When a security incident occurs, organisations need to have a robust means of coordinating response. This was a key discussion at the recent forum held by manned security specialists, First Security, where delegates learnt more about the company’s new communication platform designed to ensure robust and efficient security provision at all times.
The event, the third of a continual series of forums held by the company to support the exchange of industry best practice was held at Somerset House, where First Security provides services, and welcomed over sixty delegates to take part in industry-focused discussions.
Natalie Cooper from Vocal, a leading provider of alerting systems, explained how the new system can enhance the way that organisations prepare for and coordinate incident workflow, while communicating effectively and consistently across the organisation.
The industry-proven platform enables First Security to plan for and manage a wide range of issues including staff and lone worker safety, plan management, availability of resource and business continuity. Based on a standard set of fixed processes, step-by-step actions can then be communicated quickly through a variety of channels, including email, mobile phone and radio pagers.
This helps to provide a coordinated response to an incident by keeping staff and customers updated with important information, even if they are not desk-based.
Auto Enrolment
Speaking on the issue of pensions and the auto enrolment scheme due to come in to effect as of this October, Scott Hill, HR director for Interserve, explained how work place pensions are now a reality and the impact these will have on businesses.
Hill emphasised that ensuring data is maintained and updated is of paramount importance as this process starts to take place.
Changing regulations
The forum also provided an update from Bobby Logue, security industry strategist and the publisher of online security news media, Infologue.com on the impending changes to the Private Security Industry Act, which are expected in 2014-2015 and how these will impact on private security provision.
Regulation of the security industry is driven by a desire to reduce criminality and risk while raising industry skills and standards. Whether it’s by improving the training available to guards, initiating new screening processes or creating more robust audit practices, a properly licensed industry is of benefit to all parties involved.
Logue explained that the main difference will be that the regulator will primarily license businesses operating in designated areas of the private security industry. It will become a criminal offence for a business to provide a security service – no matter how small a part of their business that service is – unless the business is licensed.
It is expected that businesses will need to demonstrate that they meet certain competencies as well as fit and proper requirements to obtain a business license.