Guard Posting
Guard posting is about placing a guard and structuring his duty so the site is genuinely covered. The exam tests deployment principles, position selection, duty rosters, standing orders and the idea of overlapping coverage.
Principles of a good post
A well-chosen post gives three things at once - observation, protection, and communication.
- The guard must be able to see the approach, the gate, and the asset he protects.
- He should have some cover or concealment, not stand exposed in the open.
- He must be able to reach the control room by phone, radio or whistle.
- At night he must not be silhouetted against a light source; he should stand away from the lit side.
Deployment structure
- Fixed posts: main gate, material gate, reception, strong room, dock, control room.
- Patrol posts: beats covering the perimeter, yards, stores and blind spots the fixed posts cannot see.
- Reserve/supervisor: a floating guard who can reinforce any point and check other guards.
Standing orders and roster
Every post carries written standing orders - who may enter, what checks apply, whom to call, what to do in fire or bomb threat. The duty roster allots shifts (commonly 8-hour, three-shift rotation), weekly offs and relief, and is signed by the supervisor. Long single shifts without rotation cause fatigue and lapses.
Worked example. A warehouse has one gate and a rear wall bordering open ground. Reasoning: place the fixed sentry inside the gate with a view of the approach road, add a beat that includes the rear wall at irregular intervals, and add a supervisor check at unpredictable times. A single gate sentry alone cannot see the rear wall, so the deployment would be defective.
Traps that cost marks
- Putting both guards on the same point and leaving the perimeter uncovered.
- Ignoring lighting and silhouette effects at night.
- Writing a roster with no relief for weekly offs.
- Treating standing orders as optional verbal instructions.