Principles of Minimising Personal Risk for

Security Officers in the Private Security

Industry F/618/6846
Self-Study (Top-Up) Textbook
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Principles of Minimising Personal Risk for Security
Officers in the Private Security Industry
Highfield Level 2 Award for Security Officers
in the Private Security Industry (Top Up)

Introduction
This textbook has been developed to support you in achieving the
requirements of the self-study learning outcomes and assessment criteria
from the Highfield Level 2 Award for Security Officers in the Private Security
Industry (Top Up), Unit 2: Principles of Minimising Personal Risk for Security
Officers in the Private Security Industry.

The workbook that accompanies this textbook must be completed and

returned to your training provider before any further face-to-face training.

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Important note: this document is only to be used by delegates who have purchased the Highfield Level 2 Award for Security Officers in the Private Security Industry (Top Up) RQF qualification.
Principles of Minimising Personal Risk for Security
Officers in the Private Security Industry
Highfield Level 2 Award for Security Officers
in the Private Security Industry (Top Up)

Contents
Introduction
Contents

Principles of Minimising Personal Risk for

Security Officers in the Private Security Industry

Learning outcome 1: Know how to

minimise risk to personal safety at work
Responsibilities for personal safety at work
Situations that might compromise personal safety
The risks of ignoring personal safety in conflict
situations
Dynamic risk assessment
Minimising risks to personal safety
Personal protective equipment (PPE)
Body-worn cameras (BWC)
Personal safety strategies in conflict situations
Limits of own responsibilities in physical
intervention situations
Types of harm during physical intervention
Personal safety for mental alertness at work
Reflecting on personal safety experiences

Learning outcome 2: Know what actions to

take in relation to global (or critical) incidents
Accessing the most up-to-date guidance
from gov.uk
Government guidance as it relates to global
(or critical) incidents
Venue management
Personal protective equipment (PPE) to help
infection control

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Important note: this document is only to be used by delegates who have purchased the Highfield Level 2 Award for Security Officers in the Private Security Industry (Top Up) RQF qualification.
Principles of Minimising Personal Risk for Security Officers
in the Private Security Industry

Learning outcome 1: Know how to minimise risk to personal safety at work

Responsibilities for personal safety Situations that might compromise

and work personal safety
The Health & Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 As a security officer, you should always be
states that an employer must take reasonable aware of situations that could compromise
care of their employees and that employees your safety. Common examples include:
must follow the workplace instructions. There
are basic responsibilities that employers and
• lone working – is a check call system
or something similar in place?
employees must follow.
• interrupting a crime in progress
(such as burglary)
Employer responsibilities:
• dealing with intoxicated individuals
• provide the assignment instructions (A.I.s)
• higher risk locations such as high value
• within the A.I.s, provide details of the (e.g. corporate) or common targets (e.g.
importance of a contractor’s responsibilities a construction site or a remote site)
(this includes contracted security officers
and maintenance contractors)
The risks of ignoring personal safety
• provide the health and safety policies and in conflict situations
procedures including the risk assessment
for the site and any specific task with Whenever you are dealing with conflict
significant risks that the security officer may situations, there is an increased level of risk
carry out and potential for escalation. There is always
the potential for violence, verbal or physical,
• supply training needs analysis for each which could result in injuries for yourself or
member of staff, this is part of the others.
requirement for information, instruction
and supervision Should you react inappropriately and trigger
a situation to become violent,
• the employer must abide by current you may be considered negligent for
employment legislation any resulting harm.
• provide any PPE that is required in the risk
assessment or site policies
Dynamic risk assessment
A dynamic risk assessment is a systematic way
Employee responsibilities: of assessing the risk and potential for violence
• follow the A.I.s before approaching or responding to a
• request any training that they feel situation. You will learn about dynamic risk
assessment and the tools that you can use in
they need to carry out their duties
the conflict management unit.
• attend and complete the training Never underestimate a situation or individual.
• be fit and well for work/duties Small and thin does not necessarily mean
• wear and use PPE and other essential weak and timid. Always treat all situations
equipment correctly as a potential hazard and adjust your mental
• know and follow the company HR policies risk rating as the situation develops. This
could mean realising that there is no risk,
and procedures
removing yourself or requesting assistance as
a situation becomes more hostile.
Discussing good and bad practice (outcome
of a situation) helps to improve skills and
workplace practice.

