Security Guards control movement of personnel and materials in, out of, or within a facility that are essential to normal operations, and prevent unauthorized access and egress. Security Guards must understand access controls and measures involving the interaction of human resources in conjunction with other supporting security elements such as electronic systems and physical barriers.
–Canadian General Standards Board Standard 133.1 Paragraph A8.1
Security Guards respond to alarms. This session will provide the candidates with a basic understanding of the principle of protective and fire alarm systems which they are likely to encounter, with some information on the manner by which these systems will function.
-Canadian General Standards Board Standard 133.1 Paragraph A5.1
Access Control Systems
Simply simply, access control refers to any method that allows the correct individual to enter the right location at the right time. While this may appear to be complicated, it is not. For example, access control is required at your house, your car, and the areas where you work. When you leave your house, you keep unwelcome visitors out by locking the door. You keep unwelcome people out of your vehicle by locking the doors or utilizing anti-theft measures. When you leave home at night, you lock your office door to prevent unauthorized individuals from entering the premises. Access to these locations and devices is restricted using access control techniques. Access to these locations and devices is restricted using access control techniques. The keys to the locking mechanisms are not disseminated to anybody who may require them.
Instead, you give keys, the combination to a locking mechanism, and so on to people you want to have access to locations or items you want to keep secure. While the methods detailed in these instances are far from perfect (a burglar may take a key, shatter a door or window, pick a lock, or hot-wire a car), various control mechanisms could be utilized to strengthen secure access to the property.
The usage of Security Guards is one means of augmenting the amount of access control given by these technologies. One of the fundamental purposes of security is to manage the flow of people, objects, and vehicles into, out of, and within an area. Access control guarantees that the correct individuals have access to the places they have the power to enter at the appropriate time by managing who has access to which portions of a property at what time. It regulates traffic into, inside, and out of a certain location, such as a building, a parking lot, a residential complex, or another facility.
Depending on what has to be secured, the level of access control required at each location will range from minimal to maximal.
Site Access
Security professionals may be assigned to a site where they are in charge of monitoring and managing those who enter and/or leave the location. It is strongly advised that you follow your employer’s policies and regulations. The following points are suggested as a minimum:
- greet those entering the premises verbally while remaining professional and respectful.
- Request identification, preferably employment ID or government-issued identity such as a driver’s license.
- When provided, compare the identifier to the access list.
- As the person they are visiting and the reason for their visit (if so detailed)
- Inform the individual of any limitations, such as activities, gadgets (cameras, cellphones, etc.), and restricted places.
- If requested, provide guidance.
- A condition of entry may include a search of the individual’s bags or vehicle. Make certain they understand it is a requirement for entrance.
- In the visitor’s log, record the individual’s name, car, license, time pin, parking place number, person they are visiting, and time they leave.
- Keep a journal for any strange observations (memo book)
- Once satisfied, permit entrance
The use of a visitor log was mentioned. This might be a journal in which entries are produced with a pen. The journal could alternatively be generated by a computer. You may be needed to provide a visitors pass, which will be recorded in the journal as well.
Movement within the site or premise
Certain businesses mandate and require that all guests be escorted by security while on the premises. If this is the case, corporate policy must be observed. The following recommendations will also help to improve facility security:
- directly accompany the visitor while they are on the premises
- Visitors must be admitted personally to the places to which they are permitted, or electronic or computerized systems, if installed.
- Continue to monitor the visitor’s behaviour and take note of any unusual activities.
- Keep a record of your concerns and communicate them to your supervisor.
Access Control (Egress of Individual)
Security officers are present to watch when guests leave, just as they are for monitoring their attendance or admission. Aside from any existing firm policy or regulation, there are a few best practices to follow:
- When a guest is needed to sign out, greet the individual and take note of any property or possessions; compare hit to when they entered.
- Have them complete the sin-in sheet (if necessary)
- Collect any issued ID or access cards
- Record the details in your notebook (memo book)
- Record and report and irregularities to your supervisor
Minimum Access Control
This form of control is utilized in places where general admittance is permitted, such as malls. It is assumed that everyone is entering for legal reasons. The Security Guard will only refuse access if the regulations are not followed or the law is breached.
Medium Access Control
This form of control is commonly utilized in commercial and residential structures. To get entry to the property, the Security Guard or someone else in the building may utilize an intercom. The intercom system may deter someone from entering, but if they are determined to do so, they can enter behind someone who has authorization to enter the premises.
Maximum Access Control
This form of control is prevalent in high-security locations such as government offices, labs, military facilities, software producers, and so on. These sites utilize a combination of security staff and alarm systems to provide comprehensive access control across the property.
Rules For Access
Access regulations may change depending on the building, facility, or work location. The general public may be admitted to any, all, or none of the premises. These guidelines are subject to vary based on the time of day. For example, an office tower with a public lobby during normal business hours may lock its doors and limit entry after hours. Similarly, a parking lot that is normally closed to the public from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. may relax all restrictions and allow anybody to park there after hours.
The site regulations may limit not just public access to all or part of the premises, but also access for persons who work on that site. Consider a gigantic pharmaceutical facility with several separate branches all working on various projects but all housed in the same building. Management may determine that staff must stay within their respective work zones for security concerns. Access restrictions would have to be implemented in this situation to prohibit employees from entering these other regions.
The access control measures at a project site will be determined by the client’s demands. Because the client is more aware of these needs, security is more likely, and because the client is more aware of sensitive areas (for example, tenants in an office tower who may object to the use of certain mechanisms such as physical search), the client must decide which access control mechanisms are used.
