The topic of certification could be seen as rather dry — even boring — but it really is interesting! The Security Systems and Alarms Inspection Board (SSAIB) is what used to be called an inspectorate, but these days its role is better defined as a certification body.
SSAIB isn’t a trade association and doesn’t have members. As a not-for-profit organisation, its role is to ensure that purchasers, specifiers, and end users of security systems and services, fire detection, and alarm systems have access to a pool of competent and professional providers of products and services.
Here in the UK, the role of certification bodies is changing alongside other regulations and trends.
These days, SSAIB is involved in areas including the manned guarding sector, for instance through the SIA’s Approved Contractor Scheme (ACS).
Fire risk assessment under BAFE’s SP205 Life Safety Fire Risk Assessment scheme introduced last year is another area of expanding interest. SSAIB is one of three certification bodies so far to gain UKAS accreditation for certification to this SP205 scheme.
As in most other walks of life we have to compete, in our case with rival certification bodies. But we also work alongside them when participating in the development of standards and regulations to ensure these reflect current thinking and are workable in practical terms. Close liaison with the police, fire services, and insurance industry is also essential to ensure their ongoing support.
Keeping it real
Any certification body must be aware of evolving market factors, making sure that its activities remain relevant. Demand for services is driven by changing circumstances, which includes evolving political, economic, and legislative requirements and standards.
These in turn create a need for certification schemes that provide customers of new services with the ability to buy with confidence, knowing that certificated providers meet relevant standards, regulations, and criteria. In a nutshell, that’s why certification matters so much.
For instance, faced with an aging population, government policy is increasingly focused on helping the elderly and disabled to remain in their own homes.
Telecare is thus becoming an increasingly important element in social and healthcare services, which in turn underlines the importance of services such as social alarm systems’ installation and monitoring.
Meanwhile, in the security field, demand for effective protection of void properties is rising, partly driven by insurance requirements, throwing a spotlight on temporary alarm systems.
For example, to safeguard construction areas, vacant premises, and other buildings at risk from vandalism, arson, squatters, criminal damage, and other harmful attacks.
Elsewhere, a public consultation period has just closed on fresh government proposals that would move responsibility for the standards and behaviour of 330,000 security staff from the SIA onto an estimated 4,200 businesses currently operating in the UK.
This would free up the regulator to focus its resources on driving up standards across the industry and combating criminality by targeting companies or employees that fail to meet required standards.
For certification bodies including SSAIB, this changing landscape provides a challenge while also offering scope to tailor schemes that deliver for customers and service providers alike.
2013 will see no let-up in the pace of market change.
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Very informative blog, Geoff. It was a pleasure to meet the entire team when I visited your headquarters just prior to Christmas. I learned a great deal that day, and I would wholeheartedly concur with your view here – certification is interesting. It’s also vital! Both the political and economic landscapes in the UK remain volatile, and will likely be so for some time to come. That presents a unique challenge to all of us, both in our professional and social lives. One suspects that the need for effective security around void properties is only going to grow as the… Read more »
Geoff I found this passage of your article to be of particular interest: “Demand for services is driven by changing circumstances, which includes evolving political, economic, and legislative requirements and standards. “These in turn create a need for certification schemes that provide customers of new services with the ability to buy with confidence, knowing that certificated providers meet relevant standards, regulations, and criteria.” I suppose this makes me think about the whole ‘Big Society’ movement and mass de-regulation — the removal of so-called ‘red tape’ to free businesses up to get on with their business. It’s something that’s probably been… Read more »
Interesting article Geoff, and certainly demonstrates how the two certification bodies in the UK have changed to adapt to the market needs. My only concern with an adaptive approach, is when does the scope of the Inspectorate become too wide? And how do you ensure the inspectors can maintain the required level of skill and knowledge to deal with regulation change, and the increased scope of work. There are also potential issues that could arise from differing interpretations of the same requirements when trying to compare Inspecting and Certification schemes. We have seen this situation arise already in the manufacturing… Read more »
I can’t for the life of me understand all of these competing standards and requirements. It’s certainly one thing that EU regulations should be lauded for — finally adding an element of continuity to issues such as those you raise, Adrian.
Dear Adrian I am very aware of the dangers of over extending the range of our schemes; SSAIB is a specialised certification body, i.e. serving the security and fire industries, and I have no intention of extending our activities in too the areas of business. All the schemes we offer are aimed squarely at the security and fire industries. As I mentioned in my article, the development of new schemes is driven by demand from the industry. With regard to the interpretation of standards I accept this can be a problem. Ultimately, the only organisation that can interpret a standard… Read more »
Dear Rob As the CEO of a certification body I obviously support “regulation”, bearing in mind that SSAIB is not a “regulator” in the sense of the SIA. The schemes we offer are normally based on compliance with BS or EN standards; the development of those standards is heavily influenced by the security and fire industries and other stakeholders with an interest in the services provided by these industries. In that respect the schemes reflect what the industry and its stakeholders believe is appropriate. Certification is, of course, not mandatory, albeit the rare factors that result in businesses requiring certification,… Read more »
Thanks Geoff, Speaking with many installers they seem to be considering an ‘unregulated strategy’ I am being advised that URN’s are not top of the priority list, unregulated installers simply ask the end user to contact the police or use a guarding company. Some insurers are not asking for certified systems and focus on reporting times and dual path systems, business dictates business. I think we are in real danger of losing companies to the ‘unregulated strategy’ as they try to compete in a challenging landscape. How do we promote confidence in the certification, its vital to our business to keep the interity… Read more »
Dear Carl, We are aware of both the police and the insurers coming under pressure to accept systems installed by ‘non-regulated’ companies. We have regular contact with the police at both local and ACPO level and are aware that the police strongly support regulation. I do not believe there are any problems with regard to installers, but I am aware of issues relating to alarm ‘incidents’ being passed to the police, shall we say ‘out with the normal channels’. I believe this issue is currently being addressed. With regard to insurers, I believe they also strongly support regulation. However, I… Read more »