TPS hosts security seminar in London

The UK Government’s recent security review by Lord West has increased the emphasis placed on protective security measures to protect crowded places, the built environment, transportation and critical national infrastructure.

With this in mind, TPS hosted a breakfast seminar in February which examined this latest thinking and looked at best practice for the protection of buildings and occupiers from the risk of terrorism. 

The event, held in the City of London, was attended by senior staff from a number of blue chip corporations, architects, developers and other people with an interest in the protection of the built environment. The press were also represented by Frank Gardner OBE, the BBC’s security correspondent, Brian Sims, editor of Security Management Today, and Stephen Kennet, a technical editor with Building Magazine.

The seminar was introduced by Mark Whyte, the TPS Security Consultancy director, and chaired by Patrick Mercer, OBE MP, who was a member of Lord West’s review team. He spoke of his frustrations as the former shadow Homeland Secretary trying to persuade the Government that counter terrorism measures can be effective and he also described the fascination of the work undertaken by Lord West’s team. He reiterated his belief that much remains to be done to combat the continuing terrorist threat, which security experts believe is likely to exist for many years to come.

The keynote speaker was Darius Aibara, an Associate Director at TPS and an explosion effects specialist with some 15 years experience. His presentation, sprinkled with graphic video clips and diagrams, highlighted the effects of blast on different types of structure, facades and glazing, and he demonstrated methods of including counter terrorism measures at the design stage, options for retrospective counter-terrorism measures, and how vehicle mitigation measures can be cost effectively employed to reduce the effects of an attack.

Detective Inspector Kevin Bolton from the National Counter Terrorism Security Office (NaCTSO) gave a short presentation covering the current threat and some of the recent terrorist events in the UK, and highlighted a NaCTSO initiative, Project ARGUS, which includes an interactive attack simulation to aid businesses in preventing, handling and recovering from a terrorist attack.

Links:

  TPS Security Consultancy

  NaCTSO website

  Abstract of Lord West's review

  Security Management Today article Brian Sims

  BBC Web article Frank Gardner

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