The property owner(s) will establish all access regulations, including who will be granted entry and under what conditions; when bags and briefcases will be examined; and when persons will be stopped and questioned or permitted free access to the property. It is the responsibility of security to guarantee that these standards are followed.
Elevator and Escalator Operation
If guards are in charge of overseeing elevator operations, the following steps are recommended:
(a) Check that the load limits are posted
(b) Encourage passengers to exit the elevator from the back and face the front
(c) When the doors close, keep persons, clothing, and personal things away from them
(d) Be familiar with the on-board emergency system, including the stop button and bells, as well as the telephone system, if one is available
The operation of an escalator is similar to that of an elevator. Allow no congestion and urge users to face the escalator’s direction of motion while remaining stationary. Escalators have emergency stop buttons at the top and bottom. Guards should be aware of their surroundings. When an escalator accident occurs, the emergency stop button should be hit immediately. If the problem has been resolved and the escalator is to be resumed, no one should be permitted to use it until it is moving. If an escalator fails, the guard should guarantee that it is switched off and not resumed until it has been properly repaired by trained service professionals.
Methods of Controlling Access to Property
People entering and exiting the property or certain portions of the property are controlled by access control systems. Card readers, touch keys, ID cards, badges, and fingerprint ID are just a few of the devices that may be used as access control systems.
A Security Guard may be able to distinguish persons on smaller work sites. While effective, this technique of access restriction is restricted by the Security Guard’s memory. One guard may be able to recall a huge number of faces, while another may only be able to recollect a handful. Furthermore, the more people who have access, the more likely it is that a mistake will be made and someone who should not have access to the premises will be able to sneak in.
The usage of picture badges (badges that serve as identification to a guard at a manual checkpoint) may complement the effectiveness of this access control strategy. Keys and locks can also be used to manage access to the entire property or to select areas of the work site. The disadvantages are that keys are easily lost or stolen, and unless locks are changed on a regular basis, anyone who should not have access may be able to gain it. Locks are also vulnerable to picking. Furthermore, they are ineffective at keeping attackers out if the door or window is never locked!
Another form of access control is the usage of ticket machines, where people who do not receive a ticket are denied admission to the property.
Access control often begins at the premises’ outer boundary or property perimeter, where the property being guarded begins. Access control methods become more difficult to breach as one moves from the outside perimeter to the centre of the protected facility. Once within the outer perimeter, the inner perimeter or building perimeter and the centre core or inside of the building are discovered. The inner perimeter includes all common spaces on the protected property as a whole, whereas the central core symbolizes the focal area that the property owner intends to preserve.
ACCESS CONTROL AREA EXAMPLES:
Shopping Centre
| Outer Perimeter | Inner Perimeter | Central Core |
| Outside edges of Parking lot | Sidewalks, parking lot around building | Shopping centre itself |
Building construction site
| Outer Perimeter | Inner Perimeter | Central Core |
| Outside edges of Parking lot – starting with the fence that keeps the public from entering site | Ground inside fence around building, surrounding the building under construction, road in, parking area for equipment, tool shed, and so on. | Building structure itself |
Bank
| Outer Perimeter | Inner Perimeter | Central Core |
| Outside edges of property of Bank; the front, where the bank “storefront” contacts the sidewalk; in the rear, the parking lot available to the public | Walls of the bank in building itself; doors and windows are areas of concern | Bank vault |
Perimeter, Area, Building and Point of Object Protection Systems
Security systems can be employed to defend the site’s interior and outside perimeters, as well as the centre core, or they can be put at particular locations inside these regions. Specific security mechanisms can also be used to secure objects such as safes and vaults.
The first line of defence in property protection is control systems installed around the property’s perimeter. While not ideal, access booths, gates, fences, and walls are routinely used to restrict access to property in a cost-effective manner. The purpose of installing a perimeter protection system is to guarantee that an intruder is noticed as soon as they enter the property. This is why an outer perimeter security system is also known as a point of entry security system. The proportions of the outside perimeter protected decide whether an outside perimeter system is “complete” or “partial”.A partial protection system is defined as having detecting devices on just the accessible apertures on the outside perimeter, such as windows, doors, and gates. In comparison, a full system comprises detecting sensors in these places as well as the walls, floors, and ceilings.
The second line of defence against invaders is area systems, which are more typically found in the inner perimeter and central core sectors. An area system identifies intruders after they have entered the premises rather than detecting the opening of a door, window, or gate. Motion detectors, pressure plates, audio detectors, and photoelectric cells are all examples of area protection systems.
The third line of defence is point or spot systems. Bank vaults, artworks in museums, and other such things may have sensors connected to them or be ringed by audio and infrared detectors and other security measures.
Walls and fences. Fences and walls, which are often composed of wood, wire, or other solid materials, can be used to enclose land and regulate access. Natural barriers, such as rivers, cliffs, ravines, and other such obstructions, may give similar protection as a fence or wall.
Fences and other obstacles, even when barbed or razor wire is applied, are not a perfect device for regulating access to the land. This type of barrier can be cut through, knocked down, tunnelled under, or climbed over. Walls and fences can be formed of see-through material. As a result, those inside the premises may have a limited view of what is happening on outside the property.
Regular maintenance and patrol of a perimeter guarded by a fence, wall, or other barrier are required to keep this access control device effective. Materials placed against fences and walls that might allow attackers to enter the property should be brought to the notice of a supervisor or an appropriate authority on the site as soon as possible.
