THE PRIVATE SECURITY INDUSTRY ACT 2001 is now becoming a reality for many practitioners, and that pressure can only increase with time. Suppliers and clients alike will soon need to address significant cost increases in the areas of licensing and, in particular, training.

The actual cost of a Security Industry Authority licence is still to be confirmed, but should be somewhere between £150 and £190. Question is, who will pay?

For employees, the likely cost is – for the majority – more than half a week's wage (depending on their locality).

The guarding companies? It has already been reported that 15 of the UK's foremost contractors do not actually make any money!

Clients? Given that security officers – if unlicensed – will not be able to perform their duties, who knows?

No doubt a solution will be found.

Add to this the cost of moving from a two/three-day to a five-day training regime, the implications of time and attendance allowances and the cost of extra trainers to meet current needs and future churn, and the challenge before us becomes all-too-readily apparent.

The BSIA's Manned Security Section will be working hard to help all those involved in successfully embracing that challenge. Not with words. Not with smokescreens, but simply embracing reality as it dawns for all – security officers, clients and guarding companies alike.

Source

SMT

Postscript

Tony O'Neil is chairman of the BSIA's Manned Security Section, and UK managing director of Initial Security