Fire Extinguishers from Britannia Fire: These caught everyone’s attention due to their innovative features and benefits.

🔹 Cloud-Based Fire Alarm Solutions: The fire alarm industry is moving towards cloud-based systems, offering full visibility into the health of fire alarm systems and transparency around what the fire alarm technicians are testing when they do their service inspections.

🔹 Competency Requirements: We also discussed the increasing emphasis on universal industry qualifications for fire risk assessors and fire alarm technicians.

Interested in attending a fire safety workshop? Email info@diamondsystems.co.uk to request a link to our upcoming dates.

Diamond Systems has officially signed the Fire Aware Specialist Contractors Charter, further solidifying our commitment to delivering high-quality fire safety solutions to our customers.

Our Joint Managing Director, Angela Bennett (pictured), has led this important initiative, ensuring that we continue to uphold the highest standards in fire safety. By signing this charter, we are reinforcing our dedication to making fire safety straightforward and accessible for all our customers.

Under the Fire Aware Charter, we commit to:

1. Using clear, jargon-free language when discussing fire safety — making it easy for customers to understand exactly what’s happening.
2. Undergoing third-party evaluation to confirm our systems and processes meet the charter’s safety quality benchmarks.
3. Showing visible, ongoing commitment via the Fire Aware logo, reinforcing trust and demonstrating responsibility

How It Aligns with Diamond Systems’ Values

1. Clarity

• Our Value: We simplify life safety.
• Charter Fit: By speaking plainly and explaining technical aspects clearly—rather than relying on jargon—we empower customers to make informed decisions.

2. Quality

• Our Value: We never compromise on safety.
• Charter Fit: Third-party evaluation ensures our systems, from fire alarms to suppression, consistently meet rigorous standards.

3. Trust

• Our Value: We build confidence with visible integrity.
• Charter Fit: Displaying the Fire Aware logo signals to customers that we operate with transparency, accountability, and the highest corporate responsibility.

4. Leadership

• Our Value: We set industry benchmarks.
• Charter Fit: As one of the first Northern Ireland companies to sign up, we’re leading by example — inspiring others toward cultural change in public safety.

Why It Matters for You

• ✅ Clear communication ensures you understand each safety recommendation, from design to maintenance.
• ✅ External assurance gives confidence in the performance and integrity of safety systems.
• ✅ Visible credentials show staff, visitors, and insurers that your safety solutions are managed by a trusted, charter-approved provider.

A Big Thank You

Thank you to Gavin Skelly, Fire Aware’s founder, for endorsing our approach and vision

 “It is fantastic to see Diamond Systems leading the way in Northern Ireland as one of the first companies in that part of the world to take up the challenge of identifying their responsible corporate behaviour, and using the Fire Aware logo to demonstrate that Diamond are having their corporate behaviours assessed to ensure they continue to trade responsibly. We are immensely proud to represent this company and hope it inspires other companies in Northern Ireland to do the same, uniting their common belief in cultural change for the betterment of public safety.”

You can find out more about Fire Aware on their website: https://fireaware.org/

What Happens Next?

• All our life safety solutions — from alarms to extinguishers — now meet Charter standards.
• Staff training and customer communications will be continuously reviewed to stay aligned with the Fire Aware principles.
• We’ll promote the charter to other businesses, encouraging a region-wide culture shift toward clarity, quality, and care in fire safety.

Need Fire Safety That Makes Sense?

If you’re looking for fire protection delivered with transparent communication, certified quality, and visible accountability — all backed by a company that leads rather than follows — we’d love to talk.

📩 Email info@diamondsystems.co.uk to learn what Fire Aware means for you.

The Protect Duty, also known as Martyn’s Law, is a forthcoming UK legislation aimed at enhancing public safety by mandating certain venues and events to adopt measures to mitigate the risk of terrorist attacks. Named after Martyn Hett, who lost his life in the 2017 Manchester Arena bombing, the legislation seeks to ensure better preparedness and protective security in public spaces. Twenty-two concert-goers and parents who were in the entrance waiting to pick up their children following the Ariana Grande show, lost their lives in the bombing, with a further 250 people injured. It was the deadliest act of terrorism and the first suicide bombing in the United Kingdom since the 7 July 2005 London bombings.