Gates and other openings. Fences and barriers are not often continuous around a location. As a means of entry and escape, gates or other holes in an otherwise continuous barrier are utilized. To provide genuine people entry to the premises, security personnel (in access booths at the entrance or operating the gate mechanism through a video camera), keys, and other access methods might be utilized.
Infrared beam perimeter security systems. These systems are made up of a number of poles or columns that encircle the property. A number of gadgets mounted on these buildings form an infrared curtain surrounding the property. An alert may ring if one or more of the infrared beams are disrupted.
Typically, each column is outfitted with an anti-tamper/anti-climbing mechanism that sounds an alarm if an intruder attempts to walk on top of the columns to jump over the beams or remove or otherwise tamper with the system. Electronic gadgets are used in infrared beam systems. These gadgets will not be able to function in the case of a power outage unless they are linked to a backup or emergency power source.
Cameras. Cameras mounted at strategic spots on the premises can be used as an extra security device in conjunction with existing access control systems to secure the property under guard. Cameras can be fixed (immovable), mobile, or actuated by movement, and they can be placed to provide vision of the outer perimeter, inner perimeter, or central core regions.
Camera surveillance systems, even when installed by professionals, may not cover all locations that require security. Cameras do not raise an alert or open a gate on their own; a real human must operate and monitor camera equipment and take appropriate action in the circumstance. Security Guards must keep a constant level of attention while performing their tasks throughout their shift. This can be especially difficult if the shift is lengthy and nonstop. The availability of backup power is also an issue for closed circuit video systems; unless emergency power is available, the “eyes” of a camera-based security system can be quickly erased.
Lightening. Property may be greatly protected by merely ensuring that the premises are appropriately lighted. Consider a house with weak lighting or one with several parts that are entirely dark, full of shadows, and have places to hide from view. Compare this to a home that is well-lit and has no shadowy corners where an offender may hide. Normally, well-lit property is better protected by security; it is significantly simpler for guards, passers-by, and personnel on the site to identify issues before they reach a critical stage. A well lighted work site, on the other hand, reduces the chance of guards being assaulted from ambush.
Lights are often installed in all three regions of the property: the outside perimeter, the inner perimeter, and the inner core. Brightly illuminated property also deters criminals, making hidden actions more difficult.
Lighting controls should be placed in areas where prospective intruders or unwanted guests cannot reach them. Again, illumination is subject to power outage (natural, legitimate/planned, or as part of an illicit attempt to gain entry to the property) unless emergency or backup power is provided.
Technology Used to Control Access
In this region, access control is often accomplished in one of two methods. These methods include security guard access and mechanical or electronic device entry.
1. ENTRY VIA SECURITY GUARD
You may be required to stand or sit at a site’s main entrance. Your primary responsibilities will be to verify identity and determine whether or not they are permitted to enter.
Personnel recognition is frequently utilized at small workplaces. You only let folks in who you know. If there will be any guests, the staff will inform you. You fill out a specific form with visitor information. This strategy is only effective if you know each individual who enters and witness each person enter. Unauthorized persons may enter if your attention is diverted elsewhere or if you do not have time to identify everyone.
ID systems are widely used in government agencies. Before entering, all personnel must show you their ID card. You carefully examine each ID card.
Look for the following:
- a colourful photo and physical description of the holder
- the holder’s complete name and signature
- the company’s name and the signature of an issuing authority
- an expiration date
a unique identifier (for the card itself or an employee number)
Special passes – In high-security zones, only those with special passes or badges should be allowed to access. You must be quite familiar with this form of access restriction in order to recognize it. If visitors or temporary employees need a pass to access the region, they may be required to show you a form of identification, such as their driver’s licence. Their information must be recorded in a logbook. You return their ID when they return the pass when they leave. Visitors to facilities with strict entry control may be photographed and handed a temporary ID card to wear until they depart the area.
Access control does not operate unless the rules are strictly followed by everyone. Some workers, particularly long-term employees, may grow irritated or annoyed if they are required to present their ID every day. If you are new to a site, you may not recognize all of the personnel. Even if you know the individual, check their ID. The card may no longer be valid. If you are challenged, be cool, explain why you need security, document information in a logbook or report sheet, and obey your post instructions.
Security guards are occasionally required to receive, keep, and distribute mail, messages, or deliveries. This is not normally the job of a Security Guard, and you should only do these activities if you have specific instructions in your post orders. Postal or special delivery couriers must show identification and wear specific badges. Your job is to examine their ID, register their admission, and lead them so they may make their delivery.
2. Entry Through Mechanical/Electronic Device
A Security Guard does not always manage access at medium-access venues.
Employees are permitted to enter the area. This can happen in a variety of ways:
Keys – Some personnel are given a master key to the building, which permits them to enter the facility and most locations within. At numerous locations, new technology is replacing the traditional metal key
Touch keypads – At the entryway, there is a keypad on the wall. Passwords, codes, or personal identification numbers (PIN) are assigned to users and must be entered.
ID card tags – Some cards, including debit cards, include a magnetic strip on the reverse. Other cards feature a bar code, similar to what you’d see on a retail merchandise. The user swipes the card or inserts it into the reader’s slot. The reader is attached to a wall or door. It validates the card’s code. If the card is accepted, the door is unlocked for a brief duration;
Proximity cards – These cards function similarly to cards with stripes or bar codes, but they do not have to come into contact with the reader. Passing their card near the reader allows them to open the door. These cards may merely display an identity number or may feature a photo ID on one side. A key fob is a gadget that functions similarly to a proximity card. It is a little piece of plastic that may be added to a key ring.
