BC Basic Security (BST) study guide
BC Basic Security (BST) · Work through your exam, one topic at a time.
The British Columbia Basic Security Training (BST) credential is the entry-level training requirement for people applying for a BC security worker licence with a security guard designation. It is aimed at new entrants to the private security industry - people who want to work in retail loss prevention, mobile patrol, condominium and event security, or corporate lobby and access control roles - and it is also taken by people whose employers require a working knowledge of guard powers and duties. The BC Basic Security (BST) study guide has 10 sections and about 4,180 words.
01Introduction to the Security Industry and Security Roles
Private security is a client-funded service whose core purpose is protecting people, property and information. Unlike police, security officers are not peace officers .
350 words, about 2 min02Legal Framework and Criminal Law
Criminal law is federal : only Parliament can create criminal offences (Constitution Act, 1867, s.91(27)). Provinces create regulatory offences - licensing breaches, trespass, liquor, traffic, fire-code violations.
378 words, about 2 min03Provincial Legislation and Private Security Regulation
BC's Security Services Act and its Security Services Regulation are administered by the Security Programs Division of the Ministry of Public Safety and Solicitor General. The Act regulates both sides of the industry: individuals must hold a security worker licence in the correct category, and companies offering security services must hold a security business licence and may only employ licensed workers.
343 words, about 2 min04Civil Law and Liability
Duty of care - created by the relationship, proximity, contract, or the Occupiers Liability Act. Breach - falling below the standard of a reasonable, trained person in the same role (your own policy, training and industry practice become evidence of that standard).
333 words, about 2 min05Communication and Interpersonal Skills
Every message has a sender, a message, a channel, a receiver, feedback and 'noise' (barriers). Barriers include jargon, assumptions, bias, language, hearing loss, emotion and environment.
324 words, about 2 min06Report Writing and Documentation
A report is a permanent, discoverable record used by police, Crown, insurers, employers and courts. It protects the officer, the client and the public, and it is often the only evidence of what happened.
362 words, about 2 min07Personal Safety and Use of Force
Assess the situation before you close distance: numbers, weapons, exits, lighting, backup, and your own physical readiness. Maintain situational awareness by establishing a baseline and watching for anomalies, and recognize pre-attack indicators (clenched fists, blading of the body, scanning exits, sudden quiet, target glance).
326 words, about 2 min08Emergency Response and Fire Safety
Know the site's emergency response plan : alarms, exits, assembly area, head count, communication channels and shutdown procedures. Your duties are usually to raise the alarm, call 911, direct evacuation, meet responders, control access, keep a log of events and times, and account for people - not to fight large fires or play hero.
347 words, about 2 min09Occupational Health and Safety
The Workers Compensation Act and the OHS Regulation set out duties for employers (provide a safe workplace, training, supervision, PPE, written procedures, and to report and investigate incidents) and for workers (follow procedures, use PPE, report hazards, injuries and near misses). Every worker has the right to know about hazards, the right to participate in health and safety, and the right to refuse unsafe work.
372 words, about 2 min10Patrol Procedures, Access Control, and Loss Prevention
Prevent, deter, detect, delay, deny, respond, reassure and report. Visible, unpredictable patrol makes a site a less attractive target, and the records you create become the site's history and its evidence.
1,045 words, about 5 min