BS7858 security standard

BS7858 standard

BS7858 is a British Standard that was introduced in 2012 to ensure organisations screen individuals employed in an environment where the safety and security of people, goods, or property are essential.

What is BS7858 screening?

BS7858 screening is the best practice and guidelines published by the British Standards Institution, BSI, to screen individuals employed in a security environment. Security environments covered under BS7858 could be anywhere where insiders could potentially be a threat to data, intellectual property, or the safety of others.

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In 2019, the original standard (BS7858:2012) was withdrawn and then BS7858:2019 was introduced with the following changes on how employees working in the security environment should be screened:

-Addition of social media checks as the standard best procedure for pre-employment and post-employment screening
-Right to work checks to be conducted in accordance with DBS identity requirements
-Exclusion of character references
-Addition of global watchlist checks during the application process
-Holding candidate’s background check files during employment tenure
-Maintaining the background check files for unsuccessful candidates for 12 months
-Holding specific records for up to 7 years after the end of employment
-Authorisations for background checks to be portable

Which sectors is BS7858 for?

BS7858 is typically used to screen employees for the security sector, however, this standard is used across the UK and overseas within finance, insurance, banking, healthcare, aviation, education, HR, and IT industries, etc. In theory, any company can have their employees screened to BS7858 to enhance the quality of their service or comply with rules and stay compliant with the legislation in place.

BS7858 screening requirements

In line with the good code of practice, employers conducting BS7858 checks are required to fulfill the listed requirements:

-Identity proof
-Right to work
-5 years address verification
-Basic disclosure
-Employment gaps (for over 31 days)
-Credit check for the last 6 years

Conducting BS7858 checks helps ensure the staff and property are kept safe. Along with this, detailed screening to this level can prove the proficiency of applicants, which helps the employers identify if the applicant can conduct the job with responsibility and reliability.

BS7858 screening is an incredibly involved process and employers face difficulties in fulfilling all the requirements, hence using a third-party screening service provider can ensure all the obligations are met while remaining compliant.