Biometric identification – Entails storing biographical information about individual employees in a data bank. Fingerprints, palm prints, retina patterns (blood vessel patterns in the eye), or facial recognition information might all be included. If an employee want to access a restricted location, they must pass their hand, eye, or face via a reader. The door is unlocked if the reader matches this information with the stored data bank. This technology may be used to prevent theft or fraud since biometric data is unique to each individual. A biometric feature, unlike a password or PIN, cannot be forgotten or lost.
Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) – Access cards or other security devices with tags the size of a grain of rice can be inserted to enable authorized people access to regions inside a facility while also allowing Security to ‘follow’ the persons as they travel across the facility. RFID technology is being utilized in airports as part of the new e-passport system to assist distinguish genuine personnel from potential security hazards.
Many guests are not needed to provide ID before signing logs; and even when genuine ID is required, this kind of screening depends significantly on the visitors’ honesty or security’s ability to detect counterfeit identity when supplied.
Keys and Locking Systems. Locks are intended to keep unauthorized people from accessing things. Security may be given keys in order to gain entry to the property.
A Building Master Key opens all doors within a building, save those rooms or sections which have been “keyed off the master”.
A Sub-Master Key opens a set of doors inside a given region (which may have unique locks triggered by individual keys). A “department master” key, for example, can access all space controlled by one department in a complex, but a Sub-Master key can only access a certain piece of the property belonging to that department.
Keys can be “security” encrypted. A key, for example, may be engraved or stamped with a certain insignia, number, or emblem that locksmiths and key copying businesses are meant to recognize and refuse to duplicate.
Security locks with special codes, such as push-button combination locks, can also be employed. Before access/egress via the door or entrance is granted, a code must be entered. Master keys, sub-master keys, and push-button combination lock codes are often supplied with caution. Liability risks emerge from the negligent use and control of access control devices such as keys and pass codes, as will be explored momentarily.
Times Locks – Locks on vaults and safes on timers can be installed by banks and other such organizations. When a key, code, or other mechanism is used on a predetermined date and time, the lock will open, enabling access to the protected area within. Attempting to get access beyond typical business hours, for example, may necessitate unique locking system overrides. Some of these mechanisms may never be overridden.
Ticket Machines – Tickets are given to the individual entering the premises as confirmation that he or she (or, in parking lots, a vehicle) has been permitted entrance. This strategy provides minimal security because it generally restricts access to the premises to those who can pay a charge. It makes no guarantees about the user’s behaviour or the safety of other people or property on the premises.
Limitations on Access Control Mechanisms and Techniques
The bulk of technological access control methods are powered by electricity. A significant security system requires backup or emergency power, or a manual override of an electronic system. Keys, cards, or passes may be lost, stolen, or duplicated. Passes and keys can be taken. Locks are pickable. Smashed doors, gates, and windows are all possible. Illegitimate users can also purchase programmable cards and similar devices with enough money and programme them to work on security systems. Passwords and pass codes that are not routinely updated can be found and sold. The argument is that no security mechanism is impenetrable. A security system is solely intended to reduce the dangers of unauthorized entry. Security guards should augment the inadequacies of the security system with which they operate in order to safeguard the people and property on the site to which they have been assigned. To give the finest security to the customer, he or she should keep these aspects in mind.
Controlling access devices poses additional hurdles to the security sector. A recent Texas ruling, for example, found a security agency responsible for $18 million in damages after a woman was sexually abused and abducted by a man who obtained entry to her apartment unit by using a backup key. The perpetrator had broken into the security firm’s office and grabbed a duplicate of the victim’s apartment key, which was meticulously labelled with the victim’s accurate address. The company was found accountable by the jury because it took responsibility for the secure keeping and foreseeable unauthorized use of a marked key. The Court determined that the security service had a duty to safeguard the homeowner against the criminal conduct of individuals who might come into touch with such a strong means of access.
Materials Access
The removal of items from a work site is one of the most delicate jobs that Security Guards will have to deal with in this Chapter. People frequently depart a job site with laptops, computer discs, boxes and briefcases full of products, automobiles, and other corporate property.
While there is no question that industrial espionage is a worry in some cases, a Security Guard who restricts individuals from exercising lawful access to those documents or from removing them from the site would also cause issues. The customer – the one who hires security – must be the one who decides what security measures are necessary. The customer will offer official or informal guidance to the security business or the guards themselves, usually in writing. Change, like everything else, is unavoidable; modifications to security operations, rules, and procedures will occur from time to time, therefore Security Guards must stay on top of things and discuss them with a supervisor.
Controls for shipping and receiving. In some cases, clients will request that security sign for documents, parcels, and other delivery. To guarantee that a Security Guard complies with the customer’s demands, clear instructions from the client should be taken or post orders issued. In some cases, clients may need:
- Special paperwork must be completed by package receivers
- Logbooks that chronicle the receipt of commodities
- Signed-for deliveries
- On-site arrangements were made to send the delivery to the eventual receiver
Guards on gate duty are often expected to:
(a) Verify car license plate numbers and the driver’s name
(b) Ensure that deliveries are expected or that sufficient authorization for delivery has been obtained
(c) Accept the delivery in compliance with the post orders
(d) Check that the “seal” on arriving or exiting cars is in place and has not been tampered with
(e) Ensure that a vehicle’s cargo is validated when it leaves the premises by utilizing a waybill or other supporting documents allowing the removal of items
(f) Search the cabs of trucks entering or leaving for products as specified by the client in post orders
The Security of Information
Confidentiality of Information
Confidentiality refers to the practice of keeping vital information hidden. Guards’ tasks and responsibilities include maintaining confidentiality. You don’t want to be the source of a “information leak” since it’s part of your job. As a Security Guard, you are put in a position of trust and must constantly operate in a way that maintains that trust.
