Physical Intervention: The SIA and home office praised for fair decision:
Prior to the update of Security Industry qualifications, in particular with reference to close protection the SIA in consultation with public and private stakeholders were advised by many that there are concerns over the potential monopolization of ths subject in order for trainers and centres to comply. There was already companies who pre-empted the government’s decisions by recommending their own courses prior to the SIA actually announcing the new NCF listed specification. A key request during consultation was that centres should be able to gain Physical Intervention Trainer qualifications via their own awarding bodies and not through any organizations specifically partnering with the sector skills council. The SIA have honoured this request and as a result a level playing field has been created.
Moving forward: The industry experienced many different suggestions and approaches to what constitute acceptable practice in physical intervention, for trainers, instructor trainers and candidates. We are of the opinion that there has to three separate categories in terms of activities that are should be differentiated, being conflict management, physical intervention and self defence tactics and our approach would be to clearly define the differences.
AAB Training offers a physical intervention instructor training couse (level 3, SIA compliant) which will enable centres and instructors to continue to offer SIA Security Training in a compliant manner.
Solutions are also in place for physical intervention and first aid / AED refresher training courses for both train the trainer candidates and door supervisors working in the field, hosted at our UK wide dedicated training centres.
Extending core principles and values:
Based on feedback that are already positive on the basis of trials conducted over the last 12 months, we anticipate that once the first wave of trained individuals enters the workplace operating to a new set of occupational standards in physical intervention, that the public will be safer as a result and that the principle might extend into other areas such a security guarding where it could be argued that there is a void or skills gap when compared with the new Door Supervisors post June 2010.
Physical intervention and self defence – Differentiation?
With the launching of the new Physical intervention train the trainer course (SIA) (level 3) and the inclusion of a physical intervention module for Duur Supervisors Level2 – one of the most common issues are that public perception, due to a lack of knowledge are not yet differentiating between physical intervention and self defence. Whereas a variety of theoretical models exist, Physical intervention is thought of and practiced as a series of safe techniques followed by trained individuals after conducting a risk assessment, thus a voluntary reaction based on training and underlying principles, whereas self defence might not necessarily depend on the risk assessment of the situation and available assistance, but rather a reaction by the individual in response to any particular situation that may require such the use of self defence. The proactive train of thought is that the management of risk includes assigning members of staff sufficiently trained, available to carry out co-ordinated physical intervention which may in turn avoid the need for self defence in theory. The key concern to any individual involved in such activities is whether any actions are defendable in a court of law. Sufficient legal cases exist, which will be referred to during your physical intervention level 2 and 3 (trainer) course.