The National Security Inspectorate (NSI) has brought out a new Code of Practice (NCP 119) for the ‘Provision of Labour in the Security and Events Sectors’. NSI is now accepting applications from labour provision and guarding services providers.
The NSI says that the new code is there to enable companies providing labour to security companies to show best practice by holding independent certification in the scope of ‘provision of labour in the security and events sector’, having been audited against the requirements of NCP 119.
As the Maidenhead-based certification body says, commercial providers of guarding staff routinely scale up resources, when required, for a variety of duties such as the protection and safety of public events. This operational procurement of extra, sub-contracted labour can pose a variety of risks: public safety, unwelcome scope for worker exploitation, and bringing the industry into disrepute if poorly managed, prejudicing the integrity of the supply chain.
Such risks posed by guarding services firms using agency labour were enough to warrant NSI developing this code; the aim, mitigating these risks for the buyers of security services.
NCP 119 will become mandatory for NSI Guarding Gold and Silver approved companies from December 31, 2021. Buyers will have assurance that their security guarding providers are of a suitable standard, operate as responsible employers and so minimise the security risk associated with labour provision (sometimes referred to as agency labour), the inspectorate says.
The scope of NCP 119 covers all labour provision to companies operating in the regulated security and events sector. By definition, the term “labour provision” used in the code applies to activities which are described as bought-in-labour, licensed or unlicensed, as well as labour employed and/or supplied by a third party to temporarily supplement the contracting company’s own workforce.
NCP 119’s requirements include measures related to best practice in terms of organisational structure, finances, payroll, insurance and premises. Also covered: personnel, sale of services, operations and documentation and record-keeping. Under personnel comes recruitment, training, employee terms and conditions, and uniforms.
Margaret Durr, NSI’s Head of Field Operations (Services), pictured, said: “NSI is pleased to be launching this new Code to which approval by supply chain partners demonstrates to buyers of services a commitment to meeting statutory and legislative requirements, as well as meeting certain relevant environmental, social and governance criteria in the provision of services delivered.
“Companies procuring additional labour to support service delivery on their contracts can, in future, demonstrate commitment to best practice by being third party certificated to this Code, providing evidence for clients in their supply chain their provider has been independently audited against the requirements of NCP 119. The Code will help shield NSI approved companies and their clients from those risks, and contribute to the safety and security of the public.”
To find out more about and apply for approval to the new Code of Practice, email the NSI Applications team at [email protected].
