Your workplace FAQs

Every Security Officer must be licenced for manned guarding activities which are defined as: Security Guarding, Keyholding, Cash and Valuables in Transit, Close Protection, Door Supervision, Public Space CCTV Surveillance. In Northern Ireland it also includes Immobilisation, Restriction and Removal of Vehicles (Vehicle Immobilisation). Licensing requires private security operatives are properly trained and qualified. You can ask any operative from an NSI approved company (providing a service listed above) to show you their licence if it is not clearly visible when they are working at your home. Note: Alarm system installers are not required to hold an SIA licence.

There are many different cameras each designed for different applications, for example black and white, colour, day and night, wide angled, high and medium resolution. The costs vary depending on the camera’s capability and the quality of the equipment often depends on the grade of image resolution you require. The specification should always be based on your needs. All NSI approved companies are audited to the NSI Code of Practice NCP 104 that includes guidance on defining customer needs.

Ask for a system that complies with NSI Code of Practice NCP 104 or alternatively BS 8418, which is more specialised.

A URN is a unique reference number assigned by the police to a security system. It flags to the police properties that will receive immediate Police response should a verified alarm signal be triggered.

A URN can be awarded to security systems that are installed, maintained and monitored by NSI approved companies, and meet the rigorous requirements of the National Police Chiefs Council (NPCC), these requirements demand amongst others that each system must be certificated to professional industry standards (PD 6662 & BS 8243 or BS 8418) and that each system must be regularly professionally maintained to ensure their reliability and keep false alarms to a minimum.

Any signalling faults are reported to the alarm receiving centre (ARC) who will inform you either directly or via your installer. Your installer can clarify this.

Should a fault be found on your landline or broadband service, your installer will notify you and may be able to offer suggestions, however since you and not the alarm installer hold the contract with the communications provider, you will need to contact your communications provider to directly to resolve the problem.

Your installer may refer to the signalling fault as an ATS fault or Alarm Transmission System fault).

The NSI approved company should arrange formal documented meetings with the client to discuss contract performance against both the contract and the assignment instructions.  The frequency of the meetings should be recorded and subject to agreement by both parties. Copies of the minutes should be retained on the client file.  Additional information such as Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) and Service Level Agreements (SLAs) are a useful way of managing the review process.

NSI approved companies are required to keep a daily register of all occurrences, incidents and actions taken.  These should be recorded by time and date.  Entries for signing on and off duty, supervisory visits, times of check calls, movement of keys and incident reports should all form part of the register.

All NSI approved companies must have processes in place to manage the safety of lone workers (that is security officers who are working on their own).  There should be an escalation process should check calls, due to be made by the officer, not be received at the specified times.

To meet the requirements of the standard the NSI approved company will produce assignment instructions.  These detail the duties to be performed by security staff.  These assignment instructions should be presented to the client for approval and signature.

To meet the requirements of the standard for security guarding your provider must carry out an initial site survey and complete a report identifying any health and safety and security risks that security officers could face in carrying out the service. This will then be discussed with the client to form part of the specification.

Checks at audit for NSI approval also ensure that approved companies pay their staff at least the minimum wage, give them statutory holiday entitlement, statutory sick pay, access to a stakeholder pension, and adhere to working time regulations.

The Responsible Person or Duty Holder is defined as either the employer with control of the workplace or, the person with overall responsibility for a building or the occupier of the premises or owners of premises such as empty buildings.

Fire safety law throughout the UK applies to practically all premises with the exception of private dwellings. In England and Wales the law also applies to the common areas of blocks of flats. Houses in multiple occupation (HMOs) and other complexes such as sheltered housing schemes are also included within the various legislation. The fire safety legislation requires that:
• a fire risk assessment is carried out on the premises
• due consideration is given to those who may be especially at risk
• the risk from fire is eliminated or reduced as far as reasonably possible, providing
general fire precautions to deal with any remaining risk.
• where 5 or more people are employed, or a licence or registration is required, any significant findings following the fire risk assessment must be recorded and the results of the assessment must be documented and regularly reviewed. The Responsible Person/Duty Holder could be the employer, or in cases of multiple occupancy, multiple employers. It could be the owner, the landlord, the occupier(s) or anyone else with control and or oversight of the premises. In most instances it is considered the responsibility of each employer to safeguard their employees and visitors. The Responsible Person or Duty Holder has to work together with other parties to ensure the requirements are met. This is more complex in multi-tenanted buildings.

Legislation requires any life safety systems or services (e.g. fire detection systems, emergency lighting etc.) must be provided by competent people or organisations relevant to the fire safety products and services being provided. They should have proof of this so that it can be produced at an inspection, pre or post incident. A contractor’s competency can be demonstrated by holding approval to the relevant NSI Gold or Silver fire safety scheme.

Fire safety legislation in the UK is enacted and enforced under three separate jurisdictions, the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 in England and Wales, the Fire Scotland Act 2005, the Fire Safety (Scotland) Regulations 2006, the Fire and Rescue Services (Northern Ireland) Order 2006 and the Fire Safety Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2010.

Digital recorders have video management software, that can be used on a local monitor, a PC and/or smart phone, which will provide tools for you to be able to view live images, search for and export recorded images. using these tools should not affect the system’s ability to continue to record as normal.
Some installers may offer cloud based storage for CCTV recording.

 

A maintenance contract is important to maintain proper functioning of your alarm system. Audible alarm systems should be checked once a year.  A system that signals to an approved Alarm Receiving Centre needs to be serviced or maintained twice a year.  Replacement of batteries before they degrade ensures alarm signalling functions correctly without false alarms or signalling failure due to power interruption. An NSI approved installer will also provide a 24/7 emergency number to contact the duty engineer in the event of a problem.

