PSBD Security Guard Exam cheat sheet

A security guard's authority derives from the property owner or occupier, not from police powers; guards are private citizens with no special legal status.

Core duties: protect people and property, deter and detect crime, observe and report, control access, and respond to incidents within lawful limits.

A guard may arrest a person only under citizen's arrest rules (for an indictable offence or an offence committed in their presence), and must hand the person to police promptly.

Use of force must be reasonable, proportionate, necessary and only for a lawful purpose such as self-defence or preventing crime.

Guards must identify themselves, state their purpose, and avoid implying police authority; misrepresenting status is an offence in most jurisdictions.

Duty of care: guards owe a duty to persons on site to act reasonably, including summoning medical help and warning of known hazards.

Negligence requires a duty, a breach of that duty, causation, and damage; accurate records are the primary defence against claims.

Confidentiality: personal and incident information is disclosed only on a need-to-know or legal basis, never gossiped or sold.

Private security is regulated by licensing law: individuals must hold a valid licence for the licensed activity, and working unlicensed is an offence.

Citizen's arrest powers are defined in criminal procedure legislation; the arrest must be based on a reasonable belief of an offence, not suspicion alone.

Assault, battery, false imprisonment and trespass are the main civil and criminal risks arising from improper physical contact or detention.

Theft requires dishonest appropriation of property belonging to another with intent to permanently deprive; mere suspicion does not establish theft.

Data protection law governs CCTV, access logs and personal data: collection must be lawful, minimal, secure and retained no longer than needed.

Health and safety legislation imposes duties on employers and workers to protect persons affected by the undertaking, including contractors and visitors.

Fire safety legislation requires means of escape, detection, warning, signage, maintenance and documented evacuation procedures.

Evidence law: continuity of evidence (chain of custody) must be maintained for items seized, recorded and handed to police.

Assignment instructions (post orders) define duties, patrol routes, key control, escalation contacts and reporting requirements; they are followed unless unlawful.

Handover must cover incidents, keys, equipment, outstanding tasks, persons of interest and site status; both guards sign the handover record.

Key control: keys are signed in and out, never left unattended, and lost keys are reported immediately for re-keying.

Radio protocol: identify the unit, state the location, state the problem, request the resource; keep transmissions brief and use plain language.

Incident escalation follows a defined ladder: observe, report to control, request police or ambulance, preserve the scene, record.

Visitor and contractor management requires identity verification, purpose of visit, escort rules, and issue and recovery of passes.

Search procedures require lawful authority (contract or consent), a witness, and a record of what was found and where.

Lone working requires check-in calls, a monitored alarm or device, and a defined welfare escalation if contact is missed.

Access control principles: verify identity, verify authorisation, verify purpose, then issue credential and record entry.

Three authentication factors are something you know, something you have, and something you are; two factors give stronger assurance.

Tailgating and piggybacking are defeated by one-person-per-swipe rules, turnstiles, mantraps and staff challenge.

A valid pass must match the person, the area, the time window and the escort requirement; expired or mismatched passes are refused.

Lost or stolen passes are deactivated immediately and the event is logged with time, name and action taken.

Deliveries: verify against the manifest, check for tampering, record the vehicle and driver, and direct to the authorised receiving point.

Emergency egress must never be blocked by access control; doors must fail safe or open freely in the direction of escape.

Refusal of entry is delivered calmly with the reason stated; if refused persons persist, request police rather than use force.

Patrol types: fixed post, foot, vehicle, internal, external and random; random timing deters better than predictable routine.

Observation technique: scan near-to-far and far-to-near, use peripheral vision at night, and allow 20-30 minutes for full dark adaptation.

Describe persons using head-to-toe: sex, age, height, build, hair, complexion, clothing, distinguishing marks, direction of travel.

Report facts, not opinions: record what was seen, heard and done, with time, date, location, names and exact words where relevant.

Notes must be contemporaneous, written in ink, signed, timed, and corrected only by a single line-through with initials, never erased.

Statements use first person, plain language, chronological order, and avoid speculation, jargon and abbreviations.

Chain of custody records each transfer of an item: who, when, where, and for what purpose, from seizure to police handover.

CCTV review is logged with camera number, time range, operator and purpose; footage is preserved on request for evidence.

Emergency priority order: life safety, incident stabilisation, property protection, then preservation of the scene.

On discovering a fire: raise the alarm, call the fire service, evacuate, and only attempt extinction if trained and safe to do so.

