NEWSLETTER
ISSUE 1
September 2013
Welcome.
Hello everyone andwelcome to issue 1 of
the new and improved PSSA Newsletter
With increased activity going through the
verification scheme and the PSSA growing
in notoriety it was decided that the PSSA
needed to improve the way it markets itself.
The
Newsletter
will
be
published quarterly and is intended to
inform the members of developments
with the verification scheme and other
regulatory news but also give general
interest on success stories, opportuni-
ties and information around the industry.
To this end, and with more features in
the pipeline, we need your news; so have
you a project or product development
you are particularly proud of? Have you
tales of woe or caution you think your
fellow member’s should be aware of?
Has your company been involved in a
human interest story e.g. charity work?
Furthermore; the PSSA is looking for
more members as our strength is in
the breadth and depth of our member-
ship and the products that are verified.
If you know of any companies who may
benefit from joining the PSSA let us know
- contact details can be found on page 6.
John Wood (Editor/Tata Steel Projects)
Interview with...
the Chairman , Laurence Goode
As Chairman of the PSSA, I believe there
are two main facets; facilitator and
ambassador. The first to ensure all
What does your role in the
organisation involve?
My whole working life has been in security, a significant part in the USA.
Perhaps some of the most interesting projects were for U.S. prisons; very
scary places, and with completely different issues to be solved where the
aim is to keep a large number of very determined people in, and control
their movements around a site, rather than defend against an external threat.
Where have you previously worked?
Whats your vision for PSSA over the next year/ 3 years/ 5years?
While it has been extremely hard, I believe that tackling the hardest job
first; getting the Verification Schemes up and running means we have the
fundamentals right to gather some real momentum in the right direction.
The focus now moves onto providing our members with some real value in
terms of information and benefits, growing the membership, developing the
adoption of Verification across the industry, and with this credibility starting
to become a voice for where our industry goes, and how it raises standards
over time. Over the next 5 years, and based on growing interest already being
seen from around the world, I can now see the PSSA becoming international-
ly recognised as a key improvement driver and ambassador for our industry
Something to give some
immediate results while I got
larger issues underway; raise
motorway speed limits in clear
weather (balanced by reduc-
tion to pedestrian speeds near
schools and high risk areas) while
raising penalties for lane hog-
ging. Also there must be some
simple ways of spreading the
use of all our infrastructure more
evenly through the day; I’m sure
that many jams and bottlenecks
are caused simply since everyone
wants to use roads and transport
at such narrow peak times.
Whats the first thing you would do if you were prime minister?
What would people be surprised to
learn about you?
I trained very early to be a classical violinist
but in my late teens completely gave up
music and took a (late) apprenticeship in
electronics in the security industry. I
studiedwithaprofessorattheRoyalNorthern
College of Music. I still have a love of classical
musicbutalsolikeawholerangeofgenre.DoI ever regret not continuing a career in mu-
sic? Sometimes……., but I think maybe my
boss and some who work for me do more! .
councils’ views are properly considered, these represent all mem-
bers’ interests, and to push for forward progress based on common
consensus. The second to ensure the clearest message gets out, and
the maximum feedback comes back, to and from the most relevant
audience; specifiers, end users, governments, regulators, and new prospective
members. The first task I have definitely found a lot harder than the second!