About NSI

Why choose an NSI Approved Company?

NSI's mission is to raise standards in the security and fire industries in the interests of the customer.  NSI believes that every customer, whether a large commercial organisation or an individual householder, is entitled to receive a professional service from security and fire companies.

The threat to every customer is the long-term undermining of standards by poor performers. It is NSI's motivation to separate the strong from the weak.

NSI approved companies must prove their competence on an on-going basis. They may not always be the cheapest, but they are invariably the best.

If a company has not been approved by NSI, challenge its credentials.

All NSI approved companies:

  • meet a high level of business performance standards
  • meet all relevant British and European Standards for technical performance
  • security screen all relevant staff (security companies)
  • provide a high level of staff training and supervision to industry best practice standards
  • are comprehensively insured to protect customers and staff
  • are inspected every six months by professional auditors including random site visits

NSI Gold companies also:

  • meet the industry specific ISO 9001:2008 Quality Management System Standard
  • demonstrate a long term track record of performance and evidence of reliability and stability

The History of NSI

The NSI story began in 1971 with the formation of the National Supervisory Council for Intruder Alarms (NSCIA), created to deal with the problem of poor quality equipment and 'cowboys' within the intruder alarm market.

Twenty years later the National Approval Council for Security Systems (NACOSS) was formed from the merger of the NSCIA and the Security Systems Inspectorate (SSI). Its role was very much to continue to improve standards in line with increasingly tougher requirements of the insurance sector and the police national alarms policy.

NACOSS was instrumental in driving standards upwards in the security industry, achieving widespread recognition from insurers, police and security buyers. CCTV and access control systems were added to the scope covered by NACOSS.

The Inspectorate of the Security Industry (ISI) was formed in 1992 to offer a voluntary inspection regime for the manned security sector.

ISI and NACOSS merged in 2001 to create a unified inspectorate - NSI, covering all elements of the security industry, with the goal of creating a one-stop-shop for the benefit of customers and suppliers alike.

At the same time, increasing demand from the fire sector for third party certification for fire detection and alarm systems encouraged NSI to extend its scope into this area.

Many security companies already installed fire detection systems, and NSI's experience was ideal for developing the new BAFE Fire Protection Industry Modular Scheme SP203 for companies involved in the design, installation, commissioning and maintenance of fire detection and alarm systems.

NSI is also accredited to approve companies involved in the maintenance of portable fire extinguishers to the BAFE SP101 Contract Maintenance of Fire Extinguishers Scheme SP101.

In 2006, NSI was appointed as an Assessing Body for the Security Industry Authority (ACS) Approved Contractors Scheme (ACS).