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FAQs About The SSAIB, Finding a Service Provider and about Joining SSAIB...
The United Kingdom Accreditation Service (UKAS) operates on behalf of the Government - under a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) - and accredits (approves) certification bodies, test laboratories and inspection bodies as conforming to European or international standards.
Accreditation by UKAS demonstrates the competence, impartiality and performance capability of the certification body.
It ensures that organisations like SSAIB operate in an appropriate manner, promoting quality and improving competitiveness. In essence, UKAS is the body that ‘checks the checkers’.
Certification bodies accredited by UKAS must have a structure in place that allows the involvement of all significantly concerned parties and ensures the impartiality of the certification process. This is usually through some kind of committee or board, where the stakeholders are represented in such a way that no single interest predominates.
SSAIB is managed by boards comprising significantly interested stakeholders.
It is the third-party assessment of the competence and procedures of service providers, against an industry-agreed certification scheme - eg The NPCC Security Systems Policy, which describes the basis upon which a Police response to security systems will be provided, or the chief fire officers association model agreement between Fire and Rescue authorities and users of remotely monitored fire alarm systems.
This assessment will include an appraisal of the management systems of the company, to ensure that adequate business process controls are in place. The assessment undertaken will be detailed in the certification scheme documentation.
Neither the NPCC security systems policy or the chief fire officers association model agreement require - for example - certification of a company’s management system against the requirements of ISO 9001: 2000.
Certification is carried out by bodies such as SSAIB, who are independent of both service provider and customer. These bodies are now more commonly referred to as certification bodies and their certification schemes generally carry UKAS accreditation (see below.)
The term inspectorate and inspection board are historical terms that were given to independent third-party organisations carrying out inspections of security installations or services, which might include intruder alarm systems, manned services etc.
While these terms are still used colloquially, more recently, the inspection/assessment process has been formalised as product certification.
A not-for-profit organisation is one established to provide beneficial services - for example, charitable, humanitarian or educational purposes etc - in which no one shares in profit or loss.
Any profits made are then reinvested in the organisation.
SSAIB is a not-for-profit organisation.
The fundamental benefit of third-party product certification – put simply – is seated in giving the specifier, customer, end user, regulator or any combination of these an informed choice when purchasing or selecting a product or service.
The service carrying the badge or mark of a reputable third-party certification body (like SSAIB,) will give safeguards as to its performance.
Third-party certification enables providers to present their credentials to potential clients, demonstrate that they are subject to independent scrutiny and will also deliver a quality product or service that can be relied upon.
Additionally, in the rare event of a dispute arising between a certificated or approved service provider - which has not been possible to resolve between the parties directly - SSAIB will seek to resolve the matter by initially providing an arbitration service.
In the event of the dispute being proved to be due to the failure of a certificated or approved organisation to comply with SSAIB rules and/or scheme criteria, the organisation will be expected to carry out remedial work to resolve the issue. Failure of the certificated or approved firm to do so will jeopardise the registration of the organisation.
Some product certification schemes – such as that based upon the NPCC security systems policy - do not require ISO 9001 management systems certification.
A product certification scheme will assess and evaluate the service provided by a company and include an appraisal of the management system - as required by the particular scheme or as specified in British or European standards applicable to that scheme - to ensure the appropriate business process controls are in place.
The appraisal of the management system does not necessarily need to be against ISO 9001 standards.
Small companies tend to have perfectly adequate bespoke management systems, relevant to their organisational needs and activities.
Larger companies, by necessity, have more formal procedures in place that may more readily relate to a standardised approach to business control. Certification of these systems to ISO 9001 is often appropriate.
However, it should not automatically be assumed that a small company's bespoke system is inferior to a larger company’s more formally structured system, which may match the requirements of ISO 9001.
SSAIB’s approach is to evaluate the management system with respect to its suitability to the operation of the business. In this instance, size does matter.
A company of, say, four employees operating to ISO 9001 requirements may find the approach cumbersome, but not so a company with 100 employees operating a multi-site organisation. It’s all about working practices.
As small companies grow, they will need to adopt more formal business practices that may be suitable for certification against ISO 9001. Their size and method of working will dictate how they approach certification.
No, SSAIB is a certification body.
Certification bodies do not have ‘members’. Companies cannot simply join these organisations by paying a fee.
SSAIB has rigorous standards of assessment that ensure quality and reliability. Therefore, only reputable companies will be listed.
Please click here to see the full use of the SSAIB logos and certification marks.
