Edison Telecom - Telephone Systems

Edison produce bespoke systems for all types of personal attack situations. While believing that all products and applications have their merits, we favour a combined patient fixed call button and an infra red detector for staff calls.

Staff/Personal Alarm and Patient Call System

The Edison staff personal alarm system and patient call system is a bespoke system which can comprise all equipment, wiring, outlets, connections, fixings and accessories along with testing, commissioning, training and maintenance by our Engineers.

The system is addressable, with each unit connected on the data ring with control by it’s own on-board micro processor; the system should be monitored by a central processor. The program for the system should be downloaded on to the central processor then, in turn, downloaded onto Displays. In the event of failure of the central processor, the program should be retained in the Displays. In the event of failure of a Display the program should be available to download from the central processor to the new Display.

The system shall be a based on infra-red technology.

The system operates as follows:-

· Pressing the call button on the personal infra red transmitter will activate the ASSISTANCE level in the infra-red receiver unit and pulling out the pin (note the pin should remain with the trigger) will activate the EMERGENCY level in the relevant infra-red receiver unit.

· The alarm tone should be different for each type of call and shall immediately be emitted from the sounders throughout the unit.

· The relevant LED on the dual over door light, located outside and above the room, will also flash. Different red flash rates depict the type of call.

Simultaneously the type of call and exact location shall be flashed onto the alphanumeric Display unit in the staff base.

· After response to an emergency call by staff, the system can (depending on programming) reset with the use of the relevant key reset switch, located in the staff base; or for patient calls can be reset at the call initiation point by means of the reset key. Calls should also be able to be reset with an infra-red trigger.

· push buttons shall be provided to operate patient calls only. These push buttons are to be utilised by clients in a “patient call” mode that shall be incorporated to the staff personal alarm system. These calls should be a different level of call from the above two levels of call. The Call point is to have a key reset.

· A systems monitoring unit is to be incorporated in the system that routinely interrogates each receiver unit in turn and reports any possible faults. Where the fault is to be reported to should be flexible; however, a printer should be considered as the norm.

The cable to be used in the data ring and on spurs shall be approved by the system manufacturer/installer, but shall generally be multi-core type with an outer sheath and with copper conductors. The colour of the cable sheath should be distinctive so as to differentiate from other cables. This cable is required for operational, technical, commissioning and guarantee purposes.

After all equipment has been installed and connected, the complete system must be tested and commissioned by the equipment manufacturer’s representative.

The personal alarm system shall be installed flush throughout, to recessed UK back boxes. It is to be a proven system within similar applications.

A typical system shall comprise the units generally as follows:

Personal triggers

Twin code infra-red transmitter that is a small portable unit for belt fixing with movable pin (Note. This should not detach itself from the unit); pulse-coded infra-red transmitter operating continuously when the button on its base is pressed and when the retaining pin is pulled. Finished in ABS and polycarbonate material with a five year guarantee against faulty workmanship, complete with 12v alkaline battery and attached to person by strap, “dog lead clip”, or standard nurse clip. The battery should be replaceable by hospital staff and be a battery available on the high street.

Patient call points

A flat flush mounted plate with stainless steel button and a key reset.

Infra Red Detectors

· Addressable ceiling or wall mounted units, the receivers are to have unique address and LEDs that indicate ‘ready’, ‘alarmed’ and ‘test’

conditions. Alarm calls are to flash red; Test silent calls are to be green.

· Each receiver unit is to be installed at least 800mm from high frequency fluorescent lights/light source to avoid any potential interference.

Overdoor lamps

· Fixed ceiling or wall-mount unit should fit standard UK boxes and installed outside and above the entrance door to a room/group of rooms/area. The lamp is to have green and red LEDs of high intensity. Three levels of call should activate the red LED at different flash rates. The green LED is to signify “isolated”. The LEDs are to be covered by a translucent white cover.

· Fixed ceiling or wall mounted sounder with selectable tones.

· Displays, flush or surface-mounted unit with alphanumeric display, to fit a two-gang UK box It should indicate the type of call and precise location of activation. The Display is to have two x 14 character LCD text, backlit with integral buzzer, or providing sounder support. The sounder is to have a day/night sound level adjustment, controlled with a time clock.

· Key operated remote switch to reset system after staff response.

Power supply

· 12V power supply unit with battery back-up and charging facilities for the whole installation to be complete with all necessary solid state circuitry boards. The PSU requires a 240V mains supply via a 13amp fused spur.

· All units are connected utilising the cable as above on a data ring or T off to the data ring junction box that is in turn connected to the PSU. The junction boxes are to be fused and to incorporate LED indication of healthy circuits and isolate in the event of a problem, to obviate complete system failure. Any fault is to be reported either individually or as a block.

· Portable hand held tester unit for receiver units shall be provided. This is to be an enclosed box with mains adapter, to allow the personal infra red transmitter to be tested without setting the system off.

The contractor shall allow for demonstrating the system operations to the client prior to hand-over of the building and also after the staff have settled into the new surroundings. A minimum of two demonstrations may be required.

1 year’s maintenance and emergency service with a guaranteed response time is also include for six monthly service visits during which the entire system shall be checked and tested to confirm integrity and performance.

Whilst a patient call could be because of a serious incident, the quality is devalued by patient nuisance calls.

We recommend in larger establishments that patients' calls are kept within the ward and possibly indicated in a different way either by sound or flashing light or both. Staff should respond to these calls as a matter of urgency and if it warrants extra help, staff can initiate a call with their infra red pendant. We can also, from the pendant, allow staff to indicate the need is for an attack situation or just extra help would be desirable.

Resetting of calls is a subjective issue and forms part of management policy. We offer 3 ways of resetting calls :-

Pocket paging can be an added way of alerting staff and giving information as to the location. It may be that the paging is the only way staff are alerted so that patients are not aware of the incident.

Some applications, especially where staff can be outside, warrant the use of wireless triggers. Edison do have available total wireless solutions. In a small area such as an A & E Department, location may not be necessary and the simplest form of wireless transmitter will suffice and is a very economic way of dealing with staff protection. This can be enhanced either with wireless transponders which are used to tell the transmitters where they are. The more transponders, the more defined the area where the attack is taking place. Location can also be achieved with combined wireless and infra red triggers which handshake with infra red detectors as the staff move around the building. This latter interactive system can be used for establishing that staff are observing the management rules on suicide watch.

Staff, it is believed, will carry and will want to carry triggers of one form or another where attack is perceived to be a constant threat. In health centres and other low risk establishments, staff even if it is in their contract will probably not observe the need to carry the trigger. In these cases we would advocate adequate fixed buttons are provided or buttons on doctors' desks which are always there ready to hand. Yet again these could be wireless fixed call buttons if this installation is a retrofit. In this case, the wireless call button will give the position in the building since it will be a fixed position. Please see the information sheet for a downloadable pdf file of the main elements of the system.

Takes Portable Alarm and location systems into the 21^st Century combining both the unique location identification capability of an infra red alarm with the integrity of a fully supervised radio system.

A Personal Attack 2000 consists of a number of infra red receiver units designed to look like low profile smoke detectors. These units also contain a radio transmitter for communicating alarm and fault information back to the control panel. Being battery powered, they do not require any external wiring. This makes installation flexible, quick and with minimum disruption. Each member of staff working in a protected area carries a small lightweight alarm unit which is available as either a pendant or pocket/belt clip.