SST (Other exams) study guide
SST · Work through your exam, one topic at a time.
The SST (Safety and Security Technology) certification is a professional credential for practitioners who design, operate, and maintain physical security systems and related safety technologies. It suits security technicians, integrators, operations staff, and loss-prevention specialists who need a working command of access control, video surveillance, alarm systems, and incident response. The SST study guide has 6 sections and about 2,652 words.
01Safety and Security Technology Fundamentals
The Safety and Security Technology Fundamentals domain tests the electrical, signaling, and network basics that every other domain builds on. Expect questions on Ohm's law and power, series and parallel circuits, voltage drop, power-limited circuit classes, alarm circuit supervision, and the IP networking used by modern recorders and controllers.
477 words, about 2 min02Physical Security Systems and Access Control
Physical Security Systems and Access Control tests intrusion detection devices, door hardware and access control architecture, camera imaging performance, and the life-safety rules that override convenience. Questions frequently combine a device with a code requirement, such as a magnetic lock on an egress door.
477 words, about 2 min03Security Operations and Incident Response
Security Operations and Incident Response tests how alarms are received, verified, escalated, dispatched, documented, and handed over. It rewards candidates who can separate an alarm from a trouble signal and who can write a factual record that survives review.
433 words, about 2 min04Risk Assessment and Loss Prevention
Risk Assessment and Loss Prevention tests structured identification of assets, threats, and vulnerabilities, the arithmetic of risk, and countermeasure selection. It also covers shrinkage, internal theft, and crime prevention through environmental design (CPTED).
398 words, about 2 min05Security Technology Integration and Maintenance
Security Technology Integration and Maintenance tests the project lifecycle from site survey through closeout, plus the routine work that keeps systems reliable: acceptance testing, battery calculations, preventive maintenance, troubleshooting, network hygiene, and documentation. Sequence: survey, design, submittals and approvals, rough-in, cable installation, termination, programming, acceptance test, training, and closeout with as-built drawings.
410 words, about 2 min06Regulatory Compliance, Ethics, and Professional Practice
Regulatory Compliance, Ethics, and Professional Practice tests the legal framework around security work and the conduct expected of a technician or designer. It covers codes versus standards, the authority having jurisdiction, listings, licensing, privacy, and ethical decision-making.
457 words, about 2 min