SSAIB News

As a gesture of goodwill to our registered firms and the wider security and fire industries during the current COVID-19 pandemic, SSAIB has taken the decision to release a free online version of The Standard magazine for 2020.

This edition is the first of our annual magazine to be accessible digitally, allowing anyone with access to the Internet the opportunity to read about our SSAIB 25 celebrations, the latest developments at the leading UKAS-accredited certification body for the fire and security industries and the current issues facing both of those sectors as we welcome in the new decade.

Although physical copies are being posted out with the latest issues of Fire Safety Matters and Security Matters magazines, this free-to-access SSAIB publication will be housed on magazine publishers Western Business Media Ltd’s website indefinitely – allowing readers to view The Standard wherever and whenever they like.

PR and communications executive Glen Maxwell commented: “An online version of The Standard is something that we have discussed previously, but – for one reason and another – we’ve never taken that step into the digital realm before. With the current uncertainty that a lot of us are all facing during this time, however, we thought it was the right time to roll out the latest issue of The Standard to anyone who wishes to read it.

“Of course, our registered firms will be receiving their own copies as part of the annual arrangement we have with Western Business Media. However, the magazines are usually one of the first things that are picked up by visitors to our stands at the many exhibitions that we do, so we knew that it wasn’t just our registered firms that would be wanting to read the latest issue.

“On behalf of SSAIB, I’d like to thank Mark Sennett and the rest of Western Business Media for their assistance in getting The Standard into the digital realm for the first time, on top of the rest of the hard work they put into producing the latest magazine. I hope everyone enjoys reading this year’s edition and that this can become a standard feature for future issues of The Standard.”

The third issue of SSAIB’s annual publication The Standard can be viewed online at http://archives.westernbusinesspublishing.co.uk/fsm/digital-archive/issues/2020/ssaibthestandardissue3/page_1.html

The latest issue of SSAIB’s The Standard is being released with the April edition of Fire Safety Matters and the brand new Security Matters magazine, thanks to our continued partnership with FSM publishers Western Business Media Limited.

Due to the link-up - which is now in its third year, following the re-launch of the leading certification body for the fire and security industries’ annual news publication – all of our registered firms will receive both magazines to their registered address free of charge, to give some much-needed reading material in these times of social distancing and self-isolation.

As expected, last year’s SSAIB 25 celebrations feature heavily in this edition. There is an insight into the many occasions that ourselves and the industry celebrated SSAIB’s quarter-century of success, a centre-fold photo gallery showing just some of the highlights and a very special cover image featuring all of the SSAIB staff, auditors and board members – after all three aspects of the organisation met up for the very first time to commemorate SSAIB 25 last May.

It’s not all made up of retrospective content though, with Security Systems scheme manager Frank Smith discussing his first year in his new role and his thoughts on the security industry as we enter the 2020s. Training manager Trevor Jenks also reveals how employers can counter-act the effects of the increasing skills gap across the industry by taking on apprentices and upskilling their staff.

Chief executive Alex Carmichael also returns with his A View from the Top column, while field operations manager David Roscoe doubles down with both the latest standards updates for both the UK and Republic of Ireland – in addition to questioning why very few Alarm Receiving Centres have moved to the latest European Standard.

Staffordshire-based ADB Alarms are the latest SSAIB registered firm to go Under the Spotlight, with sisters Samantha Bennett and Sarah Savigar discussing all aspects of their business, the industry and their attendance at the SSAIB 25/Women in Security Awards joint celebration back in September 2019.

SSAIB lead auditor Stephen Grieve summarises his involvement with the London Borough of Islington and their various surveillance camera systems – as well as describing the SSAIB’s certification process for the Surveillance Camera Commissioner’s Code of Practice.

BAFE chief executive Stephen Adams contemplates a new era of competency, following a decade that has seen it become a key area of focus with the fire industry, while the FIA also explain how they can help SSAIB’s security firms to become more competent on the fire side and achieve third-party certification.

As the official Installer Partner for IFSEC and FIREX, SSAIB also welcome IFSEC Global editor James Moore to consider the many reasons for attending industry exhibitions and how they can be hugely beneficial to your business.