Bomb threat calls: keep the caller talking, record exact words, note background noise and voice, and complete the threat checklist.

Suspicious item response: do not touch, do not use radios within the cordon, clear the area, and call police.

Medical emergency: check danger, response, airway, breathing, circulation; call emergency services, give CPR or AED as trained.

Evacuation assembly points must be known, signed, and counted; roll call results are reported to the fire service commander.

Re-entry is forbidden until the fire service or incident commander declares the site safe; guards control the cordon.

Major incident log records time, source, information received, decisions made and actions taken throughout the event.

The fire triangle is fuel, oxygen and heat; removing any one side prevents or extinguishes combustion.

Fire classes: A solids, B flammable liquids, C gases, D metals, F cooking oils; electrical fires are treated as a special hazard.

Extinguisher selection: water for Class A only; foam for A and B; CO2 for electrical and Class B; dry powder for A, B, C and electrical.

PASS technique: Pull the pin, Aim at the base, Squeeze the handle, Sweep side to side.

Fire doors must be self-closing, unobstructed, and never wedged open; they compartment fire and smoke for a rated period.

Evacuation routes must be clear, lit, signed and lead to a place of safety; escape doors open outward in the direction of travel.

Fire alarm stages: alarm, evacuation, roll call, fire service attendance, investigation, stand down and re-entry authorisation.

Fire wardens check rooms, close doors, assist persons with reduced mobility and report their area clear at the assembly point.

Employer duties: risk assessment, safe systems of work, training, supervision, PPE and consultation with workers.

Worker duties: take reasonable care of self and others, follow training, report hazards, and do not misuse equipment.

Risk assessment is a five-step process: identify hazards, decide who may be harmed, evaluate and control, record, review.

Control hierarchy: eliminate, substitute, engineering controls, administrative controls, then PPE as the last line.

Common security hazards: slips and trips, manual handling, violence and aggression, lone working, noise, and adverse weather.

Manual handling: assess the load, keep it close, bend the knees, keep the back straight, avoid twisting, and use aids or two persons.

Report all accidents, near misses and dangerous occurrences; RIDDOR-type reporting applies to specified serious events.

COSHH requires that hazardous substances be assessed, labelled, stored correctly and used with appropriate controls.

First impressions form in seconds; appearance, greeting, tone and posture drive the perception of competence and safety.

Active listening: give full attention, avoid interrupting, reflect back the key point, and confirm understanding before acting.

Communication model: sender, message, channel, receiver, feedback, and noise; feedback confirms the message was received.

Non-verbal cues carry much of the meaning: eye contact, open posture, personal space and calm, level tone.

Service recovery: acknowledge the problem, apologise for the experience, act to resolve, and follow up.

De-escalation language: use the person's name, speak slowly and quietly, offer choices, and avoid blaming or arguing.

Professional conduct includes punctuality, uniform standards, sobriety, no mobile phone use on duty, and impartiality.

Complaints are recorded factually and passed to the correct channel; guards do not promise outcomes they cannot deliver.

Use of force must satisfy legality, necessity and proportionality; it is judged on what the guard honestly and reasonably believed at the time.

Criminal law permits reasonable force in self-defence, defence of others, prevention of crime and lawful arrest.

Force must stop as soon as resistance ceases; continuing force after the risk ends becomes unlawful.

Physical intervention is a last resort after communication, positioning, and disengagement options have failed.

Personal safety: maintain reaction distance, keep hands free, stay on the outside, and never let a subject get between you and the exit.

Conflict stages escalate from frustration to anger to aggression to violence; intervene verbally at the earliest stage.

After any use of force, provide medical aid, record the incident fully, preserve evidence, and report to police and management.

Restraint carries positional asphyxia risk; never apply pressure to the neck or chest, and place the subject in a safe recovery position.

Dynamic risk assessment is continuous: assess threat, plan a response, act, then review and reassess.

Warning signs of imminent violence: clenched fists, reddening face, rapid breathing, fixed stare, change in voice pitch, invading space.

Disengagement is preferred over restraint: create distance, move to a safe area, and call for assistance.

Never work alone in a confrontation; use radio codes to request support without escalating the subject.

Weapons or threats of weapons: withdraw, do not confront, preserve life, and call police immediately.

Post-incident: check for injuries, offer first aid, secure CCTV and witness details, and complete statements separately.

Body-worn cameras and CCTV must be used lawfully and consistently; recording is disclosed in line with data protection and evidence rules.

Records of force must state the reason, the force used, the duration, the subject's response and any injury, in factual terms.