Hiring Security Guards Might Be the Answer
Are you a manager at an industrial business (or plant) or a construction company? Do you hold a position that’s responsible for safety and security? If so, and you’re located in the Toronto or Southern Ontario area, we can help you find and hire trained security guards.
Here, we’re specifically addressing plant managers and health and safety specialists, or, for smaller businesses, owners, and CEOs. Businesses are always vulnerable to crimes ranging from petty theft to industrial espionage or and anything involving computer security.
The food-processing industry is especially in need of security guards since tampering with food and beverages could put many people at risk. The transportation industry is exposed to vehicle theft or tampering. Anything to do with healthcare is also highly vulnerable.
Construction sites are a ready target for unwanted entry and possible theft or sabotage. These sites are ridden with hazards, and those committing crimes there might risk their own lives as well as those of others.
Really, any business or industry is at risk of criminal acts that could cause property loss or threaten people’s safety or even their lives. That’s why security guards are so important nowadays — more so than ever before.
The Role and Responsibilities of a Security Guard
Essentially, security guards monitor buildings or outdoor sites and the people who occupy them. These protection and monitoring personnel need to become very familiar with both the people they work with and the locations where they work.
This is so that they can know more readily if something isn’t as it should be or if a stranger is hanging around the area for no apparent reason. Security guards would be the ones to contact the police and the owners or managers if there’s trouble.
Unless a security guard is licensed to carry a weapon (most in Canada are not), this individual is unarmed and would need to call for help if they sensed impending danger. The job of most security guards is to monitor and record events on the premises or site.
Security guards keep a close eye on closed-circuit security cameras, of which there can be quite a few. They also keep written logs of any occurrences or incidents. Security guards deal with any needed alarm response.
They also grant access to restricted areas for those who are authorized. Plus, every so often, they need to escort people off the premises.
What Kinds of People Become Security Guards?
Security guards come from many walks of life — sometimes as retirees, sometimes if they’ve lost a job or been laid off. Sometimes, security guards are simply people who need some extra cash. A lot of security guards have military backgrounds and the training that comes with that.
Occasionally, people become security guards by coincidence because of their existing jobs. For example, what’s now called “concierge security” refers to the surveillance responsibilities that fall logically to businesses, office buildings, hotels, or apartment building concierges.
The concierge is the person who staffs the front desk and mailbox areas and has a view of the entryway — perhaps with door-opening authority and discretion about allowing unfamiliar people to enter.
Most security guards are trained in emergency first aid procedures like CPR. This training is mandatory in Ontario and many other places, and some guards already have this training from past jobs. In case of illness or injury, security guards can be called on to stabilize and care for the stricken person until further help arrives.
How Are Security Guards Trained in Ontario?
Security guard training guidelines vary among different provinces. To be a security guard in Ontario, you must be at least 18 years old. You must either have no criminal record at all or have a pardon for a prior conviction.
You also need to be legally allowed to work in Canada. And, of course, you must have completed the required training and any tests successfully.
Here is the complete list of course titles and topics for those training to be security guards in Ontario:
- Introduction to the Security Industry
- The Private Security and Investigative Services Act and Code of Conduct regulation
- Basic Security Procedures
- Report Writing
- Health and Safety
- Emergency Response Preparation
- Canadian Legal System
- Legal Authorities
- Effective Communications
- Sensitivity Training
- Use of Force Theory
- Emergency Level First Aid Certification
As you can see, this is a very comprehensive list. Ontario security guards are well trained!
Industrial Security Services
Industrial security services can refer to security technologies that are used in industrial settings or individuals with security protection roles. It actually is a combination of both the technology and the humans who presumably use them that is optimal.
Some of the newer security technologies include identity checks such as fingerprint or iris scanning, security monitors, tracking and back-up systems, and various cyber-security protection measures.
Construction Site Security
Most construction sites are visible to the public and often are enclosed only by storm fencing, making costly construction materials and equipment attractive and seemingly easy targets for thieves. There are multiple precautions construction companies can take to prevent theft.
Hiring security guards, especially for nighttime duty, is one excellent precaution. Just their presence on the site can be a deterrent. If they have the necessary tools (such as video cameras for surveillance), they’re even better able to detect and report any intruders.
Reach Out to Us!
When all is said and done, if you have construction sites, an industrial plant, or any other facility that occupies a large or exposed space, you need to hire security guards.
Even the most mundane products and materials can be attractive to thieves. The most routine computer data is subject to hacking. And just about anything can be sabotaged as a prank, out of mean-spirited, or as an act of vengeance is up for grabs.
Why risk it? Let us know and we’ll assign you one or more dedicated and well-trained security guards to ensure the safety and well-being of your business and its employees.