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The City of London is equally bustling with life and energy throughout the year. From shoppers on Regent Street to workers travelling on a century old Underground Tube network, everyday is welcomed with a crowd of rush, and just like any other big city around the world, London too becomes a target for unsocial elements – thieves and robbers. As such, almost every organisation employs their own security guards to safeguard its interests. Going by present statistics, the total number of private security officers in London far outnumber the number of Police personnel. Security guards in London are responsible for – Preventing crimes and unauthorised activities by guarding people and premises against any unlawful activity such as theft or criminal damage. They are also responsible for reporting any such activity to the Police and ensuring that all evidence remains preserved in its place at the scene of crime. Reducing losses to their employers by preventing wastage of resources and any damage to the property caused by miscreants. Monitoring any and all safety risks actively by detecting and aptly responding to any potential hazards. It could be something as little as a spill on the floor that can invite a lawsuit if someone slips and gets hurt. Acting as gate security by regulating entry and exit to the property. They are also responsible for maintaining a log book when they work at the reception. Taking care of any emergencies between the time they happen and the authorities (Police, Fire Department, NHS Ambulance, etc.) arrive; and then supporting the authorities with the relief work. London security teams also conduct regular evacuation drills with building occupants to maintain a high level of preparedness in case an actual emergency may arise. It’s not too hard to spot a security guard in London. They are employed by almost all organisations who have something to protect. Some common roles for security teams involve working as Gate security Reception security Event security Bouncers Floor assistants Night porters Hotel security Construction Security Retail security Key holding Mobile patrolling Health Care security Office security Personal security escort Mobile security escort Powered by Colm

If you don’t already have a proper corporate security plan in place, you should make it your top priority to get one ready as soon as possible. Your corporate security plan will work as an umbrella document that would govern and guide security measures across your work place. It will include everything from screening candidates before employment to managing visitors. Corporate Security Planning in 4 Easy Tips: 1. The one standard plan for everything It is very important that while devising this plan you think of it as a standard which will be followed throughout all your office buildings, and not just one of them. It will ensure that there is a consistency in your rules and procedures for security across all of your corporate domain. Also, you can use it as a basic security guideline and then include other building specific plans for each office, ensuring that any location doesn’t miss overlook any security concerns. 2. Make it universally liable Having a corporate security plan in place that is universally liable across all your offices will ensure that no one can circumvent around the rules when it comes to liability. It works in the same way as the constitution will to look after the well-being of the citizens. Think of every security issue and it’s impact and include everything in the plan, from firearms policy to emergency measures. 3. Think broad Don’t limit yourself to problems faced in just your office or as you see it. Invite different department heads for their opinion. Don’t set conditions which are too specific, instead keep them flexible enough to include all situations where they can be used as guidelines to follow by your staff and security officers. For example, in one of your offices a security guard may be responsible for visitor control, whereas in the other it may be the job of a receptionist. 4. Rope in the experts Always ask the experts to help you with your security plan. Take advantage of your security company’s expertise in the matter and sit down with them to discuss possible threats and risks. For a bigger office, you might also want to set up a security committee which will overlook all security measures that would be put into place. For a free security risk assessment, contact us now at info@g3security.co.uk or call us on 020 3288 0000/0011.

Any event organised anywhere in the world is prone to multiple security hazards. It takes days of planning and hard work to organise a successful event without any incident. Follow these tips before you start organising your own event: Figure out the challenges Think about the challenges that you’ll face with the upcoming event. The ideal place to start would be considering the type of event that it is and what sort of protective measures would be needed. Would you require to control crowds, prevent thefts or guard against sabotage? Are there going to be any VIPs present who would need additional protection? Sit down and figure out all the challenges that you might face. Ask for expert assistance Once you know the kind of challenges that you’ll be facing with the event, you can start looking for the type of security you’ll need. If it’s a small gathering, you can get away with a small contingent of security guards, but for a bigger event you might want to rope in a complete event security agency. It will allow you to focus your attention on other important topics relating to your event. Your event protection agency would provide you with professionally trained personnel who are apt at handling all kinds of emergencies. They will not only control the crowds and prevent against vandalism or sabotage, but will also look at any other lapses in safety measures, such as potential fire hazards. Plan for success Ideally, you should involve the security staff in the planning of your event from the very beginning. This would give them ample amount of time to conduct a site risk assessment and then advice you with the list of things that need your attention. Any professional event protection agency would assess risks based on the type of the event, its size, where it is being organised and what or who would need to be protected. The agency would then employ any measures at its disposal that would be necessary to help you organise a safe and successful event. For a free site risk assessment, you can contact us directly at info@g3security.com or call us on 020 3288 0000/0011. Find out more on How to organise a safe and successful event and other such useful tips in our information section Powered by Colm

