EMI PSA key terms

The legal and moral obligation of a security officer to take reasonable steps to protect the safety and wellbeing of people on the premises, avoiding acts or omissions that could foreseeably cause harm.

A structured process of identifying hazards, judging how likely and how severe harm could be, and deciding what controls to put in place to reduce that risk to an acceptable level.

A continuous, in-the-moment judgment of changing conditions and threats, made while a situation unfolds, so that the officer can adjust actions and stay safe as circumstances shift.

The ability to perceive what is happening around you, understand what it means, and predict what may happen next, so you can act early rather than react late.

The normal, expected pattern of activity and conduct in a place at a given time, which an officer learns so that deviations stand out and warrant closer attention.

Any person, object, or event that departs from the established baseline and cannot be readily explained, signalling that further observation or inquiry may be needed.

A behaviour or circumstance, such as unusual surveillance, probing of defences, or rehearsed movements, that may suggest someone is planning a hostile act.

The structured evaluation of a person, group, or situation to judge the credibility and immediacy of danger and to decide on an appropriate, proportionate response.

The set of measures that regulate who may enter a site, where they may go, and when, using procedures, people, and technology to keep unauthorised persons out of protected areas.

Someone who has been formally granted permission to enter a site or specific area, typically evidenced by a valid pass, credential, or verified approval from an authorised source.

The act of following an authorised person through a controlled door or gate without presenting valid credentials, often exploiting courtesy or an open door to gain unauthorised entry.

Entering a controlled area with the knowing consent of an authorised person who holds the door open, which still breaches access rules even though the entry appears cooperative.

The procedures for receiving, recording, badging, escorting, and releasing guests on site so that every non-regular person is accounted for at all times.

The outermost layer of physical protection, such as fences, walls, gates, lighting, and detection sensors, intended to deter, delay, and detect intrusion before an inner area is reached.

A layered security approach in which multiple independent controls are stacked so that if one barrier or check fails, others still protect the asset.

Technology or observation methods, such as alarms, sensors, or patrols, that identify an unauthorised attempt to enter or remain in a protected area and trigger a response.

The process of receiving, interpreting, and responding to alarm signals, including verifying whether an activation is genuine before dispatching a response.

An alarm activation caused by something other than a genuine security event, such as equipment fault, environmental conditions, or user error, which still requires assessment and logging.

Closed-circuit television: cameras and recording systems used to monitor and document activity on a site, supporting deterrence, detection, and later evidence gathering.

A written record of an event, capturing what happened, when, where, who was involved, what actions were taken, and what follow-up is required, in factual and objective language.

Notes made at or close to the time of an event, while memory is fresh, which carry greater evidential weight and help produce an accurate later report.

Wording that records observable facts and direct quotations without opinion, speculation, or emotive judgement, so a report remains credible and defensible under scrutiny.

The documented, unbroken record of who handled an item or recording, when, and how, from collection to presentation, proving that it has not been altered or compromised.

The organised movement of people away from a dangerous area to a place of safety, following planned routes and assembly arrangements under clear direction.

A pre-designated safe location where people gather after evacuating so that they can be accounted for and kept clear of the hazard and emergency response operations.

The process of checking and recording who has reached the assembly point, so that responders know whether anyone is missing and where to focus search efforts.

A trained person assigned to direct occupants along escape routes, check designated areas, and report completion at the assembly point during an evacuation.

A set of communication and behavioural techniques used to reduce the intensity of a conflict or a person's agitation, aiming to resolve the situation without physical intervention.

Fully concentrating on a speaker, reflecting back what you hear, and confirming understanding, which lowers tension and helps identify the real concern behind an outburst.

The practice of acknowledging another person's feelings and perspective without necessarily agreeing with them, which often reduces hostility and builds enough rapport to resolve a dispute.

The minimum level of physical intervention that is proportionate to the threat faced and justified by the circumstances, used only when other options have failed or are unsafe.

A failure to exercise the standard of care a reasonable person would provide, where that failure causes foreseeable harm, creating potential civil or disciplinary liability.

The obligation to keep sensitive information, such as personal data, incident details, and site vulnerabilities, secure and to share it only with those who legitimately need it.

Gear such as gloves, high-visibility clothing, helmets, or footwear issued to reduce exposure to specific workplace hazards, effective only when correctly worn and maintained.

A ranked order of risk-reduction measures, from eliminating the hazard and engineering changes down to administrative procedures and protective equipment, used to choose the most effective control.

Lifting, lowering, pushing, pulling, or carrying loads by hand, which must be assessed and performed with correct technique to prevent musculoskeletal injury.

Working alone or without direct supervision, which raises personal risk and requires specific precautions such as check-in schedules, communication plans, and pre-agreed escalation procedures.

An unplanned event that did not cause injury or damage but had the potential to do so, which should be recorded so that underlying causes can be corrected before a real incident occurs.