Introduction & Scope.
PT Alarms Fire & Security (Pty) Ltd ("PT Alarms", "we", "us", or "our") is committed to protecting your privacy and ensuring that your personal information is handled in a safe and responsible manner. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, store, and protect your personal information when you interact with our website, services, and personnel.
This policy applies to all personal information processed by PT Alarms, whether collected online, via telephone, in person, or through any other means. We are registered with the Information Regulator of South Africa and comply with the Protection of Personal Information Act 4 of 2013 (POPIA), as well as applicable international data protection standards.
By using our website or engaging our services, you consent to the practices described in this Privacy Policy. If you do not agree with this policy, please do not use our website or services.
Information We Collect.
We collect personal information that is necessary for us to provide our security and emergency services effectively. The types of information we may collect include:
Personal Information You Provide Directly
- Contact details: Full name, physical address, email address, telephone numbers, and emergency contact information.
- Identity information: South African ID number, passport number, or other government-issued identification for verification and PSIRA compliance purposes.
- Business information: Company name, registration number, VAT number, and billing details for corporate clients.
- Service-related information: Property addresses, alarm system details, access codes (stored in encrypted form), security requirements, and incident reports.
- Employment information: For job applicants and employees, we collect CVs, qualifications, criminal record checks, PSIRA registration details, and medical fitness certificates.
Information Collected Automatically
- Technical data: IP address, browser type and version, operating system, device identifiers, and screen resolution.
- Usage data: Pages visited, time spent on pages, navigation paths, referral sources, and interaction with website elements.
- Location data: Approximate geographic location derived from your IP address or GPS data from mobile applications (with your consent).
Information from Third Parties
- Credit reference agencies and fraud prevention databases for client vetting.
- PSIRA and other regulatory bodies for compliance verification.
- Law enforcement agencies when required by law or for incident investigation.
How We Use Your Information.
We use your personal information for the following purposes:
- To provide security services: Dispatching armed response, guarding personnel, medical emergency teams, and air support to your location.
- To manage your account: Processing service agreements, invoices, payments, and contract renewals.
- To communicate with you: Sending service updates, incident reports, appointment confirmations, and emergency alerts.
- For safety and compliance: Conducting background checks, verifying PSIRA registration, and ensuring regulatory compliance.
- To improve our services: Analysing service data to optimise response times, patrol routes, and operational efficiency.
- For marketing (with consent): Sending promotional materials about new services, special offers, and company updates. You may opt out at any time.
- For legal obligations: Complying with court orders, subpoenas, and requests from law enforcement or regulatory bodies.
Legal Basis for Processing.
Under POPIA, we process personal information based on one or more of the following lawful grounds:
- Consent: Where you have explicitly given us permission to process your information for specific purposes (e.g., marketing communications).
- Contractual necessity: Where processing is necessary to fulfil our contractual obligations to you (e.g., providing security services under a service agreement).
- Legal obligation: Where we are required by law to process your information (e.g., PSIRA registration requirements, tax compliance).
- Legitimate interests: Where processing is necessary for our legitimate business interests, provided your rights and interests do not override those interests (e.g., fraud prevention, network security).
- Vital interests: Where processing is necessary to protect your life or the life of another person (e.g., emergency medical response).
Sharing & Disclosure.
We do not sell, rent, or trade your personal information to third parties for marketing purposes. We may share your information in the following circumstances:
- Service providers: We engage trusted third-party service providers (e.g., IT support, payment processors, insurance underwriters) who process information on our behalf under strict confidentiality agreements.
- Emergency services: We may share your location and contact details with SAPS, emergency medical services, or fire departments during active emergencies.
- Regulatory bodies: We may disclose information to PSIRA, the Information Regulator, SARS, or other regulatory authorities as required by law.
- Legal proceedings: We may disclose information to comply with court orders, subpoenas, or to establish, exercise, or defend our legal rights.
- Business transfers: In the event of a merger, acquisition, or sale of assets, your information may be transferred as part of the transaction, subject to confidentiality protections.
Data Security.
