Legislative issues Supplier selection
To assist buyers, there are several key aspects of any approval to be considered. Does the prospective provider hold:
1. Appropriate approval for the service being offered? Ensure the organisation holds the relevant certification in relation to the services being offered. For example, the competences and approvals required to install an alarm system are very different to those for fixed gaseous fire suppression systems. This can be readily checked with the certification body itself if there is any doubt.
2. An approval based on a regular independent audit? To maintain approval, an organisation should be subject to ongoing regular annual or twice yearly audits (or more, depending on the size, complexity and scope of approval – some liken this to an MOT). An improvement notice may be issued during an audit for each process, competency or customer service procedure that is not completely compliant. This requires the company to show root cause analysis and monitoring of effective, corrective action, and evidences a cycle of continuous improvement that would be difficult to prove otherwise. Service providers risk losing approval if they are unable to show evidence and adapt as required to achieve compliance.
3. An approval granted by a UKAS accredited certification body? UKAS accreditation demonstrates competence, impartiality and performance capability on the part of the body issuing the approval. In short, UKAS ‘checks the checkers’ with their own regular rigorous audit programme. Check for the UKAS logo being displayed (there are online resources that can provide more information on UKAS’ activities3
). Food for thought
Security and fire standards are important, but a further element that is having an increasing impact is the corporate management framework, that is, how the business itself is managed. This includes quality management, environmental
FOCUS
management, and health and safety – all of which are also subject to standards, with ISO 9001 being perhaps the most widely recognised. Working to these standards is playing an
important part in raising levels of professionalism within the sector. For a long time, NSI has realised the value of joined up assessments of an organisation’s management system with technical or product standards. NSI approved companies benefit from an
integrated audit regime which is delivered by multi skilled, scheme of management systems standards in the fire safety and security sectors – benefits which might be described as ‘the complete package’
Richard Jenkins is chief executive of NSI. For more information, view page 5
References 1. HM Government – Fire Safety in the Home –
https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/ government/uploads/system/uploads/ attachment_data/file/564803/Fire-Safety- in-the-Home.pdf
2. London Fire Brigade – Fire Safety Guidance Note GN71: Guide to Applicants for Premises Licences and Club Premises Certificates under the Licensing Act 2003 – https://www.
london-fire.gov.uk/media/1796/gn_71_lf_ format.pdf
3. UKAS – Accreditation: Delivering Confidence in Everyday Life –
www.youtube.com/ watch?v=gBQV2A-M45c
www.frmjournal.com SEPTEMBER 2018 39
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