Contrary to the belief, efficient hotel security does not necessarily depend on the price tag. Instead, it relies more on the experience and techniques that are employed by the security guards. Everyday, people from different backgrounds can be seen frolicking the corridors of any hotel. Most of them are new in town and need a place to stay which is safe and secure. As such, almost all good hotels today employ both computer based security systems as well as manned guards to keep it completely secure. Care should be taken when employing security personnel for your hotel security and those employed should be specifically trained in matters of hotel security. Also, the security system should depend on the type of the hotel and its size. Things like Alarm Systems, CCTV and Card based security are some of the essentials. Furthermore, the security team should keep themselves abreast of all the latest news and happenings around and periodically stay in touch with the authorities for the latest. Here is a checklist of Hotel Security that you could use to evaluate your own hotel’s security: Is the perimeter of my hotel secure? If not, then do I need a fence? Is the fence in use protected with barbed wires and not too low to climb over or a little high to crawl under? Are any materials (such as trash cans) that could be used to jump over fence kept away at a safe distance? Are the gates and hinges in good condition? Are there any volatile or flammable material which should be removed? Is the area well lit so as to not allow anyone to sneak in? Are all unused doors secure? Are all the glasses in doors protected with wire-glass or bars? Are all the locks on doors away from the glass so that they can’t be reached by just breaking glass? Are the keys stored only with trusted personnel and the locks changed periodically? Are there padlock hasps constructed so the screws can’t be removed? Are all the doors maintained well enough for any emergency evacuation? Are the windows protected by gratings, bars or other access limiting devices? Are unprotected windows locked? Are all the windows on the ground floor safe and secure? If they are not necessary, can they be replaced with a safer alternative such as a glass block? Are all skylights protected? Are roof hatches and doors properly secured? Are laundry and trash suits securely protected? Are all the ventilator shafts and vent openings protected? Are all entrances to sewers and service tunnels protected? Are all fire exits and escapes easy to access in case of emergency and yet ably protected against forced entry? Are the building walls of frame construction and fire resistive? Is the roof of the building secure and fire resistive? Is the safe in proper condition and securely fastened with alarm system? Is cash on hand kept to a minimum? Have the security officers received proper training? Are the security personnel properly armed and able? Are there regular emergency drills? Is all the monitoring equipment such as CCTV secure and working in proper condition and covers all public areas, both inside and out? Is there a proper liaison between the hotel security and the emergency services such as police and fire brigade? Is the computer facility secure and has a proper off-premises backup capability? Is the communication centre located in a secure place of the hotel? Are all wires and cables covered and secured properly against tampering? Is there an emergency communications plan in place? Are all emergency notification signs displayed properly? You can also download this self inspection PDF to print. Powered by Colm