Because of their job responsibilities, they frequently become one of the most knowledgeable workers of the organization for which they work. You will see and hear numerous things that you must keep private or discuss only with select members of the firm or security personnel. It is critical that you do not discuss these matters with others.
Guards get information on a wide range of criminal conduct, financial transactions, personal activities, and classified employment. Because of the nature of their employment, they frequently carry keys that enable them access to various locations that are not accessible to others. Guards are clearly put in a position of trust, and they must strive tirelessly to retain that trust at all costs. Guards must guarantee that private and classified material does not leave the workplace, and any such information supplied to security in the course of their duties must not be discussed or revealed to anybody outside the security department.
Information from the Canadian Government can be classed into one of the following categories:
Top Secret – Unauthorized exposure would be extremely damaging to the nation.
Secret – Unauthorized disclosure would jeopardize national security, inflict substantial harm to the nation’s interests or prestige, or provide a significant benefit to a foreign power.
Confidential – Individual personal files may be protected under this classification if unauthorized publication would be detrimental to the interests or prestige of the nation or any government activity, or would benefit a foreign power.
Restricted – Should not be published or disclosed to anyone other than the appropriate authorities. Similar categories are used in industry to classify knowledge and material that must be kept secret from rivals and the general public.
Computer Crime
Theft or damage to computer information is referred to as computer crime. Computer crimes can arise in a variety of ways. Stolen data can be utilized to get products and services, or it can be sold for a profit. By searching through someone’s desk or even looking through garbage cans, a burglar may discover secret information such as passwords or unique codes. Someone else can access confidential information or make changes to files if an employee does not log off their computer when they should.
People from both inside and outside the firm may become involved in computer crimes at your location. One of your responsibilities may be to accompany persons through restricted locations to ensure they do not get access to sensitive information. It is difficult to determine whether or not someone is involved in computer crimes. However, there are several indicators that computer crimes may be taking place on your site.
BE ON THE LOOKOUT FOR ANY OF THE FOLLOWING:
- Employees who are dissatisfied with the firm or who have lately been sacked
- Private information, such as pass codes, that have been put out in a visible location
People who use another person’s computer - Someone who frequently works from home and arrives at strange hours or at unexpected times
- Employees that come or depart early yet do not appear to be doing any corporate work during these periods
- Employees who speak too openly about matters that should be kept private
You must apply your common sense when determining if what you observe indicates that someone is engaging in cyber crimes. If you notice something that concerns you, take meticulous notes and report it. Your task will fall into one of these categories regardless of where you work or for whom you work. Remember that a competent Security Guard should be intimately familiar with the physical layout of any building, plant, facility, or location that he or she is protecting in order to notice when anything is wrong and respond promptly when required. Without this information, you will be unable to grasp the tasks of the work, perform with pride and confidence, or respond in the event of an emergency.
Keep in mind that the primary role of the Security Guard is to give protection. The exact obligations for the assignment are often outlined in management orders and instructions.
Computer Security
Computer and software protection is a one-of-a-kind difficulty. With each technical advancement that improves computers and the services they deliver, new threats emerge. Among these hazards are:
- Computer theft
- Software theft or piracy
- Industrial espionage (appropriation of ideas or goods)
- Computer mischief or harm
Security personnel have a particular difficulty when it comes to computer theft. While the simplest offences are easily discovered and responded to (a person who plainly does not belong on site, physically removing the wires from the wall, and departing the scene with the computer under arm), certain thefts are more difficult to detect. Consider a guard at a kiosk in an office tower at the end of the day. A business-dressed individual walks past, holding a laptop computer in its carrying case and a box with word-processing software under his or her arm. Is this guy attempting to take the machine or the software? Or are they simply taking it home to accomplish some job that they didn’t have time to complete during the day?
Software piracy. Copyright safeguards software. This legislation prohibits unauthorized usage. Unauthorized software copying may result in liability for the person utilizing the program or his or her employer.
Industrial Espionage – like software piracy, is essentially a specialized kind of stealing. Industrial secrets, such as the formulas for Kentucky Fried Chicken® and Dad’s Cookies®, are frequently valuable and are jealously guarded by the company that possess them. However, it is exceedingly difficult to distinguish between authorized off-site work and the removal of confidential papers and other firm property.
Unauthorized usage of business property. Some businesses may enact policies prohibiting workers from using corporate equipment for personal use. Again, determining whether this guideline has been violated may be exceedingly difficult for a Security Guard who does not know the intended usage of corporate equipment. The issues presented by these and other security rules should be discussed with the guard’s supervisor, who should confer with the client to identify the best strategy.
Computer mischief or damage involves not only physical injury to the machine but also activities that result in a significant decline in the computer’s operation, such as infection with a computer virus or deletion/modification of data or computer software.
The following definitions may be useful:
Virus: A program that may infect other programs by altering them so that a duplicate of itself is included (possibly evolving as it progresses).
Worm: A software that replicates itself across the network and on connected machines.