Who It Impacts

The Protect Duty impacts various public venues and events across the UK, including Northern Ireland, and is divided into two tiers:
1. Standard Duty: Applies to venues and events with a capacity of 100 to 799 people. These premises must conduct basic terrorism risk assessments and implement simple, low-cost security measures. Staff must also receive training on responding to terrorist threats.
2. Enhanced Duty: Applies to larger venues with a capacity of 800 or more. These locations must undertake comprehensive risk assessments, develop and maintain detailed security plans, appoint designated security personnel, and implement extensive protective measures.

Implementation Timeline

The draft bill was published in May 2023 and is expected to become law by the end of 2024. Once enacted, it will impose new mandatory security requirements for applicable public venues and events. Diamond Systems are already working with a number of venues in Northern Ireland to ensure they are prepared for the law coming into force.

Implications for Premises Owners and Businesses in Northern Ireland

Businesses and venue operators will need to:
– Conduct regular terrorism risk assessments.
– Provide terrorism protection training for staff.
– Develop and implement security plans tailored to their venue’s size and type.
– Appoint designated security personnel for high-capacity venues.
– Ensure compliance with the law to avoid penalties, which may include fines and other enforcement actions.

Importance of Adequate CCTV

Adequate CCTV systems play a crucial role in fulfilling the requirements of the Protect Duty by:
– Enhancing real-time surveillance and monitoring of public spaces, helping to detect suspicious activities early.
– Providing valuable evidence in the event of an incident, aiding investigations and prosecutions.
– Acting as a deterrent to potential terrorists by increasing the perceived risk of detection.

Why the Protect Duty is Being Introduced?

The Protect Duty addresses the current lack of mandatory security measures for public venues, aiming to enhance public safety in response to the evolving threat of terrorism. Its objectives include reducing the risk and impact of terrorist attacks through better preparedness and protective measures.

Challenges and Considerations

– Cost and Burden: Smaller businesses and venues may face financial and operational challenges in complying with the new requirements. The government aims to balance the need for security with the potential burden on businesses, providing guidance and support to help them comply without undue hardship.
– Regulatory Oversight: A national regulator will oversee compliance, conducting inspections and enforcing the law where necessary. The focus will be on education and support, with sanctions applied proportionately to the level of non-compliance.

Overall, the Protect Duty represents a significant step towards enhancing the security and safety of public spaces in Northern Ireland and across the UK, requiring businesses and venue operators to take proactive measures against the threat of terrorism. Adequately designed, installed and maintained CCTV systems, such as those provided by Diamond Systems, will be a key component in meeting these new security requirements.

How Diamond Systems can help

Diamond Systems, a long-standing NSI Gold accredited provider, offers comprehensive CCTV solutions that can help businesses and venues meet the requirements of the Protect Duty. Our advanced CCTV systems ensure high-quality surveillance, aiding in the proactive detection and prevention of terrorist activities. Please get in touch to discuss your requirements.

We are thrilled to announce an exciting partnership between Diamond Systems and Tio Fire Safety, ushering in a new era of innovation and efficiency in fire safety management. This collaboration is set to revolutionize the way we handle fire safety compliance, helping our clients transition to a completely paperless system by the end of 2024, in alignment with the UK government’s digital record-keeping initiatives.

Why Tio Fire Safety?

Tio Fire Safety is an award-winning app designed to make compliance simpler, smarter, and more efficient. By integrating Tio’s state-of-the-art digital logbooks, Diamond Systems will eliminate traditional paper-based fire logbooks, offering our clients a seamless, digital solution.

Key Features and Benefits

1. Comprehensive Digital Logbook: Tio’s 6-in-1 digital logbook covers fire safety, security, gas, electrical, and water safety, ensuring all compliance needs are met in one easy-to-use platform.
2. BS5839-1 Compliant: Stay compliant with industry standards effortlessly.
3. Custom Tasks and Built-in Guidance: Tailor tasks to specific needs and follow built-in guidance for regular checks and tests.
4. Document Storage: Securely store certificates, drawings, and other important documents.
5. Asset Management: Track and manage over 100 different types of assets with pre-configured templates, including fire alarms, extinguishers, emergency lights, and more. The software auto calculates tested percentage i.e. 25%, 50%, 75%, 100%, and you can also view the age profile of your assets, to assist budgeting.
6. Visitor Management: Enhance visitor experience with contactless QR code sign-ins, time-stamped arrivals, and check-out reminders.
7. GDPR Compliant: All data is stored on UK-based servers, ensuring compliance with data protection regulations.

