Over the course of the last year, there has been a major influx of security guards working in our communities, working in various sectors such as healthcare, education, and other public and private sectors and events. Providing security guard safety is just as important as security guards providing safety to others. Let’s discuss some great ways to aid security guard safety.
Use Additional Security Equipment
Using additional security equipment and ensuring that it is in proper working order at all times can aid in the safety of security guards. Equipment such as CCTV cameras, functional radios, and alarm systems will add an extra layer of protection to the properties and businesses that are being guarded.
You could also employ security workforce management software to aid in guard safety, this coupled with smartphones can show the exact locations of individual guards and represent checkpoints to be scanned.
Varying Routes
Determined criminals who do their due diligence may scout a potential location for a considerable amount of time to learn guard routes, shift changes, and other weaknesses.
Changing up the routes of the guards keeps a high level of unpredictability, not allowing criminals to access areas unguarded at predictable times if you were to keep the same routes and time-frames in place, and hampering attempts before they even start, or while they are being committed.
Learn your Environment
Be sure to encourage your guards to speak up about concerns they notice in their environment, from burnt out light bulbs, broken locks or doors, gaps in fencing, faulty gates, or any area that is perceived as a chink in the security armor for your property or business.
Guards should be aware of any potential ambush areas or places where someone could easily harm a security guard. Take wide corners around building corners or hallway corners and be familiar with exits and stairwells.
Preparation and Procedures
Have a set protocol for scenarios and emergencies that can or will be encountered. In the event of an injury, break-in, or fire, the security apparatus should have a checklist of things that should be done in any of these events, and this will aid in safety and response to any threat or situation you’re likely to encounter, no matter how rare the likelihood of them is.
Check Vehicles Regularly
If your security setup includes mobile guards using cars, trucks, or other vehicles, it’s a good idea to have an inspection checklist for each shift. These checklists should include inspections of tires, fluid leaks, lights, and other critical components.
If an issue arises and guards need to travel long distances rapidly, this ensures that their vehicles are ready to go at a moment’s notice and can arrive on the scene as quickly and safely as possible.
Protective Clothing
If your security area is in a particularly high crime area, protective clothing should be a top priority. Bulletproof or stab-proof vests and other types of protective clothing should be made available. It’s important to also ensure that this clothing is comfortable for the long shifts ahead and that it doesn’t restrict a guard’s movement or ability to move quickly if needed. Footwear that is suited to this task is also something that should not be overlooked.
Security Guard Safety for Your Safety
There are several ways to improve security guard safety and employed in the correct manner can allow security guards to adapt to any situation they may come across on their shift. Keeping security guards safe is essential to providing protection to businesses, citizens, and communities.
Talon Security Guard Services in Troy MI prioritizes the safety of their security guards so that they can provide the best protection possible to their clients. We provide security guards for all businesses and industries, both on-site and off-site meeting your unique security needs.
Our experienced security guards protect your location, facility, staff, and customers to enable you to focus on your business, special event, and overall daily life. Our # 1 goal is prevention, so we go over and above the call of duty to prevent offenses and incidents before they happen.
Our security guard services include: hotel security guards, uniformed security guards, roving mobile patrol, armed security, unarmed security guards and more. Call and speak to a Specialist today! Free Estimates.