Trojan Horse: A software with concealed instructions that cause it to perform actions that the user did not expect.
Computer viruses and worms are self-replicating programs that infect other programs by altering them to include a copy of themselves. When the infected programs are run, the virus/worm spreads to other programs. Viruses and worms have the ability to damage programs and data. They may deplete resources (they can fill computer memory with garbage data, usurp computer cycles, and so on). Trojan horses may install malicious code into any software.
Conducting Security Checks and Searches (Baggage Inspection)
While the customer establishes the access regulations at the job site, a Security Guard must guarantee that these rules are followed. A Security Guard should be well-versed in the policies that will be enforced on the job site. The only method to verify that the access criteria are satisfied is to familiarize the Security Guard with the needs of that specific location. When bringing Security Guards to a new location, security firms should go through the access regulations and procedure in great detail.
People may be both inconvenienced and offended as a result of a search of their belongings. It is critical that Security Guards follow the client’s preferences when evaluating whether these sorts of intrusive and perhaps reputation-damaging activities are required. If the client’s instructions are unclear, the Security Guards should check with his or her supervisor.
Meanwhile, the Security Guard should keep an official record of any suspicious behaviour, objects removed from the premises, and so on. The guard’s notebook should also include a detailed account of what happened.
The issues presented by these and other security rules should be discussed with the guard’s supervisor, who should confer with the client to identify the best strategy. If management has determined that searches are required, it is considerably easier for a guard to justify why he or she must check an employee’s briefcase.
Here are some steps to keep in mind during search/baggage inspection:
- Seek consent and explain the procedure first.
- Ask if the person has any prohibited items in their possession, or anything which may cause danger such as sharp or pointed items, before starting to search.
- Ask the person to empty their pockets onto a table or into a tray so that they may be examined more carefully.
- Physically search the person in a methodical manner, starting from the head and working down and asking them to remove outer clothing (hats (unless of religious significance), coats) if necessary.
- Use a torch if necessary to help to see into pockets.
- Check pockets by patting them from the outside rather than reaching in. If anything is found, ask the person to remove it themselves (unless it is believed to be a weapon).
- When inspecting bags and wallets, ask the customer to open them and remove the contents so that a visual check can be made.
Alarm Systems
Purpose of an Alarm System
An alarm system is any mechanism created or intended to provide prompt warning of a condition needing rapid attention or response.
Alarm systems were fairly basic hundreds of years ago, ranging from dogs screaming at prospective invaders to bells or other noisemaking devices on strategically placed strings that would send an alert. Miners used to bring little birds down into the mines with them; the small birds, being more vulnerable to a decrease of oxygen in the environment, would succumb to the lack of air before the miners, alerting them to the perilous scenario that had evolved.
Alarm systems have gotten increasingly complicated as technology has advanced. They can also deliver more accurate responses. Some alarm systems may even undertake self-analysis to guarantee that no false alarms have occurred.
Alarm systems may now be used to warn of a wide range of events, including incursion, fire, smoke, the release of harmful substances, changes in the environment, such as temperature or humidity, and equipment breakdown.
A Security Guard should be able to arm, disable, and reset an alarm system, as well as evaluate the operating system and spot any (obvious) faults with the system with which he or she would be working.
Types of Alarm Systems
Alarms can be mechanical, electronic, or a mix of the two. Purely mechanical alarms include wind chimes set at a store’s entrance to notify the clerk of any possible customer arrival or exit. Electrical alarms are sensors and equipment that are used in houses, buildings, and complexes to activate an alarm.
What is the Main Purpose of an Alarm System?
Alarm systems may be used to notify individuals of a variety of hazards, including:
- intrusion (illegal entry)
- fire
- smoke
- toxic chemical release
- changes in temperature
- changes in humidity
- equipment breakdown
- water leaks or other types of leaks
Components of Alarm Equipment
How do Alarm Systems Operate?
You will deal with a variety of alarm systems. Even if some systems are complicated, they all have three fundamental components: the sensor, the transmitter, and the annunciator. Consider an alarm system to be a body:
- The sensor is like the senses, such as sight, hearing, and touch
- The transmitter is like the nerves which carry messages from the senses to the brain
- The control panel or annunciator is like the brain
1. Sensor
This gear receives or detects data from a secure environment.
Detectors of smoke and heat detect smoke or high temperatures. Boiler and heater gauges assess fluid levels and pressure.
Sensing hardware refers to equipment that are connected to a control panel by wire, radio, or microwave communication devices. The sensing devices serve as the alarm system’s eyes and ears, alerting to the presence of a certain situation (movement, light/interruption of a light beam, presence of smoke or poisonous substances, change in temperature, pressure, or humidity, or other similar characteristics).
There are several kinds of sensor devices available:
Magnetic contacts – Detect the opening of doors, windows, drawers, and cupboards, which is typical in many home security systems. A magnet is put on the item that is being opened, as well as one on the frame that surrounds it. A spring opens a contact and alerts the control panel as one magnet travels away with the door or window being opened. These devices are readily beaten by the introduction of a secondary magnetic field, which is employed to maintain the contacts open while one of the magnets is changed. This type of circumvention can be defeated by installing a “balanced” switch.
Shock sensors – have supplanted previous systems for detecting damaged windows. Originally, glass was protected by wrapping a continuous strip of metal wire or foil around the perimeter of the window. When the glass was shattered, the metal foil or wire was also fractured, causing an electric circuit to be disrupted. This interruption was subsequently relayed to the control panel, which triggered the alarm. This very crude – and easily circumvented – alarm system has been replaced with vibration or shock sensitive sensors connected to the glass itself. The impact of the hit activates the control panel when the window is smashed. Both types of this technology may be implemented in walls and gates to prevent forcible entrance.
