Confidential Incident Reporting & Analysis System for the rail industry

As A. A. Security is due to be assessed for competency related to supplying the Rail Industry, we are now obliged to advise our employees of CIRAS, a scheme that is designed to make health and safety reporting more conjusive to our employees:

CIRAS is the Confidential Incident Reporting & Analysis System for the rail industry. It is an alternative way for anyone working on or around the railway to report safety concerns that they feel unable to report through company safety channels. It is an independent and confidential way to report safety concerns without fear of recrimination.

All Railway Group member companies, including train and freight operating companies, Network Rail, contractors and LUL are enrolled in the system so it is available to all rail personnel.

CIRAS collects information from railway personnel on safety concerns and incidents that may not be captured in other ways. It aims to improve understanding of what goes wrong when incidents and accidents happen on the railways. Whether you are frontline staff or a manager in a rail company this site should be of interest to you.

You can now contact CIRAS by calling Freephone 0800 4 101 101, writing to Freepost CIRAS or texting 07507 285887 (standard text rates apply).

Further details can be found by clicking the link below:

http://www.ciras.org.uk/

Mayor's London Green Procurement Code - will we get it?

A.A. Security is committed to providing and constantly improving the sustainability of our Business. As a consequence we applied for the Mayors of London's Green Procurement code to further improve the environmental dimension of our overall business practice and in particular sustainable procurement. Read more about the code by clicking (Here)

Yesterday from 14:00 - 17:00 we were assessed by Ben Snowden from the consultants involved in auditing us for the Accreditation. He was impressed with our endeavours and will shortly be producing a report that will decided on the success of our application. For those of you who our unaware of our Green credentials I remind you that we named a " Green Enterprise" by our local Yellow Advertiser Paper, impressed by our exemplary Green Practice.

Moreover, we were also highly commended in the ECOVATE Environmental Awards 2010 who annually audit our green performance and advise us on legislative change, further improvement programmes and we also gain annual training on green improvement.

We are one of few security organisations with BS EN ISO 140001 accreditation which requires formation, of an environmental strategy, monitoring and evaluation and requires an annual external audit of the same for holders. Learn more about the Environmental Management system by clicking (here).

I include an excerpt fron our Environmental Manual that details our Environmental Policy:

4.2 Environmental Policy

Summary of Requirements:

Top management must define an Environmental Policy and ensure that, within the defined scope of its environmental management system, it:

a) Directly relates to the environmental impacts of the Organisation's scope of activities, products and services
b) Takes into account the nature and magnitude of all such environmental impacts
c) Commits the Organisation to take all reasonable steps to prevent pollution
d) Commits the Organisation to continually seek improvements in its Environmental Management System
e) Commits the Organisation to compliance with all relevant legal requirements
f) Provides a framework for setting and reviewing environmental objectives and establishes time frames for their achievement
g) Is documented, put into practice and sustained
h) Is introduced to all persons working for or on behalf of the Organisation
i) Can be accessed by the public


STATEMENT

1. A.A. Security Limited (the ‘Organisation’) recognises the importance of environmental protection and is committed to operating its business responsibly and in compliance with all legal requirements relating to the provision of manned guarding, mobile patrols, keyholding/alarm response, store detectives and security services. It is the Organisation’s declared policy to operate with and to maintain good relations with all regulatory bodies.

It is the Organisation’s objective to carry out all measures reasonably practicable to meet, exceed or develop all necessary or desirable requirements and to continually improve environmental performance through the implementation of the following:

a) Assess and regularly re-assess the environmental effects of the Organisation’s activities
b) Training of employees in environmental issues
c) Minimise the production of waste
d) Minimise material wastage
e) Minimise energy wastage
f) Promote the use of recyclable and renewable materials
g) Reduce and/or limit the production of pollutants to water, land and air
h) Control noise emissions from operations
i) Minimise the risk to the general public and employees from operations and activities undertaken by the Organisation
This Policy is communicated to all employees, suppliers and sub-contractors and is made available to the public.

Kazakhstan Embassy

An immaculate and prestigious building adding to our list of high profile clientele

Yesterday we were informed that we have been chosen to protect the Kazakhstan Embassy in the UK. This recent success adds to securing a further two years on our Brent Council Security contract confirmed in November. It seems that we have survived the recession and that we are entering a period of growth.


