Hiring Security Guards

Many people at construction sites, commercial properties, and clubs and retail stores think hiring security guards is just a matter of hiring anybody and instructing him to watch a property or merchandise. Many clients think that providing security services is an unskilled job and they should pay something close to minimum wage. Providing security guards services is a professional job that requires certain skills and a lot of training. A security company invests a lot of money training and their people and holding them accountable. Knowing the law will protect the security company as well as the client from major liabilities. The right training in making good decisions will protect the client' property and merchandise. Holding security officers accountable will ensure that security services are performed according to the client's expectations. I have met with project managers from major construction companies that mainly provide construction services to public entities. They have told me that some superintendents pay homeless people ten dollars a night to watch their construction sites. During our patrols our supervisors have come across some construction people that sleep at the site with the responsibility to protect it against theft and vandalism. As soon as the worker or the homeless person are paid for protecting the site the construction company and their client are in an employment relationship with the person they hired. If they get hurt performing a job they were not trained for and they frankly do not know anything about it will result in a major liability for the construction company. It would be better to leave the site unprotected than to create such a huge liability for oneself. I have received calls from clients that try to negotiate about the price of security services. Their main arguments are that providing security services does not take special skills. I will explain to them that our security guards are professionally trained about fourth hours a year in many different skills that are absolutely necessary to perform the job. Additionally, a security company will provide general liability insurance, workers compensation insurance and automobile insurance. The security officers are provided with customized post orders and trained according to security plan devised by a security consultant with decades of experience in the security industry. Additionally, security guards are held accountable by various electronic equipment and frequent daily supervisory visits.  rnIn general hiring somebody from the street or somebody that is not qualified, trained and supervised to be a security just provides a false sense of security. In a time when many businesses struggle it is understandable that they try to save money, but they should not create more risks and liabilities for themselves. Many security companies understand that businesses have limited budgets to hire security. Therefore security consultants that have experience en expertise will come up with a security plan that will fit the client's budget. Clients that feel that they are exposed to some type of risk should just call some security companies and see if they can afford professional services. They will be surprised how affordable skilled, professional and well insured service can be.