Closing Out National Safety Month

CLOSING OUT 

NATIONAL SAFETY MONTH 

It’s no surprise that every job comes with its own level of risk. In the world of private security that level fluctuates wildly hour by hour or sometimes minute by minute...

Issues regarding safety and mitigating the risk to employees or coworkers should be at the forefront of everyone’s mind. When a high-risk incident occurs, clients and staff often look to security guidance or to take charge of the situation. So, how does private security mitigate risks and what steps should they take to prevent high risk situations?  

Photo Credit: E-Learning Industry 

Guardian Protection Force undergoes mandatory bimonthly training to make sure our officers have all the knowledge and tools needed to act appropriately in high-risk situations. Executive protection (EP) is a realm of security that deals with higher levels of risk. This is usually due to the status of celebrity or political VIPs or corporate business. Focusing on the latter, contentious termination is a huge part of being an EP agent. These specialists usually go the extra mile in finding out who was fired, for what reasons, and then search all public records for any relatable information regarding the suspect.

Searching past records or even social media accounts can tell agents if the risk of violence from the suspect is low or high. Acquiring information and being aware of your situation is paramount so surviving high risk scenarios.

When it comes to situational awareness, security professionals usually ask themselves these questions when entering a new space. Do I know where the nearest exits are?

If one exit is blocked or inaccessible what are my backup options? Where is the safest place in the building? Or where is the nearest safe place I can get to if I’m outside? After that it is all about making observations on what may be wrong. Asking yourself similar questions not only helps you prepare for scenarios, but it increases your own personal safety and situational awareness. That said it can also help the company you work for or even save the lives of your coworkers.

Examples:

Do I smell smoke?

Where is it coming from?

Has that individual always been there?

These questions save lives.

If you have any concerns regarding suspicious persons or activity immediately notify security or emergency responders and give them as much information as you can, then get to a safe location.

In the military there is a saying: “everyone is a safety officer.”

Regardless of rank or position if something doesn’t look right or if you see a safety risk, do not hesitate to report it. Indeed this is true for anyone anywhere. Fires, gas leaks, and criminal activity do not always announce themselves, therefore it is up to us all to improve safety and mitigate risk. 

“Safety and security don’t just happen, they are the result of collective consensus and public investment. We owe our children, the most vulnerable citizens in our society, a life free of violence and fear.”

- Nelson Mandela