Acceptable Use Policy

Last updated: 2026-06-22

This Acceptable Use Policy (“AUP”) governs all use of CanopyBeacon, operated by Northern Edge Software Ltd (“Provider”, “we”, “us”), accessible at canopybeacon.uk. It applies to every user (officer, firefighter, administrator, or support staff) who accesses CanopyBeacon through their Brigade's subscription. This AUP forms part of the Terms of Service and must be read alongside them.

1. Permitted Use

CanopyBeacon is authorised solely for the following purposes:

Operational incident management, METHANE reporting, and scene command in the course of fire and rescue duties
Workforce scheduling, availability management, and duty records for Brigade personnel
Training record management, competency tracking, and development planning
Fleet and appliance management, including service schedules and defect reporting
BA (breathing apparatus) wearer telemetry monitoring during live operations
Digital evidence capture and secure chain-of-custody management
Drone operations planning, flight logs, and remote-pilot management under the Brigade's CAA authorisation
Risk assessments, operational pre-plans, and community safety activities
Near-miss reporting, safety investigations, and RIDDOR submissions
Internal collaboration, messaging, and document management within your Brigade
Administration of Brigade accounts, roles, and permissions by authorised system administrators

2. Prohibited Use

The following activities are strictly prohibited and may result in immediate account suspension, contract termination, and referral to relevant authorities:

2.1 Operational integrity

Entering false, fabricated, or misleading operational data (including METHANE reports, BA records, or training logs)
Deleting, altering, or suppressing records required by law or Brigade policy (including incident reports and audit logs)
Using the platform for any purpose unrelated to legitimate fire and rescue service operations
Relying on CanopyBeacon as the sole system for life-safety decisions; it is an operational support tool and must not replace command judgement

2.2 Security and access controls

Sharing login credentials, session tokens, or two-factor authentication codes with any other person
Accessing accounts, data, or modules for which you have not been granted explicit permission by your Brigade administrator
Attempting to bypass, disable, or circumvent authentication, role-based access controls, or audit logging
Using automated scripts, bots, or scraping tools against the platform without prior written consent from the Provider
Probing, scanning, or testing the platform for security vulnerabilities without a written penetration-testing authorisation from the Provider
Continuing to access the platform after your employment or appointment has ended; it is a Brigade obligation to revoke access promptly on departure

2.3 Data and privacy

Downloading, copying, or exporting personal data (including casualty records, BA wearer data, or personnel files) for any purpose outside your official Brigade duties
Sharing operational data, incident records, or personal data with third parties who are not authorised recipients under the Brigade's data sharing agreements
Processing personal data on the platform in a manner inconsistent with the Brigade's privacy notices or the UK GDPR obligations described in our Privacy Policy
Uploading unlawful content, malware, or any material that infringes intellectual property rights

2.4 System integrity

Attempting to overload, flood, or disrupt the platform (including denial-of-service attacks)
Reverse engineering, decompiling, or extracting source code from any part of CanopyBeacon
Introducing malicious code, viruses, or exploits via file uploads or API calls
Using the platform or its data to train machine-learning models or develop competing products without written consent
Circumventing usage metering or subscription limits

3. Account Security Obligations

Each user is responsible for:

Choosing a strong, unique password and not reusing it across other services
Keeping login credentials confidential at all times
Locking or logging out of sessions on shared or public devices
Reporting suspected unauthorised access or compromised credentials immediately to your Brigade system administrator and to [email protected]
Not registering accounts on behalf of others or using another person's credentials

Brigade system administrators are additionally responsible for ensuring that user roles reflect current employment status and that access is revoked within one working day of a user's departure or role change.

4. Data Handling and Operational-Data Integrity

CanopyBeacon handles sensitive operational data — including casualty information, BA wearer telemetry, RIDDOR-reportable incidents, and personnel records — that may be subject to legal disclosure obligations. Users must:

Record operational data accurately and promptly; do not backdate or pre-date records except where operationally justified and with supervisor approval
Use official Brigade channels (not personal devices or accounts) for all operational data entry wherever possible
Treat all data accessed via CanopyBeacon as Brigade-confidential unless explicitly authorised for wider disclosure
Comply with the Brigade's data retention, records management, and Freedom of Information policies when using the platform
Promptly report any data errors, corrupted records, or suspected data loss to your Brigade administrator and to the Provider support team

The Provider maintains comprehensive audit logs of all data access and modifications. These logs may be produced in legal, disciplinary, or regulatory proceedings.

5. Reporting Violations

If you become aware of a potential AUP violation — including misuse of the platform, a security incident, or inappropriate data access — report it immediately:

To your Brigade system administrator or line manager
By email to the Provider: [email protected]

Reports are treated in confidence. The Provider may be obliged to notify relevant regulators (including the ICO) in the event of a confirmed personal data breach.

6. Consequences of Breach

The Provider may, at its sole discretion and without prior notice where immediate action is required to protect security or operational integrity:

Suspend or terminate the account of any individual user who breaches this AUP
Suspend Brigade access in the event of a material or persistent AUP breach by the subscribing organisation
Preserve and disclose audit logs and relevant data to law enforcement, the ICO, or other regulators where required by law or court order
Terminate the subscription agreement in accordance with §10 of the Terms of Service
Seek damages for loss or harm caused by wilful or negligent misuse

Where suspension is caused by an AUP breach, the Provider will notify the Brigade's designated administrator and endeavour to provide 24 hours’ notice except where immediate suspension is necessary to prevent ongoing harm.

7. Changes to This Policy

The Provider may update this AUP from time to time. Material changes will be notified to Brigade administrators by email at least 14 days before they take effect. Continued use of CanopyBeacon after the effective date constitutes acceptance of the updated policy.

8. Contact

AUP queries and security reports: [email protected]
General legal notices: [email protected]