Approval Criteria
To achieve and retain NSI
approval, companies must meet a wide range of criteria
including technical standards relevant to how they provide their
specific service and requirements covering the way their businesses
are operated. These include checks that companies:
- carry out security screening to BS 7858 of all individuals in
relevant employment
- are financially sound with a capital base appropriate to
turnover, normally including annual accounts covering two years
prior to date of application
- have persons managing, controlling and having principal
interests in the ownership of the company that are demonstrably
reputable persons of good standing
- have suitably experienced managers and trained and
qualified personnel, sufficient to meet obligations
- operate from suitable and adequately secure premises
- use suitable tools, equipment, test instruments and vehicles
(where relevant)
- hold product liability insurance cover extending to wrongful
advice and failure to perform with a limit of indemnity (in respect
of any one event and also in the aggregate) of at least one million
pounds sterling
- provide twenty-four hour cover (where relevant)
- maintain sufficient level of trading activity
- do not impose unreasonable contracts upon customers
- have policy to encourage maintenance contracts for electronic
security systems
- have procedures in place for dealing with customer complaints
effectively
- adhere to all relevant industry Standards, Codes of Practice,
etc
- manage and conduct all business in accordance with stated
policies, procedures and practices
Ongoing six-monthly inspections include;
- review of new contracts to ensure they have been dealt with
properly and efficiently
- site visits to customer premises to inspect security systems
for compliance with standards
- review of any management & structural changes
- checking that all new staff are security screened
- checking that changes to industry standards etc are being
implemented correctly
- checking that training is being delivered effectively
In addition, the Quality Management Systems of NSI Gold approved
companies are audited by NSI against the requirements of BS EN ISO
9001.