SGP are now providing us with additional work and we are tendering for a new long term NHS contract in Southampton for SGP too!


This year we also secured a contract with NACRO in Newbury and a property management company in Stevenage. All these contracts are permanent sites and 2010 will go down as one of our more favourable years in recent times.

From A.A. Security we wish you all a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Able Smith House - from strength to strength!

We are proud to announce that we have secured a new contract with a new client to protect the prestigious Able Smith House in Stevenage. The property is part of a large complex owned by our clients of which part is leased on a long term agreement to Stevenage Council.

This site as it stands will be a permanent feature of the A.A. Security portfolio for as long as officers are able to provide a high calibre service. With this in mind, knowing how we operate I can only see that this contract is ours for a very long period indeed.

The contract is to begin on the 1st August 2010 and preparations are already in place for a smooth transition. We will report on progress at this site some time in the new year.

Freedom Fighters

Crime Reduction Charity - chooses A.A. Security for protection of its property!

Nacro a charity whose main aim is to reduce crime have selected A.A. Security for the protection of one of their buildings. The contract which started in February is one of the first large contracts that we have secured this year.

Nacro are a large established group and from their website I include their main aims:

"Nacro reduces crime by changing lives. We work with young people at risk of getting caught up in crime and with offenders to help them participate positively in society.

Our vision is of a safer, more inclusive society. To achieve that, we want to see comprehensive preventive and resettlement services available across England and Wales. Helping people access basic services, such as housing and education, and providing opportunities for rehabilitation offer them the best possible chance of turning their lives around.

Our services tackle the social causes of crime and deal with offenders and ex-offenders in ways that are most likely to prevent or stop antisocial behaviour and offending. We encourage people to take responsibility for their own lives and aim to involve those using our services in their development.

We draw on our expertise and experience to campaign for change. We lobby for a more integrated, joined-up approach to reducing offending, and to persuade policy makers that changing lives really is the most effective way to tackle crime."

The contract is a permanent contract and we hope to challenge for the protection of more of their premises portfolio over the next few years.

This contract is a partnership between a crime prevention charity and a crime prevention partner!

Wilson Chowdhry will speak to 25,000 people at IFSEC Conference and Exhibition!

IFSEC is the world's leading global annual security event, uniting over 25,000 security professionals with more than 600 world leading companies. The exhibition also boasts a comprehensive educational programme. The event will run for 3 days from the 10-12 May 2010 and entry is free.

At the event series of conference modules are presented alongside the exhibition which delegates can attend to keep up-to-date with key issues, hear the very latest in legislative and technological developments, and share best practice.

Wilson Chowdhry the Vice Chair has been invited to give a presentation on on 11th May 2010 about corporate security. Wilson's session begins at 15:05 and he will be joined by the following speakers inter alia;

• Neil Stansfield, OSCT Deputy Director for Science & Technology, The Home Office
• Chris Phillips GCGI, MSyI., DCI Head of The National Counter Terrorism Security Office (NaCTSO)
• Simon Whitehorn, Security Management Specialist, Birmingham and Solihull Mental Health Foundation Trust
• John Shaw, Managing Director Police Support Services, G4S
• Steve Kemsley, Head of Industry Engagement, Olympic & Paralympic Security Directorate
• Mike Hurst, Vice Chairman – Strategy, ASIS International Chapter 208
• Don Randall MBE, Head of Security, Bank of England
• Paul Mackie, Compliance Director, Camerawatch Ltd
• Jonas Andersson, Axis Communications & Chairman of Steering Committee, ONVIF

[These are but a few of the guest speakers to the event we will provide a more comprehensive list once the organisers have completed the schedule.]

The topics Wilson will be covering as part of his presentation include:

15:05 Prioritising and contingency planning
Managing risk and ensuring you are focusing on the right priorities
Planning for essential business continuity and crisis management on a budget
Taking a holistic approach to corporate security

Learn more about the event here:

http://www.ifsec.co.uk/

The event organisers said;

"Thank you so much for your call today letting me know that you have agreed to speak at the IFSEC conference this year. I am thrilled that you would like to participate in the conference and I can therefore confirm your involvement as a speaker at 15:05 on 11th May 2010."