critical incident example and dealing procedure

Last Updated on May 27, 2020 by Ranga

There are various types of critical incidents happened in the workplace. The company will define what types of incidents call critical and noncritical. If you want to know how an organization defines the critical incident click here. This lesson will teach you the common critical incident example and dealing techniques with them.

Common critical incident example in the site;

1. Suspicious behavior 

   • Report immediately to the control room with
     • Location
     • Description of a person or person
     • Description of suspicious activity (Further surveillance may be available through CCTV etc.)
   • Maintain visual contact and continue to observe and report on the situation
   • Assess any risks to the safety or security of other people, property or information
   • Begin the process of recording observations in the personal security notebook
   • Escalate the situation depending on updates to the observed behavior by:
   • Reporting to the control room
     • Calling the police
     • Engaging with the suspicious person
     • Providing physical protection to people, property or information as required
   • Complete recorded observations in the personal security notebook
   • Prepare and submit an incident report

2. Hazardous substance exposure

   • Assess the type of substance, and immediately establish a safety distance (several meters up to complete evacuation depending on the substance)
   • Report the incident to the control room
   • Determine if the substance can be contained by Security staff in the location
   • Dispose of the hazardous substance, or await the arrival of appropriately trained personnel to contain the substance
   • Record incident details in the personal security notebook
   • Prepare and submit an incident report

3. Intrusion alarms

   • Verify the location of the alarm
   • Silence the alarm
   • Verify the intrusion through either:
     • CCTV surveillance of the intrusion alarm location
     • Dispatching Security staff to the location
   • Upon confirmation of an intrusion:
     • Call the police
     • Attempt to locate the intruder(s)
     • Update all staff with locations or further details as available
     • Establish the security status of critical areas or assets within the intrusion vicinity
   • If the intruder is found, refer to SOP for trespassing
   • If the intruder is not found:
     • Search the site to find the potential exit point
     • Search the area for; – Items left behind – Potential theft or removal of property – Damages
   • Control access to the breach point
   • Receive police offers and hand over control of the breach point for evidence collection and crime scene processing
   • Prepare and submit an incident report

4. Fire

   • Raise the alarm
   • Give clear and calm directions to other personnel to leave the area by the designated escape route, confirming that it is not blocked by the fire or other hazards
   • Assess the potential for fighting the fire
   • Search all rooms and toilets within the area of responsibility
   • Ensure there is the assistance given to people of determination
   • Ensure all doors and windows are shut when leaving each area
   • Carry out a roll call at the assembly point using attendance or access registers
   • Prevent personnel from attempting to leave the assembly point
   • Clear access for Civil Defence to approach and deploy at the site
   • Record details of the incident in the personal security notebook
   • Prepare and submit an incident report

5. Armed attack

   • Report immediately to the control room with attacker details including:
     • Location
     • Number of attackers if more than 1
     • Direction of attack
   • Delay the attackers’ progress by:
     • • Locking down doors and access points
       • Locking internal doors o Barricading internal routes e.g. hallways and corridors
   • Monitor and report the situation to control room in order to provide maximum situational awareness
   • Provide first aid to any victims that are accessible without risking further casualties
   • Await the arrival of armed response force e.g.
     • • Police
       • Military
       • Armed private security
   • Upon neutralization of the threat, assist police and emergency services by Controlling access to the incident site
   • Preserving evidence
   • Providing witness statements
   • Prepare and submit an incident report

6. Medical emergency

   • Provide immediate first aid
   • Send for help/report to the control room
   • Continue to provide first aid until the arrival of emergency services
   • Hand over the patient to paramedics with:
     • Circumstances of incident
     • Casualty condition
     • Treatment provided
   • Record incident details in the personal security notebook
   • Prepare and submit an incident report

7. Bomb threat

   • Received by phone 
     • Remain calm and keep the caller on the line as long as possible. Do not hang up, even if the caller does
     • Alert a colleague or other person that a bomb threat is being made
     • Listen carefully, be polite and show interest to the caller
     • Try to keep the caller talking to learn more details
     • If the caller number is displayed, make a note of the number
     • Complete the bomb threat checklist
     • Immediately call the police
   • Received by a handwritten note
     • Call the police
     • Handle the note as per evidence handling methods
   • Received by email 
     • Call the police

     • Do not delete the message

8. Suspicious package or device

   • What types of items consider suspicious 
     • No return address
     • Stains
     • Strange smells
     • Strange sounds
     • Unexpected delivery
     • Notes giving strange delivery instructions
   • Deal with suspicious items;
     • Assess the potential for explosive damage (amount of explosive that could fit inside)
     • Determine the appropriate safety distance, and begin to direct others to a safe distance
     • Send a message to the control room via runner or landline telephone
     • Control access through the establishment of a security cordon
     • Record as much detail as possible about the object including:
     • Type of object e.g. backpack, briefcase, motorcycle, etc.
       • • Size
         • Location
         • Circumstances of discovery
     • Await the arrival of police and hand over control of the incident site
     • Continue to control access to the incident site until the all-clear has been given by police
     • Prepare and submit an incident report

Conclusion: There are several types of critical incidents could occur in your workplace. These above listed are the most common critical incident example in a site. The security guard must have a good awareness of the potential incidents and know the preventive measure as well as the dealing procedures.

You may interest to learn more apart from;

Sector-wise critical incidents 

Dealing with procedure violence at work 

Advance Security Course

Basic security course