New security guidance setting out six key principles to guide engineers and technicians in identifying, assessing, managing, and communicating issues about security – developed in consultation with 35 professional engineering institutions – was officially launched at the House of Commons recently at an event hosted by the Rt Hon John Hayes MP, Minister for Security.
The event was attended by over 100 people from across the engineering profession, including speakers, Terry Morgan CBE CEng FREng, chairman of Crossrail, and the head of the Centre for the Protection of National Infrastructure (CPNI). The Engineering Council, as the regulatory body for the engineering profession, has led the way in developing this important material, with the support of CPNI and the professional engineering institutions. It provides guidance for engineers and technicians on their role in dealing with security, and their associated responsibilities to keep society safe.
The guidance defines security as ‘the state of relative freedom from threat or harm caused by deliberate, unwanted, hostile, or malicious acts’. The principles emphasise the importance of taking a security-minded approach to both professional and personal life, and being aware of, and taking responsibility for, all security-related issues.
