The Association of Austrian Security Companies (VSÖ) expressly welcomes the amendment to the trade regulations for security employees presented on Monday by the Federal Ministry of the Interior and the Federal Ministry of Labor and Economic Affairs. The draft provides, among other things, for ongoing security checks, uniform standards for quality and training, the introduction of officially approved ID cards and the establishment of a central database. All demands that the VSÖ has brought to politics since 2013.
“We are pleased that after intensive discussions in which Mag. Martin Wiesinger as chairman of the specialist group of security service providers in the VSÖ and as deputy federal chairman. Security industry in the trade association of commercial service providers of the WKO together with other experts from the WKO was involved in a leading role, the legal amendment of the professional law has now been initiated. This will make Austria safer,” said Robert Grabovszki, Secretary General of the VSÖ.
The amendment includes significant improvements:
- Uniform training standards: Since 2001, the eight member companies of the VSÖ, which represent two thirds of the domestic security market, have been committed to high training standards. The amendment now anchors quality requirements uniformly throughout Austria for all employees of all security companies.
- Expedited and traceable background checks: The checks carried out by the Ministry of the Interior should be completed within a maximum of seven days, which represents a significant reduction compared to previous practice.
- Improved control options through the introduction of an ID card to be worn: If employees in the security industry have successfully completed the mandatory basic training and at the same time have a positive result of the official background check, a specially set up registration office will issue officially approved ID cards in the future, which the employees must visibly wear while on duty. This makes it very easy for organizers, clients or the executive to check whether the security body used meets the legal requirements (trained and reliable).
“The VSÖ has done considerable preparatory work in recent years to improve training and quality assurance in the security industry. However, Austria still lags behind in European comparison. In many other countries, specific minimum requirements for the duration of training have already been set. With the new amendment we now have the chance to catch up and establish internationally competitive standards.”
The VSÖ sees the amendment as a significant step forward for the security industry in Austria and as a decisive contribution to increasing public safety. “Security through education is our strong motive. The new regulation ensures that the high standards that we have promoted for years are now implemented across the board,” concluded the Secretary General.
About the VSÖ
The VSÖ is an independent association of companies and institutions founded in 1975 that deal with security in all forms. The VSÖ pursues the goal of further increasing the quality of security products and security services in Austria. This is done by creating guidelines for high-quality safety, approving products and services that comply with these guidelines and by checking correct compliance with national and international norms, regulations and quality standards in Austria. With its expertise, the VSÖ contributes to improving the general safety of member companies, customers and society.
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