Motion detectors – are carefully positioned throughout a building to detect intruder movement. Motion detectors are often positioned in heavy traffic areas where intruders are likely to go if they enter the premises. On the market, there are several subcategories of motion detectors, each with advantages and drawbacks over other types of motion detectors.
Photoelectric cells – Electric eyes, also known as light sources, are made up of a light source and a receiver. A laser, infrared, or ultraviolet light beam is transmitted across the line of passage through a room or corridor. An intruder stepping across it will disrupt the light beam. When the sensor detects a break in the beam, it alerts the control panel to the problem. Security guards working in areas covered by photoelectric cell technology should be mindful of the impacts of fog, smoke, and other items that may mistakenly impede photoelectric beam transmission. Intruders who are aware of their usage and position may be able to step over or crawl beneath the light beam.
Ultrasonic – Detectors function similarly to small radar detectors. They deliver a sound pulse into the monitored region. Sound waves bounce off items in the shielded region, reflecting a signal back to a receiver. As with radar, any item that is closer to the transmitting unit than the reflecting device – such as a person coming up a corridor towards the sending unit – will cause the “bounce” duration and pattern to alter and the alert to sound.
Microwave – Motion sensors function similarly to ultrasonic detectors. The primary distinction is that microwaves, like other radio waves, may travel through solid walls and detect motion in neighbouring rooms or regions.
Audio – Alarms monitor noises made in the protected area. These technologies detect minute noises produced by movement. Because many items within a protected property create noise (air conditioning or heating systems circulate air and make a little amount of noise; structures groan and settle), these devices are less trustworthy and may cause false alerts.
Infrared – Sensors detect intruders by measuring the quantity of infrared radiation in the region being monitored. Body heat is emitted by all warm-blooded creatures and is recognized as infrared radiation. The sensor indicates that conditions have changed when there is a rapid rise in the amount of infrared radiation in the region being monitored. Unfortunately, changes in the heating or cooling system, sunshine, or other heat sources may cause the alert to sound.
Pressure sensors – It is possible to embed devices into the places to be defended that activate an alert when pressure – such as the pressure of a person walking across the floor – is applied on the device, similar to land mines (but without the explosive components). Some alarm systems install pressure sensitive mats beneath carpeting in key locations of the protected property.
Gauges – Sensors can be attached to gauges and other pressure, fluid level, and other measuring equipment so that when a minimum or maximum factor is reached, the sensor notifies the control panel. These sorts of devices are typically used in boilers and heating systems, as the threat of explosion from pressure buildup can be high.
Temperature sensors – Keep an eye out for drastic changes in the surroundings. Sensors may monitor a large change in the temperature of the area, such as a rise from normal room temperature to 1000 degrees (the high temperature of hot gases released by a fire, as well as a fall below freezing), or they may include a reaction to a specific temperature (for example, once 500 degrees is reached in the area, the sensor will advise the control panel).
The table below provides some examples of sensors used with intruder alarms:
SENSORS
| Sensor type | How it works | Security concerns |
| Shock | activated by vibration from pressure or forced entry – installed in windows, doors, gates, walls, safes, vaults | a strong gust of wind could set it off. |
| Motion | activated by movement – installedin high traffic areas | |
| Laser beam | beam of light sent to receiver – intruder breaks beam | intruder can step over or under beam |
| Ultrasonic | sound waves sent to receiver – sound causes waves to bounce off objects, like radar | may be set off by mouse running, air movement |
| Microwave | radio waves sent to receiver – movement breaks radio signal | waves can move through walls and detect motion in other rooms |
| Audio | microphone picks up loud sounds, for example breaking glass | may be set off by air conditioning, heating equipment |
| Magnetic / foil circuit breakers | activated by opening of doors or windows | adding a second magnet can stop it from working |
| Infrared energy | activated by heat increase from human and animal bodies as well as fire | may be set off by rapid change in heating / cooling systems |
| Pressure | activated by walking pressure – installed under mats, possibly near vaults and safes | |
| Wire | activated by change in tension – stretched along perimeter barrier such as fence | |
| Proximity alarm | electromagnetic field around protected object – activated by entering field, installed around high security fences, safes, vaults, works of art | animals, tall grass can set off perimeter alarms |
2. Transmitter
Any device that transfers alarm messages from the sensor to the control panel is referred to as a relay device. Hard wiring, telephone cables, fibre optic lines, and radio waves are all examples of this.
Transmitters deliver a signal from the sensor to the control panel, informing it that specific events have occurred. Assume, for example, that a piece of light wire or metal foil has been put on a window to keep intruders out. The protective window is broken, causing the wire or foil to break and an electric circuit to be disrupted. For this message to be acted upon, it must be transmitted someplace. The message was transferred from the sensor to the control panel through transmitters. Wires, fibre optic cables, and radio waves are examples of transmission devices.
3. Control Panel or Annunciator
This is the key component that accepts messages and converts them into responses. The hardware in most control panels is the same.
