SSAIB News

Leading bodies within the Security and Fire sector, namely the British Security Industry Association (BSIA), Fire and Security Association (FSA), National Security Inspectorate (NSI), and the Security Systems and Alarms Inspection Board (SSAIB) are re-iterating calls for employees of all security and fire safety companies approved by UKAS-accredited specialist certification bodies to be designated as “Key Workers”, to ensure environments not currently designated as “critical” continue to be protected.

Currently those companies providing a service to an institution or business classified as “critical”, e.g. hospitals, social care, supermarkets and the food supply chain, national infrastructure and utilities, and their employees are classified as “Key Workers” as the services they provide are required to enable these public spaces to continue to function safely. Companies must identify those employees operating under the eight broad headings issued by the government last Friday and act accordingly.

With public security resources limited it is vital private security companies are well positioned to provide those activities crucial to the ongoing security of other non-critical public sector spaces, homes and businesses. This is particularly essential with so many organisations now working remotely, ensuring their building and assets are kept safe and secure.

In view of the further challenging measures laid out by the government last night, the industry bodies are calling for the following employees working for NSI and SSAIB approved companies in security and fire safety, to be designated as “Key Workers” including but not limited to:

• Approved Alarm Receiving Centres (ARC) security screened operators facilitating police response to intruder and hold-up alarms

• Intruder alarm and hold-up alarm installation and maintenance security screened engineers

• Fire detection and alarm system installer and maintenance engineers

• Life safety fire risk assessors

• Portable fire equipment technicians

• All SIA Licence holders including security screened
- Security officers
- Key holding response officers

Stating these employees are “Key Workers” will enable them to continue to support the public and emergency services and be available to travel without restriction, safe in the knowledge their children can attend school if necessary.

The Security Systems and Alarms Inspection Board (SSAIB) is the leading certification body for organisations providing security systems and services, fire detection and alarm systems, telecare systems and services, manned security services and monitoring services.

In this challenging time, with the closure of many business and the Prime Minister’s statement to further restrict movement, it is important to ensure that the vital national work that the private security industry firms carry out is recognised by the Government and that installers, maintainers, ARC operators and security guarding personnel are all designated as key workers.

SSAIB wrote a letter to James Brokenshire, Minister of State for Security at the Home Office asking for Government’s support for a very important sector of the British economy to ensure the safety and security of individuals and premises during this time of national crisis, by granting the industry Key Worker status. We are currently awaiting the Minister’s reply to our letter.

We are aware that the other industry organisations, The British Security Industry Association (BSIA), the Fire Industry Association (FIA) and the Security Industry Authority (SIA) have also written to the Minister calling for clarification on the definition of a Key Worker.

James Brokenshire, Minister for State for Security at the Home Office has given a general statement via his Twitter account: “Security & fire safety personnel can play a vital role at this time of national challenge. People working in these sectors who are essential to national infrastructure are “Key Workers” for the purposes of the Government’s guidance on COVID-19.”

The SIA have received a reply that key worker status does include regulated (Licence Holding) security professionals, essential to national infrastructure, operating in critical roles under the 8 broad heading listed by the Government (https://www.sia.homeoffice.gov.uk/Pages/Coronavirus.aspx).

The FIA have received a reply from the Minister that “extends the Key Worker status to all fire safety personnel actively working to improve public fire safety.” (https://www.fia.uk.com/news/fia-assured-by-home-office-that-personnel-responding-to-failures-of-fire-protection-systems-are-definitely-designated-as-key-workers.html)

The NSI has also issued a press release supporting calls for security industry personnel to be designated as Key Workers, which the SSAIB supports - as it is important that all security industry organisations put forward a united front to the Government, to push for their support to our national vital industry

It is vital to the national interest that the staff of registered firms certificated by UKAS-accredited certification bodies (e.g. SSAIB and NSI) working in the security and safety sectors are classed as Key Workers at this most difficult and challenging time.

SSAIB is actively monitoring the situation and we are liaising with other industry organisation to support and promote our industry during this time. Rest assured that we will strive to keep you informed of any new developments as and when they happen.

Following the latest Government advice regarding the COVID-19 Coronavirus pandemic, SSAIB have taken the decision to reschedule this week’s regional meetings in Scotland to the end of November.

