As a security guard, your duties will be outlined in your post orders. You will also need to know the company’s standard operating procedures.

Standard operating procedures

Standard operating procedures cover company policies and ways of doing things. These relate to all sites in the company. These may include expectations such as dressing neatly, being honest and treating the public politely. They may also tell about company rules as well as health and safety issues for the workplace.

Post orders

Post orders are sometimes called standing orders. They are the procedures and rules for a specific area or post. They may vary from area to area within the company. Each post has its own post orders. Post orders are your most important reference. They tell in detail what is involved in your job. Here are some things that post orders may include:

• contact numbers for emergency personnel
• where the post is
• what hours the shifts are
• how and when to do patrols
• when to lock and unlock doors
• how to report problems, etc.
• specific instructions about what to do in an emergency such as a bomb threat, a fire, intruders, injured employees
• what to do if there is a power failure, flood, or equipment breakdown, etc.
• special duties, such as deliveries, and when to perform them
• rules about who you should let into your area and how you should control the Entrance

Be sure to carefully read all updates or changes in your post orders. Sometimes you may see that something is missing from your post orders or that something needs to be changed. You should report these things to your supervisor or manager. You will also receive memos or notices with special instructions that are not included in your post orders. These may be for a specific event or a situation that will only last for a short time, such as an open house.

Your post orders will also outline the way in which you are expected to do your duties. You may be given a fixed post where you stand or sit in one place or you may be expected to do patrols where you check a certain area on foot or in a vehicle.