SIA Security Industry Authority

By: A. Davis

The SIA, or Security Industry Authority is responsible for regulating all private security jobs in the UK. The SIA has set out to keep the private security industry safe, and up to the high standards that industry needs to be held to.

Back in 2001, the Private Security Industry Act was passed, and, among other things, it gave birth to the SIA. The SIA holds a number of specific duties. The main purpose of the SIA is to maintain a high standard of quality within the private security industry, and they do this through a strict licensing system. Anyone working in private security in the UK needs an SIA license, and every private security company needs to be SIA approved. The SIA also monitors the effectiveness of both workers and companies in the private security industry by conducting regular inspections to ensure that everything is being done as it should.

The SIA is also responsible for setting, and approving a variety of industry standards. The SIA has set firm guidelines for training, conduct, and supervision of employees by management. In other words, the SIA has put in place standards to help the private security industry to be as efficient, and effective as they can be, all the while maintaining quality standards that ensure safety and security for both security industry workers, and the public as a whole.

In order to keep their high standards in place, the SIA requires all security industry workers to get SIA licensed. This includes any and all employees and contractors responsible for things like guarding money and valuables in transit, CCTV operators, door supervisors, close protection, and operating as security guards. In other words, if your job involves guarding, or protecting something, or someone, chances are you’re going to need an SIA license.

The SIA requires a small fee, and a great deal of training in exchange for an SIA license. That license can, and will be revoked if, at any time you fail to meet their standards. As long as you’re living up to SIA standards, your license will remain valid for three years, at which point, you’ll have the option of renewing it.

Any company wishing to take private security contracts must first get SIA approval. Once a company has gotten SIA approval, they can advertise their SIA approved status, in order to acknowledge their compliance with SIA standards. Should a contractor be found to be in violation of SIA guidelines, they can be removed from the approval scheme.

So, in a nutshell, the SIA regulates the private security industry from top to bottom. Any person or company wishing to operate in the private security sector has to get SIA approval, and they also have to maintain the high standards set forth by the SIA in order to keep working in private security.

If you’re interested in a job in private security, you’re going to have to deal with the SIA quite a bit. From getting licensed to getting inspected regularly, the SIA will be there every step of the way along your career path helping to keep you, and the rest of the private security industry operating both effectively and efficiently. Working in private security can be extremely rewarding, but you’ll have to meet the high standards set by the SIA before you can reap any of those rewards.

Article Source: http://www.howtobecome.info/articles/


Author Resource: If you would like to work in the security industry and need more information about how to become a security officer, CCTV operator or you want to know how to become a door supervisor then visit also Career Forum.