The leading certification body for the fire and security industries was due to visit the DoubleTree by Hilton Edinburgh on the North Queensferry Crossing on Wednesday March 18, with a trip up to the Jury’s Inn at Aberdeen Airport a day later.

However, with a heavy heart, we have taken the decision to reschedule both meetings to follow SSAIB’s journey up to Scotland for Security Twenty20 Glasgow on Tuesday November 24. The Edinburgh meeting will now go ahead on Wednesday November 25, while Aberdeen will close out the week on Thursday November 26.

Those that had registered to attend either meeting will have their names added to the list for their respective new date, while any other registered firms wanting to attend can register for a place on their registered firms’ portal or by ringing 0191 296 3242 and speaking to the sales and marketing team.

SSAIB would like to apologise for any inconvenience caused by the rescheduling of these meetings, but we hope that those affected can understand our reasons for doing so.

SSAIB chief executive Alex Carmichael joined training manager Trevor Jenks at a recent Fire, Emergency and Security Systems (FESS) Employer Group, which enabled fire and security training providers to learn more about the industry’s apprenticeship and end-point assessment.

At the event delegates received updates on the FESS Apprenticeship, numbers of those undertaking the apprenticeship and the structure of the training programme. Planning and preparation for the end-point assessment, which apprentices must complete at the end of their apprenticeship, was also covered in detail by National Electrotechnical Training (NET) who sponsored the event.

To share best practice and ideas, round table discussions were held between delegates to explore issues such as how training providers can engage more with employers, what issues are being faced and how can training delivery be enhanced to give apprentices the best chance of success.

In addition to presentations from FESS Employer Group members and NET, special guest speaker Helen Gorner of the National Apprenticeship Service also explained how training providers can support smaller employers with the apprenticeship service process and how they can access funding.

The FESS Apprenticeship was developed by a group of fire and security employers to meet the needs of the industry. Several of those companies – Banham Security, Chubb Fire & Security, Lindum Fire Services and Secom – hosted discussions at the conference to speak directly to training providers and learn from their experiences.

Pat Allen, chair of the FESS Employer Group (pictured), commented: “This was an extremely useful day which allowed training providers to network and helped us as employers to understanding the issues being faced by our education partners and how we can support them.

“We’ll now be looking at what actions, materials and resources we might develop to help all parties support apprentices throughout their training.”

SSAIB are proud to support a new campaign launched by BAFE, which inform premises management and the public that specifying Third Party Certification is only part of the process in acting with due diligence.

The campaign, Don’t just Specify, Verify! points out the important second - and sometimes overlooked - verification stage when specifying and sourcing a competent third-party certificated provider to help comply with fire safety legislation.

BAFE chief executive Stephen Adams said: “As noted in Government guidance, specifying third-party certification is a robust method of sourcing a competent provider to help you fulfil your fire safety obligations. However, there is still an onus on the premises management [Responsible Person/Duty Holder] to check that their chosen providers are appropriately third-party certificated and competent for the work required.

“If you specify a third-party certificated provider, but don’t verify this before awarding a contract, this could result in insufficient fire safety in your building and makes you accountable under current legislation. It is easy and quick to check, which helps towards a safer building and, in the event of a fire, stronger defence having acted with due diligence.”

UKAS-accredited third-party certification within the fire industry, at present, is completely voluntary. This means that any provider who holds this has taken intentional steps to gain independently assessed certification, demonstrating their competency for a specific service. You wouldn’t use an unregistered gas engineer, so why should your fire safety requirements be treated any differently?

BAFE – the independent register of quality fire safety service providers - continue to promote to public, specifiers and end-users of the fire safety industry on the value of third-party certification in the interest of life and building safety. The culture of chasing the lowest quote for fire safety work must end, focusing instead on sourcing evidentially competent, independently assessed providers to get the job done right.

As with most things, quality comes at a cost. However, the cost of a fire with poor fire safety management could be far more disastrous.

Make sure you specify third-party certificated fire safety service providers and verify they are appropriately certificated for the service you require. It’s a quick and simple action, but incredibly important.

More information on the Don't Just Specify, Verify! campaign can be found at http://bit.ly/dontjustspecifyverify.

The BAFE Fire Safety Register, an independent national register of third-party certificated fire safety service providers, can be viewed at www.bafe.org.uk.