Yes, SSAIB follows strict rules for impartiality and do not allow any factor to introduce bias in our certification. This impartiality is checked annually by an independent group and monitored by UKAS. SSAIB is a not-for-profit organisation and have no shareholders seeking financial gain. We are financially sound such that any financial threat to our income would not influence our activities, e.g., a large client threatening to cease using our services.
Confidentiality is fundamental to our activities and complements our approach to impartiality. As such we will not comment on the business activities or our certification of any registered company. No SSAIB registered company would like us to disclose details of their internal matters to others and we respect and uphold this confidentiality.
SSAIB assess the compliance of systems installed by applicant and registered companies to the same rules, criteria and relevant industry standards.
It is common before certification, that firms do not necessarily meet expected industry standards. Part of the process of certification is to raise the standards and quality of services provided. SSAIB then check that compliance with standards is maintained by carrying out annual surveillance audits. It would be unfair to expect the services of an uncertificated company to comply.
SSAIB will judge the operation of the firm and delivery of service against the relevant criteria. All firms are required to comply with these criteria. In the case of firms providing security systems, our criteria are based on the “Police Operational Advice and Security Industry Requirements for Response to Security Systems” published by the NPCC.
All registered firms have demonstrated that they install systems to the installation standards. They also fulfil the SSAIB criteria. Any firm that subsequently fails to meet these standards will be given an opportunity to put these matters right. Failing that, they will be removed from the register and lose certification. If a check on a firm reveals nonconformities against the standard the firm is issued with a report and must satisfy SSAIB that they have corrected the problem and put in place a way of avoiding a recurrence.
If anybody has evidence of a system installed by an SSAIB registered firm after the date of their registration, that does not meet the required standard they are welcome to report it to us. A customer of one of our firms may make a complaint against that registered firm (although we expect them to initially complain to the firm). In severe cases, a complaint against a firm could lead to the firm’s suspension and eventually withdrawal of registration.
All registered firms installing security systems are required to issue an SSAIB Certificate of Conformity to the customer for each installation. This gives confidence that the system meets the necessary requirements and gives details of its type and performance. Any customer not receiving a Certificate of Conformity should ask the firm for a copy and seek assurance that the system is correctly installed and receiving any after-sale services (such as monitoring, police response, and maintenance) correctly. If you are not satisfied with the firm’s response, please contact SSAIB.
Intruder and hold-up alarm systems installed by SSAIB registered firms in the UK should be correctly maintained in accordance with BS 9263. This typically requires two maintenance checks (one of which may be carried out remotely) but the requirements can vary. If your system is not monitored (by an alarm receiving centre), only one annual maintenance check is required. If you have any concerns, you can contact SSAIB for advice but please have your Certificate of Conformity on hand to give us the necessary details.
For companies installing large numbers of alarm systems, SSAIB may adjust its surveillance activities to ensure such firms consistently comply with our requirements, e.g., industry standards, SSAIB rules and criteria. For example, we may require compliance with ISO 9001 Quality Management Systems. This would give SSAIB increased confidence that the firm is not just capable of providing a compliant alarm system but also that its overall management, including training, security vetting, etc, can ensure consistent quality throughout their operations.
SSAIB do not recommend that firms conduct cold calling, but there is nothing to prevent this providing that firms adhere to necessary laws and do not employ scare tactics to encourage sales. Any registered firm identified as unduly using the fear of crime to sell systems will be investigated by SSAIB.
SSAIB normally expect all control panels and detectors to be fixed, for example to the wall. In the case of wire-free devices this is a mandatory requirement and in other cases failing to fix them to the wall could be a safety issue. Some devices are considered portable such as key fobs, but this does not include “hub” type devices, which should be wall mounted.
For grade 3 systems the installation must be to a fused spur, not a plug. In grade 2 systems it is recommended to do the same, but the use of a plug and socket arrangement, with prevention of the inadvertent removal of the plug, is acceptable.
No, your alarm system is not directly connected to the police (unless the police organised this). It cannot be connected directly to the police simply at your request. Some alarm systems are monitored by an alarm receiving centre (ARC), alternatively known as a monitoring centre. In some cases, alarms sent to the ARC will be forwarded to the police control room. If this is the case the customer will have received notification from the police telling them their Unique Reference Number (URN). If you do not have this, you should contact the supplier of your alarm.
The police will usually only be called to respond to a “confirmed alarm”. For an alarm to be confirmed it generally means that one of the following is true:
Customers are advised to talk through the operation of their alarm with their provider so they know when a confirmed alarm may or may not occur. This could lead to a need to add more detectors or change the system design or configuration.
