ACS Assessor Guide - Security Industry Authority

ACS Assessor GuideSection 4 – Criterion Specific Guidelines: Criteria 55.2 An SIA Approved Contractor can demonstrate that it has the required premises, procedures and equipment to conduct business effectively.5.2.3 Control rooms/response rooms are designed, fitted and equipped in a manner appropriate to purpose.Please refer to the Glossary in section 5, for a definition of: Control room Response roomClarification:The requirements for a ‘control room’ in terms of the manned guarding, key holding andCCTV sectors are clearly laid down in the relevant British Standards. For other sectors thespecifications of a control room do not have to be so stringent. For example, the ‘controlroom’ for sectors such as Door Supervision and Vehicle Immobilisation could simply be anarea within the ‘head office’ where phone calls from operatives are taken. However it mustbe ‘fit for purpose’. Given the definition of a control room in the glossary the assessor needsto make a judgement call, if the facilities being used by the applicant organisation, aresufficient given the size and nature of the business.This is of particular importance where the applicant organisation conducts their businesssolely through a mobile phone, as is the case for some Vehicle Immobilisation companies.The assessor must be satisfied that the procedures in place are adequate to ensure the safetyof employees in an emergency situation, that issues can be recorded and monitored.Assessors will need to ensure that where companies outsource their control room theyensure it is adequate equipped and operated. This could be achieved through second partyaudit, management visits or through purchase of accredited control room services, forexample.Linkages with other Indicators:1.2.3 Procedures have been defined to ensure compliance to working standards or ‘codes ofpractice’ and are fully implemented.2.2.1 There is a sound plan to ensure continuity of service delivery.2.4.3 Defined and implemented incident procedures exist.2.4.5 Procedures exist to ensure the attendance of employees on customer sites.6.3.3 A health and safety policy and supporting procedures exist and are implemented.6.1.9 Roles and responsibilities are defined for all employees.6.2.2 All employees are trained to the required standard.7.1.1 Leaders can demonstrate, relevant to sector, knowledge of the legislative framework,common law, working practice, and industry standards/codes of practice.7.1.2 Leaders are involved in the development and implementation of all policies andprocedures.9.6.1 The regular review of performance against success factors and key financial indicatorscritical to the business.Ref: ISO9001; BS7958; BS7499; BS7984109The contents of this publication are copyright ©2013 Security Industry Authority, all rights reserved. No part of the contents may be reproduced or transmitted in any form, by any means without prior written permission of the copyright owner.