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Important note: this document is only to be used by delegates who have purchased the Highfield Level 2 Award for Security Officers in the Private Security Industry (Top Up) RQF qualification.
Principles of Minimising Personal Risk for Security Officers
in the Private Security Industry

Learning outcome 1: Know how to minimise risk to personal safety at work

Minimising risks to personal safety

When reflecting on an incident, to minimise Equipment
the risk to your personal safety at work, you Common types of
should ask yourself the following questions: security equipment
• did you communicate well? include:
• did you keep the control room and • body-worn cameras
your colleagues informed at all times? (BWC)
• did you use all your abilities to try and • metal detectors
resolve the situation (we all have limits of
knowledge and skills) or did you overstep
• personal alarms
your limits? • radios/mobile
phones
• did you respond to the situation • torches
promptly?
• were there any control measures (such as • equipment as it
using the appropriate PPE) and did you applies to the
use them correctly? incident e.g. to help
Body-worn cameras (BWC) control infections
• have you kept your conflict management A body-worn camera is a ‘hands-free’ video
skills up to date? Consider when you
recording device that is worn by a security
last practised de-escalating a conflict
officer. They record images and verbal
situation. Continual professional
evidence and are often seen as a tool to
development (CPD) is vital for everyone
help:
as skills do fade when not used regularly.
• deter crimes
Personal protective equipment (PPE)
• self-protection against malicious
allegations
PPE is something you wear to help keep
yourself safe. Examples of personal
• secure evidence against offenders
protective equipment (PPE) for security • curb behaviour of customers
operatives include: and security officers
• waterproof clothing • identify offenders
• high-visibility clothing
• headwear
• stab-resistant vests
• gloves (needles/slash-resistant)
• rubber gloves and face shields (body
fluids)
• ear defenders
• eye protection
• safety footwear
• dust masks
• face masks/coverings (infectious diseases)

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Important note: this document is only to be used by delegates who have purchased the Highfield Level 2 Award for Security Officers in the Private Security Industry (Top Up) RQF qualification.
Principles of Minimising Personal Risk for Security Officers
in the Private Security Industry

Learning outcome 1: Know how to minimise risk to personal safety at work

Personal safety strategies in conflict Physical intervention is a non-pain

situations compliant method of escorting an individual
There are a range of problem-solving to the destination of your choice. However,
strategies that may help de-escalate a you must be trained in how to correctly
situation. You will learn about these in more apply the holds prior to using them. It is
detail during the conflict management unit, very easy to apply a hold incorrectly and
however, here are some examples that may make the non-pain compliant hold painful.
help resolve a situation: Should you damage/hurt the individual,
you may be legally responsible for the harm
• awareness – be aware of the personal that you have caused. You should always
space and the customers body language work within your own training, skillset and
• using dynamic risk assessments physical capabilities, and never be afraid
(for example using TACT and SEW) to call for assistance; you should then stay
• building a rapport (getting them within the law.
to like you)
• active listening (ensuring you collect Types of harm during physical
accurate information, repeating what they intervention
said back to them for confirmation etc.) If physical force is applied incorrectly, it
• CCTV or body-worn cameras can deter can lead to serious injury or even death.
some people from behaving badly Any forceful restraint can lead to medical
• working as a team (lead and support) complications, sudden death or permanent
disability, especially where situational and
• using a combination of these problem- individual risk factors are present. This
solving techniques and possibly some that includes non-weapon items such as glass
are not specifically mentioned in this list on the floor or items carried on the person
• knowing when to call for the police impaling them if they fall e.g. a screwdriver
or other emergency service on their belt. The following applications of
force are more likely to cause serious harm
and should be avoided if possible:
Limits of own responsibility in physical
intervention situations • strikes and kicks
There may be times when an individual • an individual falling or being forced
to the ground
should be escorted from a site. Remember,
when dealing with such a situation, your • interventions involving the neck, spine
first option should always be to use your or vital organs
verbal skills to request a person leaves a site. • restraints on the ground, be they face
Sometimes, the presence of a second up or face down
security officer or colleague is sufficient to • any position that impairs breathing and
persuade the individual to leave of their or circulation as this increases the risk of
own accord. The threat to call the police death through positional asphyxia
or the fact that they are being recorded on
CCTV may also encourage them to leave. • stress and emotional trauma leading
to post traumatic stress disorder
If the person is still not compliant, you will
need to consider alternative solutions.