The “brains” of an electronic security system are control panels. A control panel receives messages, warnings, and alerts from sensing hardware and converts this data into a reaction. It responds by executing a planned action when it gets information that it has been created or programmed to monitor for, such as an increase in temperature, the presence of smoke particles over a certain threshold, movement, sound levels, or whatever the crucial information is. This step might include contacting a response agency or emergency personnel such as police, ambulance, or fire.
| Control panel hardware | What it does |
| Data processing equipment from sensors | Receives and interprets information |
| Alarm transmission equipment | Sets off alarms such as sirens, horns,telephone / radio signal, buzzers |
| On / off and reset controls | Allow operator to turn the alarm on or off. Made up of panel board with keys, pads or buttons |
| LCD panel | Shows whether alarm is on or off and if system is operating correctly or where trouble spots are |
| Back-up power supplies | Provide emergency power in case ofaccidental or planned power outage |
While different manufacturers provide different systems to perform different things, all control panels have the same sort of hardware, which includes data processing equipment, alarm transmission equipment, on/off and reset controls, system status indicators, and a backup power source.
Data processing equipment gets the information given by the intelligence gathering equipment. This device evaluates the data it receives and responds in line with the preprogrammed instructions.
Alarm transmission equipment is the mechanism by which an alert is raised is referred to as equipment. This might be as basic as a bell or siren, or it could transmit a signal to a monitoring station on the property or at a remote location through telephone lines or radio broadcast.
On/off and reset controls is a panel board with keys, toggles, or digital key pads that allow an operator to turn the alarm on, off, or reset the system is typical (in case a problem has developed).
System status indicators are the mechanisms that describe how (or whether) the system operates. The main colours used to represent this are red (to signal that the system is fine but not switched on), yellow (there is problem someplace in the system), and green (system armed and operating correctly).
Backup power supplies are standard features in the majority of alarm systems. In the event of an unintentional, planned, or malicious (sabotaged) power outage, an emergency power source is employed.
Common Causes of Alarm Activation
There are four primary reasons why an alarm will sound:
- A specified event has taken place (an intruder has entered the premises, for example), (approx. 0.01%)
- A malfunction has occurred, (approx. 19.69%)
- Human error, (approx. 45.80%); or
- Undetermined, (approx. 34.50%)
According to industry data, the number of mistakes vastly outnumbers the number of valid alerts. However, a Security Guard responding to an alarm should not get complacent. When an alert is detected, the Security Guard MUST consider it as a valid occurrence.
A malfunction is defined as any correctable defect detected inside an alarm system that caused the system to perform wrongly, either by activating an alarm when it was not needed (false positive) or by failing to activate the alarm when it was needed (false negative) (false negative). All security systems must be serviced on a regular basis. Walls break, fences decay or rust, and electrical equipment are dropped or knocked into. All of these things must be examined on a regular basis to verify that they are still completely working. Failure to maintain these systems can lead to serious issues with the operation of a security system.
Human mistake denotes that the false alert was generated by a person’s inappropriate activities. This problem frequently occurs when someone fails to properly switch off or turn on the alarm, or when the equipment is not correctly installed in the first place.
The word “undetermined” refers to the fact that neither the alarm system nor an operator/installer could be identified as the source of the false alert.
Monitoring of Alarms
The presence of an alarm on a property does not imply that the alarm is being monitored. Alarm systems are often classified into two types:
When activated, local alarms, also known as unmonitored alarms, transmit signals to a localized bell, horn, siren, strobe light, or other similar device or combination of devices. The alert is not communicated to other authorities such as the police, fire, or monitoring services. Although local alarms are inexpensive to run, they may not be heard unless people are present in or near the structure being protected. The combination of an on-site Security Guard with a local alarm dramatically minimizes the probability of a local alarm being unreported.
There are two types of monitored alarm systems: locally monitored and centrally monitored.
Locally Monitored Alarm System
The basic local alarm system is supplemented by a dialler or communicator in a locally monitored alarm system. The control panel is linked to a phone line (either a committed line or a general line). When an alarm is triggered, the control panel automatically calls a sequence of numbers and provides information about the occurrence.
Centrally Monitored Alarm System
Centrally monitored alarm systems use a dedicated transmission line to connect the control panel to a central agency that monitors alerts across the country. The central station is available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. When a call is received, trained individuals with a prepared list of contact numbers do a predetermined action. In the case of an intruder alarm in a store, for example (a sensor on the window goes off, indicating that someone has attempted to enter the premises), the central agency may contact the store itself, then the store owner; if no one is available at the first two numbers, the police or other emergency personnel may be contacted. The alarm signal generally indicates the sort of alert that has been triggered (fire, damage to a window or door) so that the central agency knows which emergency personnel to contact. When these devices detect a severed or broken phone line, they often sound an alert.
Security Responsibilities During an Alarm
Security guards who are unfamiliar with the sort of alarm system in the area they are guarding should consult their supervisor or the site owner to determine what the system equipment looks like and to guarantee that they work in line with the client’s alarm instructions.
The customer (the agency that has engaged the security services) and the security business that has agreed to fulfill those duties must agree on the obligations allocated to a Security Guard during an alert. These obligations may include contacting the customer or police, fire, or other emergency personnel, as well as determining the reason of the alarm and responding properly.
Regardless of the level of threat, the Security Guard’s primary responsibility is the protection of people and property. In rare situations, the Security Guard may be directed by his or her firm (or the customer) to leave the premises immediately if an alert is triggered. In other circumstances, the Security Guard may be directed to close the building altogether. For example, following a bank robbery, Security Guards are frequently told to guard the crime scene until the police arrive. In order to secure the crime scene, the Security Guard frequently has to convince bank clients to remain on the premises[s] until the police have interviewed them.
