FOI release

SIA social media post and being trained to deal with unexpected events

Published 8 January 2021

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1. Request

On Wednesday 14 October 2020 the SIA made an official statement on Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn claiming that “security operatives are trained to deal with unexpected events”.

Question 1: Which sectors of the private security industry is the SIA identifying in its statement? Is this for security guarding, door supervision, close protection, cash and valuables in transit, public space surveillance (CCTV)?

Question 2: Which specific learning outcomes is the SIA referencing when it states that “security operatives are trained to deal with unexpected events”?

Question 3: Would this statement by the SIA include the correct use of a personal radio in an emergency by an SIA licensed security guard?

2. Response

I can confirm that we do hold the information you have requested.

The post on social media was part of our SIA Heroes campaign and it referred to an operative who helped deliver a baby on the street. The training he received helped him to deal with the situation. The social media post was not specific to any particular security sector.

Security operatives receive core training that prepares them for emergency situations - for example, security officers, door supervisors and CCTV operators receive the training outlined below.

Whilst these skills are delivered in the context of employment, the operative in the SIA Heroes story has taken the knowledge and applied it to the situation he found himself in.

Read the specifications for SIA licence-linked training

  • employers and employees should take all steps which are reasonably possible to ensure the health, safety and wellbeing of themselves and others
  • recognise ‘risks’ in relation to health and safety at work - Risks: likelihood that a person may be harmed or suffer adverse health effects if exposed to a hazard
  • state how to minimise risk to personal safety and security - Risk assessment: developing awareness of risks and how to minimise them- Following health and safety and organisational procedures in relation to health and safety - Use of protective equipment, personal alarms and mobile phones
  • identify who to contact in first aid situations - Identify designated first aider and how to find them in an emergency. Determine when to call the emergency service. Work within the limits of your own ability and authority to deal with a first-aid emergency

2.2 Learning outcome: understand emergencies and the importance of emergency procedures

Emergency:

  • situation that is unexpected, threatens safety or causes serious disruption and requires immediate action

Types of emergency:

  • power, system or equipment failure; flood; actual or threatened serious injury; serious illness; bomb threat

Responses to emergencies:

  • follow correct procedures depending on emergency
  • ensure safety of self and others
  • report to appropriate authorities
  • behaviour: act quickly, be authoritative, remain calm, encourage others to remain calm
  • procedures for making emergency calls (5.1)

State how to make emergency calls:

  • stay calm
  • phone 999 and ask for relevant emergency service
  • when connected, provide location of incident, any injuries names of casualties, number of phone you are calling from, nature and time of the incident, equipment at the incident (5.2)

2.3 Learning outcome: understand the importance of communication skills and customer care

Identify best practice in relation to radio communications:

  • methods used to communicate clearly and accurately over a radio network: use of radio protocols to signal start/end of transmissions; use of clear and concise language; ensure clear and effective communication; ensure urgent incidents are dealt with quickly
  • how to deal with an emergency incident: local organisational protocols, e.g. identification of self (call sign); state ‘urgent message’; radio controller stops other traffic on network and switches radio to ‘talk-through’; state location and pertinent details of incident

[Reference: FOI 0235]

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