6 Top up Unit 2: PMPRSOPSI : V1 June 2021

Important note: this document is only to be used by delegates who have purchased the Highfield Level 2 Award for Security Officers in the Private Security Industry (Top Up) RQF qualification.
Principles of Minimising Personal Risk for Security Officers
in the Private Security Industry

Learning outcome 1: Know how to minimise risk to personal safety at work

Personal safety for mental alertness Reflecting on personal safety experiences

at work Reflection is a useful tool to enable you and
Mental alertness is vital while working as a your colleagues to learn from experience
security officer. There are many advantages and improve your workplace practices. You
to ensuring you look after your mental well- can always improve your own and your
being, for example, it will enable you to: organisation’s procedures. Reflection can
• react quickly to situations improve the safety of yourself, staff, visitors
and customers when shared with the
• be aware of potential hazards correct individuals. You should consider:
• identify hazards and the necessary • what went well and what could have been
actions to mitigate the risk handled better (recognise good and poor
• make an accurate assessment practice).
of a situation • how to prevent recurrence of the same/
• increase your potential to prevent similar problems.
escalation of a situation by early
intervention
• recognising trends to help prevent
recurrence of the same/similar problems.
• identifying procedures or methods to deal
with situations effectively. Remember to
consider common responses to situations;
yours and the customers.
• informing management of identified
improvements to personal and
organisational practices and procedures.

7 Top up Unit 2: PMPRSOPSI : V1 June 2021 Working as a Security Officer 7

Important note: this document is only to be used by delegates who have purchased the Highfield Level 2 Award for Security Officers in the Private Security Industry (Top Up) RQF qualification.
Principles of Minimising Personal Risk for Security Officers
in the Private Security Industry

Learning outcome 2: Know what actions to take in relation to global (or critical) incidents

Accessing the most up-to-date guidance Venue management

from gov.uk A vital part of venue management is
In relation to global (or critical) incidents managing queues to prevent conflict and
such as pandemics, epidemics, acts of exceeding the venue’s capacity (maximum
terrorism, etc. you must ensure that you number of customers and staff ). The venue
follow all relevant health and safety policies capacity is stated on the Premise Licence.
and organisational procedures. In the case You need to be aware of all venue access
of a pandemic, you may be asked to wear points, including accessibility access points
additional PPE such as face masks when such as for wheelchairs. A consideration
in the workplace. You can find further of queue management is now social
information on the .gov website and distancing. Social distancing may be an
the World Health Organization website ongoing requirement for infection control
www.who.int/ about current global but also helps to prevent conflict from
incidents. developing due to individuals not having
sufficient personal space.

Government guidance as it relates to

global (or critical) incidents Personal protective equipment (PPE)
It is important that all security officers to help infection control
have access to the most up to date Personal protective equipment (PPE) has
guidance from the government to ensure always been considered important whilst
they comply with current legislation. This carrying out bag searches or search of a
may require individuals to regularly check person due to the possibility of contact
relevant websites and receive alerts/ with bodily fluids or sharps. Since the
notifications directly from the SIA and the emergence of COVID, PPE has become
Health & Safety Executive. Current useful even more essential to help infection
sources of information are (this list is not control. Gloves should always be worn
exhaustive): when contact is made with other people’s
www.hse.gov.uk/event-safety/ possessions or body. Gloves should be
crowdmanagement-assess.htm changed or sanitised in between contact
with each individual’s possessions or
body. Additional PPE should include
www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ face coverings, high visibility jackets, etc.
security-industry-authority

https://www.gov.uk/government/
publications/queue-management-
and-sialicensing

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Important note: this document is only to be used by delegates who have purchased the Highfield Level 2 Award for Security Officers in the Private Security Industry (Top Up) RQF qualification.
Notes

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Important note: this document is only to be used by delegates who have purchased the Highfield Level 2 Award for Security Officers in the Private Security Industry (Top Up) RQF qualification.
 Private Security Industry
Principles of Minimising Personal Risk for Security Officers in the

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