How It Works

With Tio’s digital fire logbooks, accessing your fire safety records is easier than ever. Simply scan a QR code sticker placed on your fire panel or log in via a web browser. Tio will send customers an email invitation to activate their account, and Diamond engineers can assist with the set up on site, including asset labelling and capture on the software. The end result is a full, up to date electronic asset register of all your installed equipment, with scheduling programmed for in-house and external inspections, all viewed on a user friendly dashboard.

What This Means for You

– No More Paperwork: Say goodbye to cumbersome paper logbooks that can often go missing!
– Real-Time Access: Access your fire safety records anytime, anywhere.
– Enhanced Compliance: Automatically track and document compliance activities.

For more information on switching to digital fire logbooks for your premises, please email sales@diamondsystems.co.uk or get in touch via the website form – contact us.

Diamond Systems specialise in the design, supply, installation, commissioning and maintenance of security and life safety systems.

Fire is one of the most serious threats to life safety and property, due to its speed and destructive force. Within minutes, fire can engulf a room and leave a building in a state beyond repair. Most businesses do not recover from a major fire, due to the delay in getting the operations back up and running following a major incident. In the UK there are over 20,000 fires per annum in non-residential premises, with an estimated 80% of these businesses failing within the subsequent eighteen months.

The legislation on fire safety in Northern Ireland is governed by the Fire Safety Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2010 and The Fire and Rescue Services (Northern Ireland) Order 2006. These regulations affect all business premises, with business owners given responsibility for ensuring their premises reach the required fire safety standard.

Those responsible, are required – by law – to have a fire risk assessment in place, carried out by a competent person. 

Under the governing legislation, the main requirements are –

• Carry out a fire risk assessment for the premises over which you have control;
• Identify the fire hazards and risks associated with the premises, materials/substances, activities etc;
• Identify the people, or groups of people at risk and anyone who may be especially at risk;
• Remove and reduce the risks as far as reasonably possible;
• Put in place general fire precautions to deal with any remaining risks;
• Implement additional preventative and protective measures if flammable or explosive substances are used or stored on the premises;
• Develop and implement appropriate emergency procedures in the event of fire.
• If you have five or more employees, or require a licence or registration, you must record the significant findings of the risk assessment and any actions you have taken to remove/reduce the risk;
• Review the risk assessment periodically or after significant changes in the workplace (including changes made due to COVID 19).

Carrying out a fire risk assessment will allow you to make an informed decision on whether you have taken sufficient precautions or whether you need to do more to minimise the risk from fire.  The considerations that you need to apply will vary depending on the type of premise you have responsibility for.

Diamond Systems, as fire safety specialists, can carry out and document the fire risk assessment for you. With over 35 years of experience and expertise in fire safety systems, we will help you meet your legal obligations under the fire safety regulations.

If you would like more information or a free quote, please email sales@diamondsystems.co.uk.

 

Introducing the P50 Fire extinguisher: the biggest innovation in portable fire fighting equipment this decade

Diamond Systems is thrilled to announce the introduction of the P50 fire extinguisher to the Northern Ireland market. Designed and manufactured in Great Britain from concept through to product, the P50 composite fire extinguisher is the biggest innovation in portable firefighting equipment this decade. The P50 fire extinguisher promises to revolutionise the Northern Ireland fire safety landscape, and delivers a sustainable solution to customers throughout the province.

The P50 fire extinguisher was designed and developed by Britannia Fire, a leading manufacturer of fire extinguishers for over 50 years. With its unique 10 year manufacturing and workmanship guarantee, the P50 fire extinguisher offers a solution that enables a simple in-house annual inspection, reducing both lifecycle cost and carbon footprint.

“We are excited to introduce the P50 fire extinguisher to the Northern Ireland market,” said Angela Bennett, Joint Managing Director of family owned and operated Diamond Systems:

“We wanted to partner with a manufacturer who strived to deliver highly sustainable products for our customers – saving lives and the environment. We believe that the P50 fire extinguisher range  will set a new standard in the Northern Ireland market and we are delighted to have been selected as the distributor for this region.”

