NSI has developed the first Code of Practice for the design, installation and maintenance of scaffold alarms. Code of Practice NCP 115 has the potential to radically improve the security of 
buildings in vulnerable circumstances and significantly raise standards in this niche security sector.
The installation of scaffold alarms is a growing market, but to date has never been the subject of any form of self regulation or industry-specific standards. The NSI Code will provide a valuable aid for those with a vested interest in the security of buildings or the reduction of accidents, such as the Insurance and Health & Safety sectors respectively, to help mitigate risk during periods of vulnerability when repair or restoration work on a property is being carried out.
When widely adopted, the NSI Code will help tackle malpractice and raise standards within the scaffold security sector by becoming the industry benchmark. The NSI Code stipulates appropriate measures are put in place to ensure scaffold alarms are installed in a consistent manner which take into consideration the potential risks and areas of weakness. The benefits are likely to be far reaching; regardless of whether a building is domestic or commercial, vacant or occupied, contracting an installer who complies with the NSI Code will provide the consumer with the reassurance that the vulnerability of their property (and properties within close proximity) and the assets within, are appropriately protected during periods of building, renovation, maintenance or repair.
Commenting on this key industry development, Chris Pinder, NSI External Affairs Director stated “Certificating installers of scaffold alarm systems marks a new era for NSI. NSI has undertaken a pilot phase during which time we have been working with a prominent scaffold security provider who has been robustly tested against the Code’s requirements. Scaffolding Alarm Systems will be an additional scope of approval within our certification schemes for installers of electronic security systems and a public announcement regarding the first approved installing company will be issued in the very near future”.
For those wishing to receive more details on NSI Code of Practice NCP 115, please e-mail [email protected]
No need for NSI to get involved in scaffold alarms! I’ve been in the scaffold alarm trade nearly 10 years and not once have i been asked for SSAIB approval and i can safely say i will never be asked for NSI approval either! Insurance companies only ask that you use your common sense and take the adequate steps to prevent the scaffold from being used as a climbing frame by opportunists. This means using a reputable company with experience and only using industry standard equipment, ie external IR beams etc. The fact that NSI have got involved just means that the big boys in the industry jump on the band wagon and get accredited, pay the NSI probably £1K – £2K a year and in turn the big boys will up the price the scaffolders and construction companies pay for the alarms. I have seen all these bold claims by the scaffold alarm company involved and the NSI but i promise you these claims are exaggerated and simply trying to make people believe that unless your alarm is supplied by and NSI or SSAIB approved company you are not covered legally or in the eyes of the insurance companies??? this is definately not the case!
They fail to mention that the so called NSI approved company can send anybody out to site to fit the alarms, this could be a bus driver or KFC worker!!! each individual is not tested or inspected!
Stick to the hardworking original family run companies that charge a lot less, have more experience and use better equipment!!! as we are all working to tight profit margins in the scaffolding and construction industry anyway who needs some worthless certificate at the end of every installation???? not my customer’s that’s for sure!!!
Been happen in edinburgh for a while cctv aswell
No !!! But I have seen a couple of alarmed ones in Beverly town centre on banks !!!