The traditional scheme updates from relevant scheme managers are also included, alongside the latest SSAIB news and a focus on some of the exhibitions and events that SSAIB will be attending this year.

PR and communications executive - and editor of The Standard - Glen Maxwell commented: “SSAIB 25 features heavily in the coverage of this year’s magazine and rightly so. However, that’s just the tip of the iceberg really and we’ve been able to put together a great mix of contributors for this latest issue.

“After producing a bumper edition of The Standard last year, we were delighted with how it turned out and – having been impressed by the size and overall look of the “bumper” edition – we decided to embrace the “bigger is better” philosophy and make that size the standard for The Standard going forward.

“That has allowed us to fit a lot more content into the magazine for 2020 and, following the fantastic feedback that both of the previous editions of The Standard we’ve had, I hope that this year’s effort is as well-received as its predecessors.”

The Standard will also be available to pick up at SSAIB’s regional meetings and all of the exhibitions that the UKAS-accredited certification body will be attending in the next 12 months. For a full list of all of SSAIB’s planned events for 2020, please visit https://ssaib.org/calendar/.

SSAIB has been asked to forward this correspondence onto our registered firms by the Metropolitan Police and their National Business Crime Centre regarding the COVID-19 strand of the Coronavirus.

The National Business Crime Centre represents police forces to work in partnership with the business community to tackle crimes against businesses.  Our focus is on preventing violence and tackling organised crime whilst developing and sharing good practice between forces and private sector industries.

The Coronavirus has had a significant impact on the commercial sector-fiscally and the risk of increased anti-social behaviour in our stores.

Commissioner Ian Dyson QPM, NPCC lead for business crime stated: “We are seeing unprecedented times and the full impact of Covid-19 has yet to be seen, but policing is well prepared with a range of plans in place which will see people and resources moved to meet demand.

“I am being up kept updated with challenges faced by business through the National Business Crime Centre and we will continue to protect people and prevent crime.  I would encourage businesses to continue to report crimes, although - as the impact increases - policing will have to make some difficult decisions, so as to maintain a level of service to the public.”

The impact on stores will vary and will naturally be defined by its location, size, criminality, customers, produce and its security.

The Metropolitan Police Business Crime Hub has produced the following crime prevention tips that may assist your organisations.


If your staff fall victim to an assault or witness violence in your premises

• Try to remain calm and think of safety: yours, your customers and colleagues is paramount. If the perpetrator has left the premises, consider recording a description and reporting this to police as soon as possible.

• Trust your instincts and maximise distance between yourself, customers, colleagues and any aggressive parties.

• Ensure corporate conflict and exit contingency plans are adhered to.

• Use hold up/ panic alarms if it is appropriate to do so. If there is a hold-up alarm installed use it, but only when safe to do so.

• Consider the use of body worn video technology to capture evidence and positively impact the behaviour of those involved in violence on your premises.


Closed Premises/Venues that have been temporarily shut

• Test your alarm, ensure it is monitored and fully operational

• Identify any vulnerable areas. Rectify these. Ensure security gates, bollards and fire exit doors have been secured prior to closure of the premises.

• Ensure service doors are closed and locked when not in use.

• Make sure you have list of key holders who can be contacted in times of emergency.

• Ensure your contact details for staff are up to date.

• Consider moving high value items into secured stockrooms and out of view.

• Ensure keys to the premises or other venues are not left inside and are instead with dedicated key holders.

SSAIB understands that there has now been further developments with the clarification of Critical Workers (formerly known as Key Worker) – after a collaboration between leading bodies across the fire and security industries earlier this week.

A collective industry effort has seen the following announcement published earlier today, ensuring that “roles essential to supporting law and order” will be considered as Critical Workers from now on.

With the Government directives and guidance brought into action earlier this week, SSAIB has had to change certain aspects of our working practices, while also ensuring that it doesn’t impact negatively on our registered firms and the level of service that we provide to you.

SSAIB is fully aware of the uncertainty and worry that our firms will be facing at this difficult time, but we would like to remind each and every one of you that we are here to support you and we want to work together with you all - as we’re all in this together until a resolution to the COVID-19 pandemic can be found.