Security Industry Association asks FDA for further scrutiny of non-compliant temperature systems

The U.S. Security Industry Association (SIA) has sent a letter to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to prompt scrutiny of temperature systems used to mitigate the spread of the COVID-19 virus.

The document, which was written with the help of video surveillance experts IPVM, is dated 20 October and specifies how these non-compliant systems may potentially endanger public safety. IPVM has tested dozens of thermal cameras this year.

Addressing FDA Commissioner Stephen Hahn, SIA praises the organization guidelines released under the ‘Enforcement Policy for Telethermographic Systems During the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Public Health Emergency.’

However, the letter also warns that SIA’s efforts have pinpointed a number of products released in the last few months that are endangering public safety.

These devices would do so by failing to satisfy requirements for the “basic safety and essential performance of screening thermographs for human febrile temperature screening.”

The SIA letter, signed by CEO Don Erickson, specifically mentions some features of these systems that go against the aforementioned safety requirements because of their incorrect marketing campaigns.

Namely, these systems would be able to scan multiple subjects at a time, as well as subjects wearing hats and glasses. Also, they would be able to scan subjects outdoors and with windows in the background.

SIA then claimed these systems not to support such features, which can consequently pose a danger for people using them, believing to be safe from the spread of the virus, when in reality they are exposing themselves to potentially dangerous scenarios.

In the absence of guidelines or standards supporting these claims, SIA believes the use of these solutions could not only lead to a false sense of public safety but ultimately also negatively affects makers, resellers, and users.

Erickson ends his letter by offering FDA additional support, in order to “educate end- customers of these systems by highlighting these guidelines as a whole and particulars within the standards that they reference.”

It’s not the first time SIA warns the public about the dangers of unregulated biometric technologies.

At the end of 2019, the Association released its 2020 Security Megatrends report, where it analyzed the impact of cybersecurity on physical security, AI, facial recognition, data privacy, and more.

Article Topics

biometrics  |  fever detection  |  IPVM  |  regulation  |  Security Industry Association (SIA)  |  standards  |  temperature monitoring  |  thermal  |  U.S. Government  |  video surveillance