Using an NSI approved installer ensures your security system will be eligible for police response.

The installer will connect your system to an NSI approved Alarm Receiving Centre (ARC), which will provide 24/7 monitoring of your system and contact the police when they believe security has been breached at your premises. You will need to set up a service agreement and maintenance contract to cover all these services.

It is always advisable to check with your insurance company as policies differ.  Many insurance companies do offer discounts for alarms installed by NSI approved companies

NSI approval is a strong indicator the company can meet the relevant standards and codes of practice. Once a company is approved (following a thorough audit) it is committed to an ongoing audit programme of regular audits to ensure it continues to meet the latest applicable standards. NSI approval therefore provides confidence to business owners in a company is professionalism and capability to meet the necessary standards. Check the NSI company finder for the standards and codes of practise the company is approved for.

Getting at least three quotations from approved companies will help you assess the market rate.

Things to consider/ask about;

• Do you require a “system installation” only or are you looking for an installation with ongoing maintenance and servicing?
• Do you want a police response to an alarm?
• Will the equipment be leased to you or are you purchasing it?
• What is the cost of routine maintenance and service visits (and how is booking handled)?
• What is the cost of emergency call-outs?

NSI approved companies will conduct security risk assessment and needs analysis, and offer solutions that meet your needs and are inherently secure.

NSI conducts due diligence checks on companies to which it awards approval, to ensure the Directors of the Company have sufficient experience and are of good repute. Under all of NSI’s security schemes, all relevant personnel, including directors, within approved companies, are security screened to British Standard 7858.

NSI approved companies sign up to an ongoing programme of independent audits which check they continue to work in accordance with the latest relevant British and international standards and Codes of Practice. NSI approval shows a company’s suitability for approval in many ways including giving consideration to the financial standing of the company, the experience of the directors and staff, effective screening of security staff and the ability of the company to carry out work competently.

Maybe: some alarm systems may be affected.

You should contact your installer/maintenance company before your line is upgraded to check whether your alarm system requires adaptation or re-programming to ensure compatibility with the new IP network.

More information: The UK telephone service is going digital. It’s part of a Government programme to upgrade all services from PSTN (Public Switched Telephone Network) to IP voice services between now and 2025.

All good alarm systems have back-up battery power. It ensures they remain for at least 12 hours in the event of a power outage (power cut). When power is restored following an outage, the system is designed to start working normally and also recharge the battery.

All batteries have limited life. Installers will change batteries after a defined period of time, around 3 or 4 years, to minimize the chances of a failing battery causing alarm system malfunction. Your installer typically tests batteries as part of every routine maintenance visit and will change batteries earlier if it is necessary to do so. Replacement battery costs, as with other replacement parts, may be charged over and above your regular maintenance charge.

A ‘single path’ solution, which includes a digital communicator connected to your telephone line (PSTN or IP). The communicator contacts the ARC to report faults and alarms on the system and makes a test call to the ARC daily to confirm the system is working correctly. The individual test calls (and any call charges) should appear on your telephone bill. A ‘dual path’ solution is more robust since if one path were to develop a fault, the second can act as a back-up, since it is unlikely to fail at the same time.

Your installer should inform you of the likely call costs in writing as part of your contract.

Higher graded ATSs mean that any faults or alarms on the communications network and intruder alarm system should be reported faster. Although you might have a Grade 2 alarm system you may be advised to have a Grade 3 or 4 ATS installed. Your installer should be able to explain this to you.

Your installer can offer you a choice of alarm transmission systems (ATS) to pass alarm and fault signals to the ARC. Your installer can explain the available options to you.

‘Dual path’ signalling is more resilient than ‘single path’. Insurers generally prefer it since it is unlikely that both paths will fail at the same time.

Dual path ATS solutions usually have an all-inclusive package for transmitting data so there are no ‘pay-as-you-go’ individual call charges.

Typically a dual path system includes a cable connection to the PSTN or IP network and a radio connection to a mobile network.

The radio connection might use GSM (cellular phone technology) or GPRS (General Packet Radio Service) transmissions. Some radio solutions connect to a single provider whereas other solutions might include a roaming SIM to enable connection to the best available service.

Your installer maintenance and monitoring contract will include the ARC services arranged by your installer. The ARC service may be provided by the same company as provides your alarm installation, or an approved sub-contracted specialist ARC service provider.

You can choose an alternative ARC service if you prefer, however you would then need to arrange the monitoring contract yourself. If you wish to do so, the monitoring service provider will probably want evidence your alarm system is properly maintained (to prevent false alarms).

See the section on alarm systems for FAQs about maintenance contracts.

If your alarm is installed by an NSI approved installer, then the monitoring of your alarm will be handled by an NSI approved Alarm Receiving Centre (ARC).

ARCs are 24/7 highly secure, resilient, air-locked environments with their own standby power and back-up facilities to monitor your alarm signals. NSI expects NSI approved alarm installers to use ARCs that meet all NSI requirements, so you can be assured of NSI standards being applied to your security. For specific details refer to your installer’s Terms and Conditions.

NSI’s Gold certification of ARCs is unique in the market place and demands strict adherence to NSI’s criteria for approval. These include BS EN ISO 9001 – which is an internationally recognized standard for quality management systems, a bespoke NSI Quality Schedule, and all relevant industry standards and codes of practice applicable to ARCs. Like your NSI installer all NSI ARCs are subject to an ongoing audit programme that verifies they continue operating to the requisite standards.