SSAIB News

The Security Industry Authority will be hosting a series of short briefings throughout the UK in October and November for security business representatives.

The briefings will be used to explain the Government's intention to introduce regulation that will require businesses operating in the private security industry to be licensed by the SIA.

SSAIB, the UK’s leading fire, security and telecare certification body for organisations, has appointed Malcolm Craighead to its newly created post of Compliance and Scheme Manager. Malcolm has been a self-employed auditor and consultant for the past six years and previously had over 30 years’ service within the paper and packaging industry.

In his new role with SSAIB Malcolm is responsible for the upkeep of its UKAS accreditation to ISO/IEC 17021 2011 (enabing SSAIB, in turn, to certify organisations’ management systems) and the transition of BS EN 45011 to BS EN 17065 (covering requirements for product certification). Looking ahead, significant changes/revisions to ISO 9001:2008 and ISO 14001:2004 are planned for 2015 which will require awareness training for all auditors and personnel employed within SSAIB. Whilst in the paper and packaging sector Malcolm was involved in writing and implementing management systems for ISO 9001:2008, ISO 14001:2004 and BS-OHSAS 18001:2007, as well as being part of a BSI committee for writing and implementing ISO 11093 parts 1- 9 which are still in use today. He also brings to SSAIB considerable auditing experience across a range of sectors and a close involvement with UKAS through witnessed audits and head office audits through his time with another local certification body.

SSAIB, the UK’s leading fire, security and telecare certification body for organisations, has promoted Stephen Grieve into the role of Manned Scheme Manager. Stephen, a retired police officer, was previously with the Security Industry Authority (SIA) until 2012, when he joined SSAIB as an assessor.

His new role, replacing Lynn Watts-Plumpkin, embraces a number of upcoming challenges, including possible future regulation through Mandatory Business Licensing – the most significant factor affecting the security industry since the SIA introduced individual licensing under the 2001 Private Security Industry Act. Stephen has plenty of experience to help him in this task, having completed 31 years with the Lothian & Borders police force when he retired as a superintendent in 2005. His next post was as head of security and support services at the National Museums of Scotland, before joining the SIA as its first compliance and investigation scheme manager in Scotland prior to the 2007 rollout of licensing in the country. Stephen later joined the SIA’s Approved Contractor Scheme team, acting as quality assurance manager.

SSAIB is supporting the recently launched 100 in 100 campaign 2013, the third annual initiative to create new apprenticeships in the UK security sector. SSAIB has backed the campaign since its launch in 2011 by Skills for Security, CSL DualCom and United Business Media.

The latest bid to place 100 apprentices in 100 days was officially launched at this year’s IFSEC and takes place in the timeframe leading up to UBM’s Security Excellence Awards ceremony on 23^rd October.

SSAIB, the UK’s leading fire, security and telecare certification body for organisations, has awarded a certificate to the latest company applying under its new BAFE SP205 UKAS-accredited scheme. Michael Clifford, MD of Beacon Fire Safety, was formally presented with it at a ceremony held earlier this month at the FIA’s Middx headquarters, attended by SSAIB consultant Geoff Rendall.SSAIB’s recently introduced SP205 scheme enables anyone who’s required by law to carry out a fire risk assessment of a premises, and who employs a specialist third party company to provide this, to demonstrate that they’ve taken the necessary reasonable steps to comply with their legal obligations and requirements under fire safety legislation.

Beacon Fire Safety is the consultancy side of West Sussex based MK Fire Training Ltd, offering a range of fire risk assessments and fire safety advice through its experienced, qualified and CRB-cleared assessors. “We operate a nationwide service and have a number of consultants, all of whom are members of the Institution of Fire Engineers,” comments Beacon Fire Safety MD Michael Clifford. “Gaining SP205 certification will assist us in demonstrating to our existing and potential clients that we are a competent provider of fire risk assessments and that we are serious in proving this commitment to them.”