In light of new security legislation the role of facilities managers in implementing, managing and maintaining security levels and procedures has never been more important. fmME brings you best practice advice and top tips…Security is a critical component of facilities management. That the Abu Dhabi government introduced compulsory licencing for security companies, concurrent with legislation stipulating a minimum wage for guards, should help to stabilise procurement of security services.
The minimum wage is reported to be around AED2,000, while previously guards were being paid anything in the region of AED800 to AED1,500. As for the number of operators and personnel, there are currently 400 security companies in the UAE employing 30,000 guards, of which only 11 are licensed.
“The new legislation is good for the security industry and facilities management. As you can see the figures mentioned reveal an appalling ratio,” notes Saif Belhasa, security manager, ServeU, the FM full service provider.
Many believe security is an industry that needs regulating. By making all the companies LLC registered means security will no longer be an element of the service provision by some FM companies – it will have to be outsourced to an entirely separate entity. “It will sort the wheat from the chaff and set a benchmark,” says Belhasa. “Any move in legislation that creates a level playing field and ups standards has to be good for all concerned.”
Common sense recruiting
Abdil Abdel-Hadi, managing director, Shield Security Services, suggests there’s a tendency to recruit staff on the basis of their skills to perform a particular job, with little attention being paid to personal attributes such as commitment, loyalty and trustworthiness, he says. “These aspects of personnel selection only come to the fore when the damage is done, as the result of recruiting staff about whom very little is actually known.
“Therefore it is necessary to draw up a vetting procedure to confirm job applicants’ background details, credibility and references. It may also be necessary to carry out background checks with the police and academic establishments. This is common sense recruiting, but it doesn’t always happen,” says Abdel-Hadi.
Psychometric assessment is now commonly used as a vetting procedure, and can be invaluable in identifying individuals who, although well qualified, may be lacking in personality aspects such as temperament, attitude, emotional stability and reliability. These are all vital traits as security is often the customer’s first point of contact.
Sourcing guarding services
Before you begin sourcing guarding services you need to ask the following questions:
• If you are dissatisfied with your current service, analyse the reasons why. Little would be gained from changing one unsatisfactory service or supplier for a similar one
• Who will the security officers’ on-site customer representative be (who will they report to?)
• Will the security team require its own on-site infrastructure? (It is generally accepted that, if there is more than one officer on duty at any given time, then one should be designated as team leader and therefore accountable and responsible.)
• Have you discussed similar contracts with your peers? What was their experience? Can you learn anything from them?
Procurement process
Specific requirements:
• Details of approved licence (copy of certificate enclosed)
• Details of security officers’ training process (including syllabus)
• Details of staff turnover for the last three years
• Ask for quality qualifications i.e ISO
PPQ evaluation
Your pre-qualification question must be consistent and auditable. On completion of the PPQ stage you should offer quantative feedback to suppliers promptly advising them of their score
Invitation to tender
Invite 3 – 5 companies to tender. Consider your tender specification carefully and include enough information on your security policy to allow bidders to draft a set of assignment instructions
For more info visit: www.securityconsultants.org.uk
Systems technology
Scott Etess, general manager at Idesco, the integrated security solutions provider, says personnel technology training is a must.
“Yes, training is highly recommended. Prior to completing an installation and turning the system over to the customer to use, we provide extensive training to those persons who will be using the system. Would you hand the keys to your new car to someone who doesn’t know how to drive?”
Confidentiality
During their term of employment security personnel will be exposed to confidential, business critical information. Employees’ contracts need to address the protection of information assets during and after a period of employment to minimise potential data leakage.
“Typical techniques by potential employers to gain competitive advantage include probing questions about a previous role at interview,” points out Abdel-Hadi. “It then becomes necessary for FMs to be proactive and remind staff contractual obligations to not divulge sensitive information.”
Conversely, when interviewing, FMs should devote a portion of the contract to security, health and safety. “This is to ensure employees are aware the organisation takes this matter seriously, and that any potential damage or disruption to the business as a result of breaches of rules and procedures could prove to be a costly exercise. Not forgetting criminal convictions and heavy fines,” explains Abdel-Hadi.
Challenging environments
“There are numerous differences between say securing retail, corporate or healthcare facilities, and there is no set formula,” says Etess. “Each location and business need is different, and because of this plans are drawn-up specifically for the installation in question.”
The key to installing an integrated system that keeps employees, patients, students or sports fans safe, but does not impeded normal activity, is to integrate facilities managers at the design stage, says Etess. “Yes, we view facilities managers as the main point of contact from the design stage to lifecycle maintenance of the systems.
Facilities managers have an innate knowledge of their facility. It makes sense to harness this knowledge from stage one of any development, its attendent integrated building management and systems to ensure operational continuity.
This environment calls for a different approach to security. Hospital facilities managers base their security decisions on law, costs, fear of litigation, and to protect their facility’s reputation. In addition, the critical assets of a hospital – its people, property, data and – must be protected and secured to ensure continuity and the bottom line. Main threats in a hospital environment:
• High-value equipment
• Accessibility to drugs
• Number of entrances
• Ease-of-movement
• Insider/employee theft
• Visitor thefts
• Threats against patients or staff
• Crimes of opportunity Countermeasures in a hospital environment:
• Begin by listing the departments, reviewing the business culture of the hospital, determining the threat levels in each department, interviewing department heads about threats and crime, and planning possible countermeasures for each department
• In the second instance develop a master plan. Then review it against a ‘reality check’ before creating the tools that will be needed to implement it. Don’t forget you have options in security…
• High-tech: alarm systems, access control systems, photo identification, CCTV, two-way voice communications and weapons screening systems, patient locators, video pursuit software, delayed egress hardware, active asset control systems, enterprise-wide systems, digital video and pager alarms
• Low-tech: Locks, barriers, good lighting and landscaping
• No-tech: training and supervision keep policies and procedures live. Programmes help promote staff security awareness. Anonymous telephone number for reporting crimes and slips in security
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