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 the highest 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 9001:2000
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.