A security guard duties and responsibilities in the workplace

security guard duties and responsibilities
Two security guard in office.

Basic security guard training Unit 1 Lesson (B)


Although the Security guard duties and responsibilities depending on the client’s needs the primary duty of the security personnel is prevention and deterrence of the crime and enforcing the rule and regulations where they are guarding.

A security guard has huge responsibilities because many lives depend on your hand. It saves lives if you detect safety hazards in a timely manner and remove or replace them before they become a source of danger.

As a trusted employee in an organization, you may has access to the information that other people do not have.

A security guard is responsible not only for keeping classified information secret, but also for protecting property worth millions of dollars that may or may not be owned by him. The general duties of the security guard are as follows:

Security guard duties and responsibilities (Duties)


1. Observing and reporting 

Your duty can change site to site and between the area within a site. Observing not only seeing but paying careful attention, noting them in your notebook, and reporting them to the right person is important.

You must familiar with the surrounding area where you work, it helps to identify the unusual thing that happened while you are on duty.

The security guard must record the occurrence and pass the information to the appropriate individual regarding the safety and security issues at your site.

If rules and regulations are not followed, you are required to report to your supervisor or department head.

2. Deterring and detecting crime

Your visible presence will deter criminals from doing something illegal on your site. When criminals see the security presented on the site, they can change their minds and plan.

However, if you see someone is committing a crime you have to inform the police with valuable information. This may help them to catch the criminal and stop the crime while it is happening.

You should make a good note while the incident is happening or as soon as possible those notes can be used as evidence in a court.

3.  Keeping good public relations

Keeping good public relations is another important duty of the security guard because you will constantly contact the public while on the duty.

Your client always expects that you give the information to the public. People can turn to you if they have a problem, so, you should act professionally in these situations.

4. Responding to emergencies

An emergency is an unexpected event that can happen at any time and can be a danger to lives and properties.

Effective emergency response is part of the security guard’s job. You may be the first person to detect, deal with, and respond to an emergency.

In an emergency situation, you should play a leadership role before other people turn to your guidance.

Every company has its own plan and procedure in case of fire, flood, or bomb threat. You should respond to the emergency in the right way as outlined in the procedure.

If there is a fire you may need to conduct a building evacuation, in this situation if you know what to do and act quickly can save people’s lives.

Security guards are more trusted in the worse situation that’s why you must handle the emergency situation without panic.

5. Controlling access and using alarm systems

Security guard often has to control the movement of people, vehicles, and materials coming into and out of their site.

While material “in” may need a delivery order and “out” may require a gate pass those things are authorized documents you should check carefully.

To control the movement of the people you may require checking their identification.  sometimes the client is concerned employees are stealing the items you may require to inspect the baggage.

The security guard must know how to use the alarm system and other surveillance systems such as CCTV cameras etc.

6. Patrolling

Patrolling is also an important part of the security job. You have to go around or visit point to point in your site, by doing so, you can see a large area than staying in one place.

The patrol can conduct on feet, bicycles, or on vehicles. Not only Patrolling allows you to see what is going on but also it identifies safety hazards throughout your site.

When you do patrol many people can see you and they think the security guard is alert if someone trying to commit a crime they can change their mind.

7. Traffic control 

Direct traffic control may be a part of your job on some sites such as shopping malls, party places, etc.

In the heavy traffic sites, you may have to work in the parking area as a traffic controller. In an emergency, you may be asked to control the traffic to help the police in the public area.

8. Crowd control 

Crowd control is orderly managing a large group of people. If there is any dispute on your site you should manage the crowd and deal with it with extreme care.

If you deploy duty at large public gathering areas like street fairs, music festivals, stadiums, and public demonstrations you should involve in controlling the crowd.

9. Finding safety hazards

While you are on patrol you can find the various types of safety hazards at many parts of your sites like water leakage, bare wire, overheated boiler, etc. you have to note down and report to fix it.

10. Performing other special duties

Some security guards, especially those hired by individuals, do more than their primary duty.

They may be overwhelmed with more responsibilities, such as receiving phone calls, responding to text and email messages, and running vital errands for their employer.

Security guard duties and responsibilities 


The main responsibility of the security guards and security industries is to protect people, property, and information.

  1. Protection of People.

A large part of the security guard’s job is the protection of the people. The security guard does it in many ways such as patrolling the area and finding the safety hazards, preventing criminals to enter the site.

What kind of people is protected by a security guard?
  • The client and his staff
  • Public: people who use the client’s property
  • Government officials
  • VIP’s
  •  Everyone
How does the security guard protect people?
  • Observation of crime against a person.
  • Keeping the people out of danger hazards areas.
  • Being alert to the dangerous situation of hazards.
  •  Ensuring a safe environment.

