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Responsibilities

Security guards also have responsibilities that include:

 

•Taking reasonable care to protect yourself and others who may be affected by the things that you do or don't do.

•Keeping the work area as safe as possible. For example, make sure doors are locked and nothing is lying around outside that could be used to start a fire or break in.

•Using equipment and special clothing properly.

•Cooperating with the Workplace Safety and Health Committee or Representative, if applicable.

•Cooperating with other people regarding Workplace Safety and Health problems.

•Closely following Working Alone Plans or other safe work procedures. It is very important that you take these responsibilities seriously for the safety and health of yourself and others.

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Risks

 

Many things need to be considered when assessing risks. Questions that are asked when assessing risk include:

 

•How serious is the harm that the hazard could cause?

•What are the chances that the harm will happen?

•How many workers might be hurt?

•How often are workers exposed to the hazard?

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Situations that are high, medium or low risk

 

Every site you work at as a security guard will be different, but they all involve some level of risk. You may work at a low risk site one week and a high risk site the next. Risk levels can vary in sites with similar functions, such as hospitals, depending on where they are located and what shift you are working. The following are some examples of different risk levels:

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High risk work situations

 

•Working alone

•A night shift

•In a high crime area

•Where cash or goods handled may attract criminal activity

•With the public where there is a risk of violence

•Any one of these situations could be unsafe, but they become more dangerous when they are combined. For example, you may work the night shift in the emergency department at an inner-city hospital.

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Medium risk work situations

 

•An evening shift

•At industrial sites

•After regular hours when no site staff is working

•Special equipment and hazardous chemicals used in manufacturing could be a threat to your safety and health.

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Low risk work situations

 

•A day or early evening shift

•As a watch-person in a non-hazardous location

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You could be hired to be visible at a trade show in a hotel, or to control access in a condominium building. There is always added risk when you work alone, especially when patrolling is part of your job. In your duty to protect people and property, you are trained to look for problems. The best way for you to keep safe is to know the risks at your site and to follow your Working Alone Plan to get help when you need it.

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