We implement appropriate technical and organisational measures to protect your personal information against unauthorised access, alteration, disclosure, or destruction:
- Encryption: All sensitive data transmitted via our website is protected using TLS/SSL encryption. Stored data is encrypted at rest using industry-standard algorithms.
- Access controls: Personal information is accessible only to authorised personnel with a legitimate need to access it. All access is logged and monitored.
- Physical security: Our servers and data centres are protected by 24/7 physical security, biometric access controls, and environmental safeguards.
- Regular audits: We conduct periodic security assessments, penetration testing, and vulnerability scans to identify and address potential risks.
- Incident response: We maintain a data breach response plan and will notify affected individuals and the Information Regulator within 72 hours of becoming aware of any breach that poses a risk to your rights.
Data Retention.
We retain your personal information only for as long as necessary to fulfil the purposes for which it was collected, or as required by law:
- Active client data: Retained for the duration of your service agreement plus 5 years for legal and regulatory compliance.
- Incident records: Retained for a minimum of 7 years in accordance with PSIRA and insurance requirements.
- Employment records: Retained for 40 years in accordance with South African labour law and PSIRA regulations.
- Marketing data: Retained until you withdraw consent or opt out, after which it is deleted within 30 days.
- CCTV footage: Retained for 30 days unless required for an active investigation or legal proceedings.
When personal information is no longer required, we securely delete or anonymise it in accordance with our data destruction policies.
Your Rights.
Under POPIA, you have the following rights regarding your personal information:
- Right to access: You may request a copy of the personal information we hold about you, subject to a reasonable administrative fee.
- Right to correction: You may request that we correct any inaccurate or incomplete personal information.
- Right to deletion: You may request deletion of your personal information where there is no lawful basis for us to retain it, subject to legal and regulatory retention requirements.
- Right to object: You may object to the processing of your personal information for direct marketing purposes or where processing is based on legitimate interests.
- Right to restrict processing: You may request that we restrict processing of your information in certain circumstances (e.g., while a dispute is resolved).
- Right to data portability: You may request your information in a structured, commonly used, machine-readable format.
- Right to lodge a complaint: You have the right to lodge a complaint with the Information Regulator if you believe your rights have been violated.
To exercise any of these rights, please contact us using the details provided in the Contact Us section below. We will respond within 30 days of receiving your request.
Cookies & Tracking Technologies.
Our website uses cookies and similar tracking technologies to enhance your browsing experience and collect usage data:
- Essential cookies: Required for the website to function properly (e.g., session management, security features). These cannot be disabled.
- Analytics cookies: Help us understand how visitors interact with our website (e.g., Google Analytics). These collect anonymous data and can be disabled.
- Functionality cookies: Remember your preferences (e.g., language selection, login details) to provide a more personalised experience.
- Marketing cookies: Used to deliver relevant advertisements and measure the effectiveness of our marketing campaigns. These require your consent.
You can manage your cookie preferences through your browser settings or our cookie consent banner. Please note that disabling certain cookies may affect the functionality of our website.
Third-Party Links.
Our website may contain links to third-party websites, including social media platforms, partner organisations, and regulatory bodies. We are not responsible for the privacy practices or content of these external sites. We encourage you to review the privacy policies of any third-party sites you visit.
Changes to This Policy.
We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices, legal requirements, or service offerings. Any material changes will be notified to you via email or a prominent notice on our website. The "Last Updated" date at the top of this policy indicates when it was most recently revised.
We encourage you to review this policy periodically to stay informed about how we protect your information.
Contact Us.
If you have any questions, concerns, or requests regarding this Privacy Policy or our data protection practices, please contact us:
- Data Protection Officer: The Compliance Manager, PT Alarms Fire & Security (Pty) Ltd
- Physical address: 13 Phila Ndwandwe Road, Isipingo, Durban, KwaZulu-Natal, 4115
- Email: admin@ptalarms.co.za (Subject: "Data Protection Query")
- Telephone: 031 902 2133 (Office hours)
- Information Regulator: If you are not satisfied with our response, you may contact the South African Information Regulator at inforegulator.org.za.