What is Key Holding? If you own a business or property, it is required that you should be able to attend to your premises within 20-minute of any emergency to resolve any alarm issues. Failure to do so on your part more than thrice could lead the Police to withdraw providing any response. Key holding services prevent any such situation from developing. It also ensures that you or your staff are not at any risk while checking any such emergencies, and instead it’s the security company which does the job for you. It is not limited to businesses and can also be used by residential properties in case you are away from home, such as a weekend getaway or a family break. Why choose a Key Holding Company? You don’t have to drive yourself to the site, especially when you were entertaining some client on a business dinner and had a little too much to drink. You don’t want to be disturbed over any false alarms at inconvenient timings. Your personal safety is guaranteed as you don’t need to put yourself in the line of fire to check out any situation with the alarm. You could use this to cover for your or your regular staff’s holidays. You also prevent any compensation claims from any staff who may suffer an injury or accident while they act as a key holder on your behalf. You get a professional security team to check out every emergency every time for your total peace of mind. What should you look for in a Security Company? How secure their own premises are? How soon can they arrive at your premises? (All Key Holding service providers are required to be present at the site to deal with the alarm in under 20 minutes.) Does the Security Company adhere to regulations such as BS7984 (Code of Practice for Key Holding and Alarm Response Services)? Does the Security Company offer its services 24/7 and 365 days a year? What are the common threats that Key Holding services can prevent? Burglary / Theft while it’s still in progress Personal kidnap or robbery Criminal damage to your property Assault Our key-holding services will provide you a trained uniformed security officer with your keys to come in and take stock of the situation and respond accordingly. They would then reset your alarms as well as call in for additional help such as an electrician, engineer or a plumber if they are needed to secure your premises. You would also be sent a log sheet of the event, a copy of which will remain with the security company. Powered by Colm

Here are some easy tips to help you get started: Take your training seriously. You would be responsible for guarding other’s lives as well as your own. Whatever you learn during your training could actually mean the difference between life and death. Pay attention and ask questions when you are not sure. Keep yourself in touch. Once you are done with your training and on field duty, it’s still very important to keep yourself in touch with what you have studied. Go through your course material from time to time until you have enough experience to know it all by heart. Attend refresher courses From time to time you would need to polish your skill sets. Attend any refresher courses for upgrades on new rules and regulations. Also make sure that you read magazines and articles that relate to your job, it will help you know what’s new out there. Stay physically fit Exercise everyday and regularly practice your self defense skills. This will help you remain sharp and active. Networking is important When employed by an agency or working privately, it is very important to build connections. Talk to your managers or supervisors about company policy and also take time out to meet others in your profession. You will not only learn more from others experiences but also might find yourself a better opportunity. Read about your company and where you work Read, read and then read some more. Even though your job requires you to be physically active, reading about your company procedures as well as news of what’s happening around you will always help you be ready for any eventuality. Stay focused when on job When you are working, stay sharp and focused at all times. Don’t make any presumptions and stay on your guard. People may not look the way they act so always approach them carefully. If you want to learn more about what’s new in the UK Security Industry, read our other articles here. Powered by Colm

The private security industry in UK provides more for more security personnel than the police. There are 26,500 security guards in London alone according to a study published by Paul Osborne from Cranfield University. Finding work in the UK security industry is quite simple and can be done either through direct application by sending in your CV to a prospective client or by applying in response to a vacancy that is advertised. However, almost all front line staff require Security Industry Association (SIA) licence. Before applying for your SIA licence, you should consider checking whether you are eligible or not. How often have we seen people undergo licence training to apply for their licence and get it rejected on the basis of eligibility. They end up losing money spent on training as well as their licence fee. Some points to consider before applying for SIA licence: Are you over 18 years of age? Are you eligible to work in the UK? Are you comfortable working long hours? Are you comfortable working alone? Are you physically fit for the job? If your answer is Yes to all the above questions, then you may proceed to the next step of checking your eligibility through SIA’s Criminal Record Indicator tool. Once you are sure that you meet all the eligibility criteria for the licence, you would need to choose a training provider that is recognised by the SIA to get yourself trained and ready. It is wise not to choose a training provider just on the basis of cost as your job as a security guard will be quite testing and even life threatening at times and you need to be properly trained. So research well and ask others for help in deciding your training provider. In your training, you will be trained for at least 27 hours where you will learn about the job and study about: Working in the Private Security Industry Working as a Security Guard Conflict Management for the Private Security Industry Towards the end of your course, you will be asked to sit in an exam and after you qualify, you’ll be eligible to get your SIA licence. You can do this by downloading the application form from SIA website here or by contacting them directly. You will also be charged a £220 non-refundable licence fee. Normally you just have to wait for a few weeks before you get your licence and once you get it, you are ready to rock the world of private security! For additional information about getting your SIA licence, download this PDF. Powered by Colm

