Workplace safety in the security industry - Things to keep in mind

For both employers and employees, a safe workplace is crucial. But what about the security of those who keep us safe?

Worker safety

The physical security industry and its personnel are not only valuable but also indispensable assets in workplaces. Most private and public sectors rely on it to keep their respective communities and stakeholders safe. Hence, it is extremely crucial to ensure the safety of physical security workers.

The security industry, regardless of size, must prioritise safety in the workplace as well, as well as maintain safety protocols for their workers. It is an employer’s responsibility and obligation to have in place effective safety procedures to safeguard both workers' safety and the safety of industrial equipment.

Occupational safety and health measures

Unsafe working conditions, environmental risks, and workplace violence affect regular businesses

This justifies the requirement for occupational safety and health measures. They are necessary for both physical security and employers' and employees' well-being.

More important than anything else is the sense of certainty that comes from knowing that one will arrive home from work safely. Unsafe working conditions, environmental risks, substance misuse, and workplace violence are factors that not only affect regular businesses but those in the personnel security industry as well.

Importance of Workplace Safety in the Physical Security Industry

A secure workplace is a characteristic of reputable businesses everywhere. All workers desire assurance of their security and defense, including workers in the security industry. Safety at work is a crucial problem.

Employers are responsible for making sure that their staff members work in a secure atmosphere. Promoting workplace safety is the responsibility of management structures and company owners. Employers should urge staff to follow safe habits and utilise safety gear.

Workplace accidents 

Working in security is very risky. For instance, for every police officer killed while on duty in some nations, approximately two private security agents are also killed. Security guards sustain injuries more than twice as frequently as the typical worker. Workplace accidents take a human toll.

They also place a heavy operational and financial load on security firms. Security assignments inevitably involve risk, but top security firms have demonstrated that it is possible to reduce both the personal and financial costs of workplace accidents.

Safety and security tips

The desirable characteristics of employees in terms of security and protection should be made known to employers. Productivity will rise, and the goods and services will be of higher quality.

Here is a small guide listing out some safety and security tips and must-dos for physical security service providers.

• Wearing proper protective gear during security duty

Consider giving your police protective clothes if officers patrol alone or work in hazardous regions

Security officers run different hazards depending on where they are patrolling and the crime rates in the area. Consider giving your police protective clothes if they patrol alone or work in hazardous regions.

It may be required in some circumstances to move around physically, such as while walking or running, therefore wearing comfortable clothing and footwear is also crucial.

• Adequate security training for personnel

Getting all security personnel to commit to workplace safety is the first step in creating a safety programme. This includes giving them adequate training so that they have good knowledge of what their job entails, and how to do their jobs safely. It's crucial to be knowledgeable about security precautions so the person in charge can respond to events as they happen.

Make sure that the employees are aware of the steps to take in case of an accident, fire, or break-in. It's also important to teach your security workers what to do if they need to detain someone suspicious while waiting for police enforcement to arrive and take over. Every physical security officer should be responsible for following safety regulations.

Equipment knowledge and training 

Additionally, physical security workers should also be well-versed in the equipment that may be required to do their jobs, as well as any security software they need to perform their tasks. Efficient and timely re-trainings and skill updates should also be given by employers in this industry. A well-trained professional is better equipped to protect himself while mitigating risks at the place they are working at.

Every workplace accident should be looked into by the employer. They ought to motivate staff to adhere to all safety guidelines. Additionally, employers must express in writing the risks of not adhering to them. This lessens the likelihood of errors.

• Memorising the physical environment of the duty site

Making sure to alert managers of any burned-out lights, damaged locks, or fence gaps should be a protocol

Physical security professionals should be well-versed in all the potential trouble spots in their work surroundings. They should know, like the back of their hand, the locations of all the entrances, stairwells, and exits by walking the routes.

To avoid being ambushed or hurt, it is commonly advised to make wide turns around corners. Likewise, making sure to alert managers of any burned-out lights, damaged locks, or fence gaps should be a protocol.

Security policies and procedures

Understanding the security policies and procedures in place at the sites, learning where the exits are and how to get there quickly from each location are also a must.

It's a good idea to regularly pause, breathe deeply, and take a thorough inventory of your surroundings. When moving, it can be more difficult to notice any strange sounds, images, or odours. Therefore, to stay focused and alert throughout a long shift, it's a good idea to pause and re-ground oneself.

• Knowing the professional and physical limitations

Security guards need to be aware of their rights and obligations. So, rather than attempting to handle the problem by themselves, such as seeing a strange item at a construction site, it would be more helpful to alert the proper authorities.

To educate physical security professionals on what to do in an emergency, giving a properly detailed job description for each site is necessary.

Security workforce management programme

Companies should look for capabilities for lone employees' protection, a panic button, and real-time event reporting

Security service providers want to spend money on a reliable security workforce management programme that has safety features for their security guards. Companies should look for a system that incorporates capabilities for lone employees' protection, a panic button, notifications, and officer safety features like real-time event reporting.

The industry must ensure that its agencies’ personnel have received the necessary training to handle the worst-case scenario. It is pretty critical for security guards to be informed of their rights, obligations, and job limitations.

Safety recommendations

Workers should know, during the training stage itself, that it is strictly recommended to never attempt to handle a challenging situation on their own and always contact the right authorities to take collective action.

Although extremely straightforward, these safety recommendations can boost physical security and guard effectiveness while protecting the lives of security guards. Besides the aforementioned, there are a few other common issues that also hinder the process of building a safe working environment for safety professionals.

Impact of workplace stress

Anxiety, sadness, and other health issues can all be brought on by workplace stress. And in the physical security industry, stress is plenty.

Workplace stress is often the result of bullying at work, job uncertainty, and heavy workloads. Working productivity and employee health can both be significantly impacted by workplace stress. To help mitigate this risk it is advisable to encourage the following:

• Positive peer relationships - Encouraging good employee-to-employee relationships across hierarchies helps in curbing incidents of social exclusion or workplace bullying.
• Providing job security and welfare - Job certainty and meaningful perks and incentives help increase the overall job satisfaction of the workers, cushioning the natural stressors that come with the nature of the industry.
• Taking frequent breaks and giving fair work shifts - Ensures that workers are not tired and overworked, thereby improving their stress levels and job effectiveness which would improve both their performance and their well-being.

Safety protocols

Taking care of security workers' safety is paramount to the success of physical security enterprises. Having effective protocols in place that safeguards the workers, mitigate risk, reduce costs, and make safety personnel’s work performance better.

In other words, for security companies and the industry as a whole, well-thought-out SOPs and thorough training will go a long way.