Safety, Security and Emergency Procedures
This domain tests the routines that protect staff, cash and mail, and the correct reaction to fire, electrical faults and suspicious articles.
Cash and personal safety
- Keep only working cash at the counter; use a drop safe for large notes; never count money in public view; move cash by a varied route with an escort.
- Keys, seals and the strong room are held in dual custody; one official must never control both sets.
- Challenge strangers, keep the back door bolted, and test the alarm and CCTV before the day begins.
Fire and electricity
- Match the extinguisher to the risk: carbon dioxide or dry powder for electrical fires, never water.
- Do not overload sockets, switch off equipment at close, keep exits and staircases clear and know the assembly point.
Suspicious mail
- Warning signs: unexpected article, excessive postage, oily stains, wires, ticking or buzzing, misspelt address, no return address.
- Do not open, shake or smell it; isolate it, clear the area, avoid using mobile phones or radios close to it, inform security and police, and record what you saw.
Worked example
A parcel at the counter is stained and warm to the touch. Do not cut the wrapping. Place it in an isolated area away from people, evacuate the counter area, call the police control room on 112, note the article number and who brought it, and hand over to the bomb disposal team on arrival. Preserving distance and evidence matters more than discovering the contents.
Traps
- Opening or probing a suspicious item yourself.
- Using water on an electrical fire.
- Leaving the strong room or cash box unlocked during a break.