Any construction site is easily prone to thieves and burglars as there is a huge amount of construction equipment and material lying in the open. Even though the risks depend on locality and how safe it is, it can still be exposed to other threats such as vandalism and terrorism Theft: High value material and equipment lying in the open or being transported from one place to another provides opportunist thieves with a chance to plan raids. Vandalism: Any personal or corporate vendetta can be a reason for vandalism, as can be mindless lust for damage and destruction. Terrorism: There is always a high risk of terrorists pre-positioning devices to perform destructive acts after the completion of construction. Construction site security is mainly the responsibility of the site operator, but some companies like to entrust it to their own security agency as well. Building and construction sites are always a security challenge by the amount of valuable material and equipment present on site as well as because it involves frequent access to a high number of outside contractors. Construction security involves a thorough threat analysis as well as risk assessment of the site and job at hand. Even though pre-planning can help sort out problems in advance, the threats need to be regularly re-assessed. In order to keep track of all risks, a risk register is often created. According to  Security Industry Association (SIA), a risk register can be either Raw Risk Register: A catalogue of the risks identified as being of concern, together with an assessment of their likelihood and impact before they have been addressed. This information forms the input to the analysis. For each risk a “Risk Appetite” is decided and then measures determined to mitigate the risk so that it is below the level of acceptable risk appetite. Residual Risk Register: Details how the measures to mitigate the risks have reduced the perceived level of risk (hopefully below the “risk appetite”). This forms the output of the analysis. Once the risks have been assessed and properly categorised in the Raw Risk Register, a mitigation is performed. This can be either Ignoring, Exporting or Addressing the risk at hand. The information is then recorded in the Residual Risk Register. The basic principles involved in any mitigation are: Deterrence Detection Delay Response In accordance with the above principles, it is considered best to provide security at each layer with different roles performed at different levels and under different circumstances (or stages) of the construction project. Consider it as onion layers, with each one guarded by a different security protocol. The layered security is complemented by a combined use of man and machine where electronic security equipments and security guards work together to provide a complete security blanket for the site. Role of security guards at construction site The primary role of security guards at any construction site involves patrolling, static guarding, checking personnel and vehicles before letting them in or out as well as responding to any security threat. They work closely with the site operator or manager. The construction security guards need to be properly trained in handling the relevant security equipment as well as have a valid SIA licence when employed through an agency. G3 security services provides specialist construction security personnel with considerable experience. For more information, contact us directly at  020 3288 0000 or 020 3288 0011. To download SIA guide and construction security checklist, click here. Powered by Colm

Who isn’t familiar with the term ‘bouncer‘ that is used to describe those burly looking guys usually dressed in black in a night club? They may be the most identifiable aspect of any night club or bar and are almost essential to the smooth working of any good establishment. Main duties of a bouncer To patrol and protect guests as well as staff from any improper or lewd acts. To warn and evict the guilty tactfully. To inform the police when and where it is necessary. Bouncers are security guards in disguise and every bartenders’ best friend on call. They are actually responsible for the good or bad image of any night club. Having patient and tactful bouncers is essential for any night club looking to be in the good books of their customers. It’s often seen that clubs usually hire security guards and bouncers that have a good built and height. This not only intimidates the guests, but also helps keep things in order. However, now a days it’s common practice to see many elegantly dressed door men and bouncers. This is because night clubs are looking to present themselves as more sophisticated and classy, moving away from the 70’s image of Hollywood rule enforcers. In earlier days to be hired as a bouncer, one would often end up stopping a fight or picking one with the bouncer in a club; something like the cowboys from the wild wild west. Sometimes you may have even got in by talking to the manager, however mostly it was all about networking. But now, things have changed. Bouncers are now hired on contract through security guard companies with proper training and skills. Requirements to be a bouncer Must hold a valid licence from the Security Industry Authority Have valid references and no criminal history Be well trained and tactful In the UK, sometimes bouncers are also referred to as floor man, floor person, doorman or cooler. Even though basically the job function remains the same, it may differ slightly according to the role in a particular establishment. Please contact us if you need your event or premises to be secured by trustworthy guard provided by an affordable service provider in London. Powered by Colm