Roles and Responsibilities Paper Security and safety personnel must be able to fill numerous roles and handle many responsibilities as needed. Often this occurs when protecting an organization’s assets, as well as the health and welfare of the organization’s employees. These roles and responsibilities will vary, depending on the type of facility or the situation that the security/safety officer may find themselves in. This paper will look at some of the roles and responsibilities that security and/or safety personnel may encounter. Role of Security/Safety Officers
The primary role of security/safety personnel involve the protection and securing of businesses, institutions, and the assets that they contain. This may involve controlling access to the facility, patrolling the property, and ensuring the enforcement of safety codes. Security/safety officers also work closely with emergency response teams such as police officers, firefighters, and medical personnel during emergencies. While security/safety officers are not law enforcement, many work in an armed capacity (Brooks, 2010). Responsibilities of Security/Safety Officers
The responsibilities of security/safety officers include protecting the employer’s property, employees, and assets. This places the officer in one of two categories: static or mobile, basically that means that the officer either monitors the interior/exterior of the facility via surveillance equipment, or patrol on foot or in vehicles. Because these officers are often placed in dangerous situations, the use of communication equipment is critical. Security/safety officers need to be capable of communicating clearly verbally and in written form.
These skills are necessary for the officers to be able to succinctly describe a situation or truthfully testify in court. Normal Duties Under normal circumstances, safety personnel develop and implement a safety and health program. Once the program has been implemented, the responsibilities of the safety officer involve training and conducting safety inspections, remaining alert to any potential safety issues. Additionally, the safety officer will act as a consultant to other departments on safety issues (eduers. com, 2009).
When operating as a security officer, the duties involve guarding gates/entrances, patrolling the facilities while remaining alert to signs of vandalism, theft, fire, and terrorism. Employers have an expectation that their security officers will protect employees, investments, and assets. Under normal circumstances, this would require the officer to remain alert to potential hazards and to deter criminal activity (DiplomaGuide. com, 2010). Initial Response In the event of an emergency, the security/safety officer responding to the incident needs to examine the scene.
It is of extreme importance for the security/safety officer to approach the scene cautiously, deliberately, and completely aware of their surroundings. The scene should be examined for any danger that could cause harm to those responding. Resist the urge to rush in; others cannot be helped until the situation has been fully assessed. If the situation is suspected of being a crime scene, the security/safety officer needs to use extreme caution, so any possible evidence is not disturbed. Securing the Scene
The area should be roped or taped off to eliminate the chance of other individuals contaminating the scene. The security/safety officer’s primary function is to control the scene. This often involves crowd control, media control, traffic control, and controlling access to visitors, employees, and professional staff at various entry points. If the incident involves chemical, biological, or radiological materials, the security/safety officer needs to establish a hazard zone, keeping non-emergency personnel at a safe distance and away from danger.
Establishing a patrol of the zone’s perimeter to keep spectators at a safe distance may be required (Office of the Fire Marshal, n. d. ). Conclusion Where a security officer works will determine his/her roles and responsibilities. A security/safety officer working in a hospital will focus more on protecting patients and medical staff, equipment and vehicles, while working at a retail store the primary focus will be on preventing shoplifting and theft by customers and employees (Brooks, 2010). Security/safety officers who are trained to be first responders must be ware of their surroundings and are expected to recognize when hazardous materials or dangerous goods are present at an emergency scene. It is their responsibility to provide protection for themselves and the employees/customers. They should attempt to identify the product(s) involved, call for personnel who are trained to handle the incident and to ensure that the area is secure. References Brooks, A. (2010). The Roles & Responsibilities of a Security Officer. Retrieved from http://www. ehow. om/list_6001268_roles-responsibilities-security-officer. html DiplomaGuide. com. (2010). Security Guard Carreer Profile. Retrieved from http://diplomaguide. com/articles/Security_Guard_Career_Profile. html eduers. com. (2009). Safety Officer Salary and Job Description. Retrieved from http://www. eduers. com/JobDescriptions/Safety_Officer. html Office of the Fire Marshal. (n. d. ). Terrorism/Hazardous Materials Awareness for First Responders. Retrieved from http://www. ofm. gov. on. ca/english/Multi-Agency/TerrorHazmat/Module%201. asp