A security guard may be asked to escort employees particularly if they are going to their car late at night. Security guard always looks for anything that may cause fire and accident.

It is the most important responsibility of the security guard to make sure the employee working safely and no one is put in danger.

If there is a crowd gathered on the site of a labor dispute and protest against the company’s management, security guards take the charge to make sure no one is hurt there.

2. Protection of property.

Security guards are responsible for protecting property from stealing or damaging by someone.

Sometimes clients are concerned about employees taking items out of the company at that time you may be asked to search the baggage and vehicle.

What kinds of properties do security guards protect?
  1. Client property (Building and contents)
  2. Personal property (property of clients/Employees/customers)
  3. Store & merchandise
  4.  Public property (Parks/Roads/government Building
Tools used to protect properties.
  • Barriers
  • Surveillance Equipment (CCTV)
  • Your observation power (Eyes)
  • Awareness of your surrounding
  • Patrol
  • Searches
  • Crowd control
  • Alarm
  • Locks

Patrolling around the site deters theft, robbery, and vandalism. Property damage happens in many ways such as fire can completely damage the building and property, water leakage, flood, melting snow, and frozen pipe.

If you see them while they are small and be able to report them in time it prevents property damage.

3. Protection of Information.

Protection of information is becoming a more crucial part of the security job all the time. Stealing intellectual property and cybercrime is increasing even though most companies and governmental institutes have fought against this. Security guards protect the information as follows:

Confidentiality- Keeping secrets things secret is called confidentiality. A security guard is a part of protecting information not part of an information leak.

As a security guard, you are at a place where most people trust you more than others. The security guard knows all access and egress routes of the company and holds the keys and other access cards.

You should not allow anyone to use the key and access card if they are not authorized to do so. If the camera and alarm system are under repair or not working you should keep this thing secret and report to whom you have to.

A big part of protecting information is knowing when it is “okay” to talk and when not “Okay” to talk.

Computer crime– Computer crime is stealing computer data or destroying them whatever the intention is.

Nowadays most of the business data are stored in computers people can steal and use this data for goods, and services and can sell for profit. The financial record can be used to access accounts or credit cards.

An intruder may find confidential information such as the password or special code by looking in the garbage or accessing someone’s desk.

If employees do not log off the computer they suppose to do. Someone can use it to see private information.

Even though it is very hard to find security guards what employees do on their computers but you should be vigilant for unusual activities watching all the time.

Who can involve confidentiality and cybercrime at your site?

  1. An employee who is fired and angry with the company.
  2. An employee who is using a computer that belongs to someone else.
  3. Someone who works at home a lot and comes to the office at an odd hour when you have not expected.
  4. An employee who comes early and goes late, You seems there is not much work in the office.
  5. An Employee who talks freely about things that should keep secret.
  6. People outside are allowed to work in a restricted area where no one is watching them.

If you see someone is too involved in computer crime you should report it on time.

In conclusion: In this lesson, you have learned the main duties and responsibilities of a security guard. Even though a security guard performs various tasks but the goal is deterring, detecting, and reporting the crime.

The key security guard duties and responsibilities are to the protection of people, property, and information.

Other lessons;
  • Overview of public and private security roles _______________________ LESSON -1
  • Notebook writing _________________________________________ LESSON – 3
  • Professionalism __________________________________________ LESSON – 4
  • public relation ____________________________________________ LESSON – 5
  • Important of teamwork security guard training ___________________ LESSON – 6
  • The elements of Integrity _______________________________________ LESSON – 7 
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Ranga
Hello, everyone, I am Ranga Singh the founder of closecareer.com. For the past 17yrs, I worked in aboard. Now, I have been researching the job market, especially in the Gulf region. The main purpose of the website is to give information, advice, and guidance to the people about the job, education visa and travel. I want to support young people for a happy and successful career.

9 COMMENTS

  1. The text effectively emphasizes the important role that security guards play in maintaining security and order. This highlights how their vigilance can prevent potential danger and protect lives as well as sensitive information and valuable assets entrusted to them. However, it would be helpful to provide a little more detail about the “general custodian duties” you mention at the end of the text. Expanding on these responsibilities could give readers a clearer understanding of the various tasks and responsibilities covered by the role of a security guard.As the demand for comprehensive security continues to grow, services such asessay outline writing service can play a parallel role in ensuring that that security personnel are well trained and equipped with the necessary knowledge. Just as an essay outline provides structure and guidelines, specialized tutoring services can offer guards a road map for effectively and ethically navigating difficult situations, emphasizing the importance of empathy, communication, and decision-making skills.

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