RWE npower
Services
Security personnel; Access and egress control; CCTV monitoring; Foot and vehicle patrols; Visitor liaison.
What was our client looking for?
RWE npower needed a company who could provide them with an integrated security solution to secure their power stations including Great Yarmouth, Little Barford and Staythorpe 24 hours a day. We have previously worked with RWE npower on their corporate locations across the country; however the power stations have different risks and security needs.
Staythorpe is a gas-fired station, and is one of the most efficient and largest gas plants in the UK. We were awarded the contract in August 2010 and began working on the bespoke security plan in September 2010. The client required the officers to begin on 15 October for CCTV monitoring, patrolling, visitor liaison and much more.
Due to the tight timescales a strict and precise, six week mobilisation plan was developed. As this was a new power station, there were no TUPE transfers; all of the officers needed interviewing, recruiting and providing with training within the six week period.
Client management had set personnel standards in the contract; officers had to be specialised, proactive, professional, polite and highly presentable. They knew it was important to have the right people for the job and not simply any security guard we could recruit. Therefore, a joint decision was made between the client and us to have an extra week of mobilisation to make sure we had the right calibre of personnel working on the contract.
How did we help?
Due to the nature of the industry the client operates in, some of the risks they face include potential terrorist threats, protests from activist groups, theft and vandalism. To combat these risks an in-depth security plan was created.
The security gatehouse is at the entrance to the site. This is where the security personnel are based, manning the reception and monitoring CCTV. The officers provide complete control of access and egress to client staff, contractors and visitors. The site became fully operational in November 2010, however there are still a significant amount of construction contractors on site, which our officers control access for.
Staythorpe Power Station is set in 153 acres, which is frequently patrolled both on foot and by vehicle. This limits the risk of intruders on site. The site has a new state of the art CCTV system and Perimeter Intruder Detection system, with record and play back, and automatic camera switch and zoom. Monitoring and patrolling will reduce the risk of large scale protests, theft and vandalism, as their presence will act as a deterrent. Our officers also provide the client with other duties around the site.
The gatehouse is the only way in and out of the site, therefore it is appropriate for our officers to conduct duties such as site incident reporting, fire panel monitoring and intruder detection system monitoring, and vehicle and personnel searches.
Once the security team was recruited, they began training. Due to contract deadline, we created a unique, one week training programme which included client site inductions, training and site familiarisation, terrorist awareness, health and safety, and much more.
The supervisors and manager also attended a three day MITIE leadership course. The client and officers commented on how beneficial the training week was; as they developed new skills personally and as a team, working together to help each other resolve issues.
The results
The client is very satisfied with the performance of the contract to date, and there are good, open lines of communication which means if there are any problems, they get dealt with straight away.
The management team at RWE npower had its own requirements, however they were open to any suggestions we had. We are working together to make sure RWE npower is getting exactly what it needs from our security team.
We will continue to develop the security strategy as the contract progresses, which is inevitable due to the complexity of the site. The client has stated that they are very happy with the service we provide, and are looking forward to the future.