Key features of the P50 fire extinguisher include:

– No annual service required by third party engineers

– Self maintained annual inspection

– 20 year manufacturers operational corrosion guarantee

– 10 year manufacturing faults and workmanship guarantee

– Environmentally friendly PFAS Free Foam

– Recyclable

– Accredited to the highest standards

– Manufactured using 50% electricity from Solar Panels

Andy Spence, Joint Managing Director of Britannia Fire said,

“I am really excited about the future of Northen Ireland, now that we have a credible, reliable, professional partner, as we do with Diamond Systems. The ability to offer our services and vast cost savings to the likes of the NHS, Universities and local government organisations, means it is a win, win situation as we are also helping the environment with Eco friendly products”.

For more information about the P50 product range, visit https://www.britannia-fire.co.uk/p50/ and contact Diamond Systems for all Northern Ireland enquiries at sales@diamondsystems.co.uk or 02890 207 207.

BSI are inviting comment on the draft of BS 5839-1, the Code of Practice for the Design, Installation, Commissioning and Maintenance of Fire Detection and Fire Alarm Systems for non-domestic premises.

Proposed Changes within BS5839-1

In the light of a number of fatal fires, the following variations are to be considered unacceptable:

• the absence of a zone plan in premises in which there is more than one zone on any storey, particularly in premises in which people sleep
• the absence of a facility for transmission of fire signals to an ARC in a residential care home, or in supported housing in which the facility is necessary to meet the recommendations of BS5839-6

The changes to BS5839-1 also recommended that, in rooms in which people sleep, preference is given to forms of automatic fire detection other than heat detectors.

The siting recommendations for manual call points in multi-storey buildings with phased evacuation, in which only a limited number of floors are evacuated at one time, have been simplified (“the manual call points should be sited only within the accomodation”).

There are also new recommendations on modifications and extensions of fire detection and fire alarm systems.

The public comment period for BS5839-1 ends on the 16th April 2024. Comment may be submitted via the BSI standards development web portal at: https://standardsdevelopment.bsigroup.com/Projects/2023-00932#/section

 

National Apprenticeship Week is an annual celebration dedicated to recognizing the vital role that apprenticeships play in shaping our workforce and promoting economic growth. This week-long event highlights the success stories of apprentices, employers, and training providers while inspiring others to embrace apprenticeships as a pathway to personal and professional growth.

Within any business, the value of apprentices cannot be overstated. Apprentices are the future of our business, the heart of our workforce, and the embodiment of dedication and growth. Joint Managing Director of Diamond Systems, Angela Bennett, is a firm advocate of apprenticeships:

“At Diamond Systems, we have a long history of promoting apprenticeships within the fire and security industry. All fire and security apprentices who join our business complete the Diamond Development Programme as part of their initial onboarding. This provides them with the skills and understanding of the basic tasks performed by alarm engineers, and empowers them with the ability to carry these out independently within their first few months”.

Why Apprenticeships Matter

1. Hands-On Learning: Apprenticeships provide a unique blend of hands-on learning and classroom instruction, ensuring that our apprentices acquire the practical skills and knowledge necessary to excel in their roles.
2. Innovation and Adaptability: Our apprentices often bring innovative ideas and a willingness to adapt to the latest industry trends, infusing our organization with the energy needed to stay competitive in a fast-paced world.
3. Career Development: We believe in the power of apprenticeships to transform careers. For many, it’s not just a job but the beginning of a fulfilling and rewarding career journey.

Diamond Systems collaborate with local schools in Northern Ireland to promote apprenticeships through careers fairs, Young Enterprise initiatives, and participating in mock interviews. We also work closely with local further educational colleges including SERC and Belfast Met. In conjunction with our fire alarm partner, Siemens, we donated a fire alarm training board to SERC, to assist the fire alarm apprentices with their practical skills development.

Robin Hamill, Lecturer at SERC was delighted with the new training equipment for the apprentices:

“The equipment donated by Diamond Systems and Siemens will enhance the apprentices learning experience in the college workshops. SERC appreciates the support and encouragement the college and apprentices receive from key stakeholders in the fire industry.”

By recognizing and promoting the value of apprenticeships, we can all contribute to a stronger, more skilled, and resilient workforce, driving economic growth and innovation for years to come.

To find out more about apprenticeship opportunities at SERC and Belfast Met, visit their websites or careers fairs.