Security Features - August 2008

Guidance offered on Disability Discrimination Act compliance
As many businesses still find Disability Discrimination Act compliance a minefield, particularly when it comes to allowing secure access to a building, the British Security Industry Association has updated its guide to assist businesses to comply with this essential piece of legislation.
The newly revised guide outlines the implications of the Act for access control systems, including common entry methods such as swipe cards and turnstiles. It provides a useful breakdown of the various types of access control equipment available and the degree to which they are likely to be compliant. It also gives basic advice on how current systems can be adapted to comply. The guide takes into account the fact that the Act applies not only to wheelchair access, but also to other disabilities including deafness and blindness.
BSIA Access Control Section Chairman, Nigel Smith, comments: "The Disability Discrimination Act is an important piece of legislation and businesses should review their compliance with the Act as part of their Health and Safety requirements. With such a wide variety of access control systems out there, many businesses find it difficult to work out how they can comply with the law and ensure their business is secure.”
The BSIA is advising businesses to review their DDA compliance in the light of this document and to work with a BSIA member to ensure they stay within the law.
To download the BSIA’s newly updated guide, visit www.bsia.co.uk/publications.

21/4 inches makes all the difference
New Keyreel from Securikey designed for securing to a 21/4” duty belt
Strong, secure, leather loop fitting
1200mm Kevlar cord
Robust polycarbonate case
“Quick draw” system makes keys easily usable and supported
Original metal clip still available
For more information on Keyreels or the rest of Securikey's range of products visit: www.securikey.co.uk, email: enquiries@securikey.co.uk, Tel: 01252 311888

Call for Entries Launched for Queen’s Awards for Enterprise 2009
Top-performing safety and security firms, large and small, are today being urged to apply for the 2009 Queen’s Awards for Enterprise – the Royal standard of excellence for outstanding business success. The deadline for the 2009 Awards is midnight on 31 October 2008 and applications can be made on-line at www.queensawards.org.uk
The official launch of the 2009 Queen’s Awards coincides with a special reception at Buckingham Palace tonight (14th July) for this year’s 136 winning companies, who were announced on 21 April 2008. Thirteen of these winning companies are connected to the safety and security industries.
Companies can apply for a Queen’s Award in up to three categories - International Trade, Innovation and Sustainable Development. Any number of firms can win an Award in each category, provided they can demonstrate outstanding or continuous business achievement in their field. Benefits of winning include extensive publicity, instant credibility, employee pride and use of the Queen’s Award Emblem in all marketing for five years.
“A Queen’s Award is a quality standard to which any business, in any sector, can and should aspire,” claims Steve Brice, Secretary of The Queens’ Awards Office. “Winners consistently tell us how valuable their Award win has been to their business. It costs nothing to apply for a Queen’s Award, and detailed feedback is given to unsuccessful applicants to help them work towards a successful Award application in a future year. So whether or not they win, a small investment of time in a Queen’s Award application now can prove to be a very major investment in future business success.”
Alongside the business Awards, organisers are also calling for nominations for The Queen’s Award for Enterprise Promotion (QAEP) – an Award for individuals. This prestigious honour recognises outstanding people who are working to encourage aspiring entrepreneurs. Eleven recipients of the QAEP, including one Lifetime Achievement Award, were announced this year, and will be joining representatives of the winning businesses at tonight’s Buckingham Palace reception.
To find out more about both the business winners and QAEP recipients, visit www.queensawards.org.uk

MITIE secures Oxford Radcliffe Hospitals portfolio
MITIE has recently secured a high profile contract to provide security services for the Oxford Radcliffe Hospitals NHS Trust.
The contract award has seen the hospitals existing in-house team of 21 officers transfer to MITIE as well as the recruitment of additional officers to further enhance cover. The MITIE team are now managing all aspects of the manned security, CCTV surveillance and car park management across the Trust’s three sites including the internationally renowned John Radcliffe Hospital.
As part of the mobilisation process, the team undertook a specially designed training programme to enhance their skills in customer service, control and restraint and fire fighting supporting them in the protection of hospital staff and visitors.
Jeff Flanagan, MD for security business commented: “We’re delighted to have secured this major contract and to be assisting them in protecting staff and visitors across their estate.”

SIA In-House Licensing Questionnaire
The Security Industry Authority (SIA) is inviting the private security industry, industrial, commercial and government sectors to complete a questionnaire about in-house licensing.
This is part of the SIA’s broad based study to discuss the potential for licensing in-house security operatives. The SIA will make a recommendation to Ministers on the way forward.
To complete the questionnaire, please visit www.the-sia.org.uk/in-house and return it to the SIA by 30 September 2008.

NSI Appointed As the ISIA Assessing Body in Ireland
The National Security Inspectorate (NSI) is to play a leading role in raising standards in the Republic of Ireland. NSI, through Insight Certification Ltd, has been chosen by the Irish Security Industry Association (ISIA) to become its assessing body for its quality scheme, QUALSEC. QUALSEC is a continuous improvement scheme, which operates on a three-tier basis where member companies can attain a Silver, Gold or Platinum standard.
Commenting at the launch of QUALSEC in Dublin, Mr Ruairi Brady, President, ISIA, explains the aims of the new quality scheme: "Following regulation, licensing became a mandatory requirement and consequently set the minimum standard for the industry. However, the ISIA believes that a minimum standard is only a starting point and that we need to raise the bar further in order to build and maintain a professional and reputable industry. We want QUALSEC to become the seal of approval which will guarantee customers a quality-driven security provider."
Speaking at the launch Garda Commissioner, Factna Murphy, welcomed the QUALSEC initiative commenting, "This scheme quite rightly seeks to motivate the delivery of a quality service. It will encourage security providers to strive for the higher standards and encourage end-users to only use services of legitimate, quality-assured companies."
Andrew White, Chief Executive of NSI, confirmed NSI's commitment to the QUALSEC scheme: "NSI is committed to providing high quality approval and certification services and we will ensure this continues in our support of the ISIA's aim to develop higher standards in the Irish security market. Our robust inspection regime, which has been running successfully in the UK for over 35 years, looks at how companies are run and how they conduct their activities. It is this experience that is at the heart of NSI's partnership with the ISIA and will encourage best practice and gear companies towards the QUALSEC Silver, Gold or Platinum standard. "
In addition, NSI is promoting its Systems, Services and ARC schemes in Ireland. These will operate independently of the ISIA and will provide an independent level of approval for any qualifying security company.

New bump and snap resistant cylinders from CISA
Lock bumping and snapping of traditional cylinder locks is a constant threat and a well-publicised high security risk. Consequently, certification PAS 24 has been upgraded to reflect these changes.
Ingersoll Rand Security Technologies has launched a new range of cylinder locks which has been developed to combat this ever increasing problem and provides levels of high security and protection from these kinds of attack.
CISA Astral S and AP3 cylinders are fabricated with a patented laminate, snap resistant steel core to provide flexural snap and pull resistance. The core is visible from both ends acting as a deterrent. A BKP bump resistant device is built-in as standard as well as hardened steel pins and drivers to protect from drilling. Fully compliant with BS EN1303:2005, the cylinders unique construction will withstand drilling, picking, bumping and snapping.
The Astral S cylinder has a 10-pin key biting system offering over 1.6 million differs and is completely interchangeable with the Astral range so that security can be enhanced as required.
The patented AP3 is a sophisticated 11-pin biting system producing over 40 million key differs. Its patented mobile ensures restriction of keys blanks and code cards guarantee only CISA authorised additional keys are cut.