Although the police may have been informed, there is no guarantee they will respond. The police say: “It should be noted that police response will normally be immediate but is ultimately determined by the nature of demand, priorities and resources which exist at the time a request for police response is received and, therefore, cannot be guaranteed.”
This is a question for your insurance company. Sometimes they are not concerned but in other cases they may have specific requirements about the type of alarm, the monitoring and the way in which alarms are communicated to monitoring centres and onward to police. Questions to ask your insurer are:
Be aware that changing your insurer may mean the requirements change.
Whether to choose a big national company or a smaller local one is up to you. Both have their advantages. While we make sure all firms meet the required standards, some might offer services that go beyond this. A smaller company might be more personalised, take more account of your personal circumstances or tailor systems to suit your individual requirements, but it's your choice based on what you need. Larger firms may limit the types of equipment used to their standard stock items, whereas a smaller firm might choose from a wider variety of equipment which may be more suited to your needs. You may also be able to deal directly with the owner of a smaller firm.
Larger firms may have more resources and staff to deal with your requirements and have more of an online presence.
We are aware that perceptions about a company can vary. Large companies are likely to install many more systems and have greater public awareness, therefore it is more likely that any issues reach a larger audience. Our certification is based on objective criteria and compliance with standards. If you have specific concerns or evidence of non-compliance, we encourage you to share this with us.
We would recommend that you search our database for an SSAIB-registered firm in your area. Simply select which type of firm you wish to find – intruder alarm systems, for example – and either enter your postcode or your location and click search.
We would suggest getting a minimum of three quotations if there are multiple results in your area. That way, you’re able to make a decision based on a few different selections. Please keep in mind that, while all registered firms are of equal standing with the SSAIB, the cheapest option isn’t always the best option.
You can search our database using the name of the company responsible for your install or, alternatively, call 0191 296 3242 and we will be happy to help you over the phone.
All SSAIB-registered firms must prove that they are trading successfully and work to the necessary standard, before they are granted accreditation.
In addition to this, we examine every applicant company’s accounts and ensure that all personnel – such as engineers, who visit your property – are all security vetted.
Insurers are aware of SSAIB’s comprehensive inspections and know that we inspect our registered firms - and their work – against industry standards, meaning there is less risk when using an SSAIB-registered firm.
Maintenance visits are made to ensure that your alarm system is working correctly and functioning properly.
It is recommended that audible alarm systems are checked every 12 months, while a signalling system to an approved alarm receiving centre should be serviced twice a year.
You need to ensure you know exactly how much it costs, as well as the notice period you need to give if you ever decide to close your maintenance contract. Please also read the contract itself, to see if it’s clear as to what is included and it’s exactly what you want.
Usually, a maintenance/service contract is primarily set up to check that the alarm system is functioning correctly and doesn’t include repairs, parts or any upgrades to the system. Therefore, you need to check what your agreement contains before you sign up to it.
The majority of security alarms systems are bought outright, but this would need to be checked at the time of your quotation – as there are still some installers that offer lease agreements.
An approval scheme is similar to a certification scheme, but it does not yet carry UKAS accreditation.
Approval schemes will still call upon British or European standards, but may be a scheme for which stakeholders have not generally required UKAS accreditation.
Yes.
Once an application is received, one of our auditors will speak to you to discuss the audit process and determine if there are any areas where you may need guidance.
We have numerous example forms and procedures that you can modify and make your own.
Yes.
The NPCC policy and SSAIB Criteria for registration requires companies to comply with the screening requirements in BS 7858: “This British Standard applies equally to all individuals in relevant employment, including full-time and part-time employees, sole traders, partnerships, temporary and permanent employees, and to all levels of seniority, including directors.”
No.
Included in the published cost for the Security Systems Scheme is the provision for certification against Intruder, CCTV and Access Control. However, you must have designed, installed and commissioned systems in each of these disciplines - as these will need to inspected as part of the audit.
Yes. If these additional disciplines are inspected during a scheduled audit - ie during your annual surveillance audit - then, in most cases, this will incur no additional costs.
However, you would need to contact us ahead of the audit to inform us of your intentions.
Yes.
However, if you require police response for the systems you monitor, the ARC/RVRC standards require the shell (walls, floor, ceiling, doors, windows) to be of a substantial construction and include facilities such as standby power (generator/UPS,) duplication of monitoring equipment, voice and data recording equipment etc. All of which are designed to ensure the facility is resilient to physical attack and/or failure.
Not necessarily. Where an ARC/RVRC has multiple scopes, elements of the audit(s) may be combined - thus saving time.
Yes.
We cannot act as a consultant. However, we will be glad to answer questions on compliance throughout your project.