A security fog system can’t hold its own NSI or SSAIB badge. If a vendor tells you otherwise, they’re describing the schemes wrong. NSI and SSAIB approve installer companies and monitored alarm services. They don’t approve individual devices. The real question worth asking is different: will adding a fog system affect the NSI or SSAIB approval your alarm setup already has?
Short answer: it shouldn’t, provided the system is built to the right standard and integrated properly. Here’s what that actually means.
What NSI and SSAIB approve
NSI and SSAIB are UKAS-accredited certification bodies for the UK security industry. Both audit security companies against quality, technical competence and compliance standards. Approval is granted scheme by scheme, not as a blanket badge. A company might hold approval for intruder alarms but not for CCTV. What neither body does is certify a fog generator as a standalone product, the way a fire extinguisher gets a British Standard kitemark.
That distinction matters. It’s the difference between a device and a service. Your NSI or SSAIB approval sits with the company monitoring your alarm — not with any single piece of equipment plugged into it.
So what should a fog system actually be certified to?
The standard that matters here is EN 50131-8:2019. It’s the European standard covering security fog devices as part of an intruder and hold-up alarm system. It sets requirements for how a fog device should perform once it’s part of a monitored system — exactly the context an NSI or SSAIB-approved installer works in.
Density systems meet EN 50131-8:2019, along with CE, EMC and FCC. They’re also compatible with all existing alarm panels, including Ajax-based setups. Integration doesn’t mean replacing anything your NSI or SSAIB-approved installer has already monitored and signed off.
What “approved for use with NSI and SSAIB security systems” actually means
You’ll sometimes see this phrase instead of a claim of direct accreditation. The distinction is deliberate. It means the fog system is designed and certified to sit correctly within an NSI or SSAIB-approved alarm installation. It does not mean the fog device itself has been through an NSI or SSAIB audit — that audit doesn’t exist for this type of product. Anyone claiming their fog system is “NSI approved” or “SSAIB accredited” outright is either misunderstanding the schemes or overstating them.
Will fitting a fog system affect my existing approval?
It shouldn’t. But the responsibility for confirming that sits with the installation, not the device itself. A properly integrated fog system connects via a standard relay or output from your existing panel. It doesn’t rewire or replace the monitored alarm. Even so, it’s worth confirming any addition with your own NSI or SSAIB-approved alarm company before installation. They’re the ones whose approval covers the finished, monitored setup, so they’re best placed to sign it off.
A competent installer treats this as a five-minute conversation, not a red flag. It’s the same due diligence you’d expect before adding any device to a system someone else is contracted to monitor.
A worked example
Say your shop already has an NSI-monitored intruder alarm on a standard panel. Adding a fog unit typically means wiring it to the panel’s existing relay output. It’s the same method used to add a strobe or a sounder. The signalling path to the monitoring station doesn’t change. What changes is local to the room, after the alarm has already triggered. It’s worth running past your alarm company before fitting day. Not because it’s likely to cause a problem — because they need to be comfortable signing off the finished system.
Frequently asked questions
Is a security fog system itself NSI or SSAIB approved?
No. NSI and SSAIB approve installer companies and monitored alarm services, not standalone devices. A fog system can meet the relevant product standard, EN 50131-8:2019, and be described as approved for use with NSI and SSAIB security systems. It doesn’t hold its own NSI or SSAIB certificate.
Will adding a fog system affect my existing NSI/SSAIB alarm approval?
It shouldn’t, provided the system is properly integrated via your existing panel and confirmed with your NSI or SSAIB-approved alarm company beforehand. The approval covers the monitored installation as a whole, so any addition is worth a quick check with them.
What does “approved for use with NSI and SSAIB security systems” mean?
It means the fog system is built and certified to integrate correctly with an NSI or SSAIB-approved alarm setup. It does not mean the device itself has been audited by NSI or SSAIB — that isn’t how those schemes are structured for this type of product.
What standard does a security fog device need to meet?
EN 50131-8:2019 — the European standard specifically covering security fog devices within an intruder and hold-up alarm system.
Does my installer need to be NSI or SSAIB approved to fit a fog system?
Not necessarily, to fit the device itself. But if your existing alarm is NSI or SSAIB monitored, it’s worth having that same company confirm the integration. They hold the approval for the finished system.
Want to check how a fog system would sit alongside your existing alarm setup? Get a quote and we’ll talk through the integration before anything’s installed.
This is one of four questions covered in the full security fog standards & safety guide.
