Advance Security has been awarded a contract to provide security services to Arvato’s distribution centre in Milton Keynes. Arvato is a leading name in business process outsourcing, and the services arm of global media company Bertelsmann AG.  With warehousing and fulfillment locations across Europe the company offers an end-to-end global logistics service as well as customised global outsourcing for supply-chain management. Advance, which specialises in the provision of security to the supply chain industry, won the contract via a competitive tender process following Arvato’s decision to...

During Birmingham’s Saint Patricks Day festival on Sunday [15 March] the Security Industry Authority, West Midlands Police and Trading Standards officers found all security staff inspected were working legally with SIA licences. In random visits to licensed premises around the Digbeth festival, 11 doormen were checked all held valid SIA licences.  Investigators also checked wheel-clamping sites and found three operatives working legally with SIA licenses.Sharon Roberts, an SIA Head of Investigation said: I was pleased with the very positive outcome and would like to thank our enforcemen...

The SIA is hosting its third annual stakeholder conference, The SIA Journey: have we gone far enough?  This will be held on Thursday 21 May, at Manchester Central. The SIA is inviting stakeholders to participate in this years event, which will provide an opportunity for the private security industry and those who work with it, to come together to share their views on the future of regulation. This years seminar topics are: The future and standards of the Approved Contractor Scheme; SIA strategy and approach to communication and customer services; The future of the private security industry -...

MITIE, the strategic outsourcing and asset management company, has secured a National Employer Service (NES) contract to fund a series of training programmes as part of its Skills Pledge. The training will help its people across England to develop their skills, including literacy and numeracy. The Skills pledge is a government initiative to try to combat the findings of the Leitch report in December 2006, which stated that: more than 1/3 of adults do not hold the equivalent of a basic school-leaving qualification; 17 million have difficulty with numbers; and 5 million are not functionally lite...

New legislation on corporate manslaughter has dramatically raised the potential costs to businesses that fail to adequately protect their staff and customers. That was the stark message from Nicole Vazquez, a consultant with the Suzy Lamplugh Trust, which campaigns to raise awareness of the issues around lone workers. Ms Vazquez, addressing an audience of business delegates at a Reliance Security Services conference in London on 3 March 2009, cited the example of the Hatfield train crash in which four people died. Network Rail was fined around £3m for the accident, but recent changes to legis...

The British Security Industry Association’s Annual Apprentice Installer Awards showcase the high standards and professionalism of young apprentices in the private security industry, and are a unique opportunity for young rising stars to be acknowledged as part of an unmissable event. Tim Geddes, BSIA Security Systems Section Chairman and Chairman of the Judges, comments: “Each year these industry awards recognise the huge strides young apprentices are making towards a successful career within the security industry, demonstrating professionalism, commitment and vast potential in their role...

SSAIB is again expanding its inspection and auditing team with the addition of Lynn Watts-Plumpkin as Scheme Manager and Dave Roscoe as ARC Specialist and Inspector. Lynn is primarily responsible for the management and development of SSAIB’s involvement in the Monitoring Schemes and the Security Guarding Schemes, including the SIA Approved Contractor Scheme and the Private Security Authority (PSA) Contractor and Employee Licensing Schemes, which operates in the Republic of Ireland. Lynn’s experience and qualifications will enhance SSAIB’s expertise in ISO 9000, Environmental Management a...

The latest statistics from the British Security Industry Association (BSIA) show that attacks against cash-in-transit couriers remain a serious problem, despite the criminal standing a significant chance of getting caught. Industry, Government and the Police are acting with renewed vigour and absolute determination to combat cash-in-transit (CIT) attacks during 2009. 2008 saw 1000 attacks against cash-in-transit couriers, a reduction of 6% compared to 2007. However the second half of the year saw attacks rise significantly regardless of the ongoing commitment of Police, Home Office and the ind...

Counter terrorism and business continuity issues will be the focus of the 14th annual Manchester Security 2009 event which will educate businesses on how to rise to the challenge in a society facing changing crime trends. The event, which will be held on Tuesday 31st March at New Century Hall, Corporation Street, Manchester, will be opened by Chief Constable Peter Fahy and will play host to a seminar programme including speakers from the Counter Terrorism Unit and the Economic Crime Section at Greater Manchester Police and a presentation from the Manchester Business Continuity Forum. The openi...

From the 1 April 2009 Approved Contractor Scheme (ACS) approval via the Passport Certificate route will be available to firms from SSAIB. Firms seeking ACS approval will have a choice of three routes: 1) The current standard ACS route. Using this option, firms complete the Self-Assessment Workbook (SAW) before making an application to the SIA for approval. SIA approve or reject the application having reviewed the report of a verification inspection body (such as SSAIB), who evaluate the applicant company against its claims in the SAW. 2) This option includes the above, but allows in addition ...