Set up and run a safe security operation

Security and investigation businesses deploy staff in high-risk environments — lone working at night, confrontation with the public, working at height during alarm and CCTV installation, and handling sensitive personal data. Every employer and self-employed person has duties under the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 (HASWA). The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) enforces in Great Britain; the Health and Safety Executive for Northern Ireland (HSENI) enforces in Northern Ireland.

A. Health and safety at work

HASWA requires you to ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, the health, safety and welfare of your employees and anyone else affected by your work — security operatives on patrol, control-room staff, installers on ladders, and members of the public on guarded premises. You must carry out a suitable and sufficient risk assessment, and if you employ five or more people you must record it in writing. Security work carries specific risks including violence at work, lone working, night shifts and fatigue — your risk assessment must address these.

B. Fire safety

The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 applies in England and Wales. Scotland has the Fire (Scotland) Act 2005 and the Fire Safety (Scotland) Regulations 2006. Northern Ireland has the Fire and Rescue Services (Northern Ireland) Order 2006 and the Fire Safety Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2010. You are the 'responsible person' for your own premises — offices, control rooms, monitoring centres and training sites — and must carry out a fire risk assessment, maintain escape routes, install fire detection and provide staff training.

C. Employers' liability insurance

If you employ anyone — including part-time staff, sub-contracted operatives on your payroll, apprentices and family members — you must hold employers' liability insurance with a minimum cover of £5 million and display the certificate (or make it available electronically). The certificate is issued by your insurer. The Employers' Liability (Compulsory Insurance) Act 1969 applies in Great Britain. In Northern Ireland, the equivalent duty is under the Employers' Liability (Defective Equipment and Compulsory Insurance) (Northern Ireland) Order 1972.

D. Equality

The Equality Act 2010 applies in England, Scotland and Wales. It protects employees, job applicants and members of the public from discrimination based on nine protected characteristics. This is particularly relevant for door supervisors making entry and refusal decisions, and for security operatives providing services to the public — decisions must not discriminate on grounds of race, disability, sex or any other protected characteristic. In Northern Ireland, the Disability Discrimination Act 1995, the Sex Discrimination (Northern Ireland) Order 1976 and the Fair Employment and Treatment (Northern Ireland) Order 1998 provide equivalent protections enforced by the Equality Commission for Northern Ireland (ECNI).

E. Data protection

Data protection is a particularly heavy obligation for security and investigation businesses. CCTV footage, body-worn video, alarm-monitoring records, access logs, investigation case files, client and employee records are all personal data. The UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018 apply UK-wide. You must register with the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) unless exempt, identify a lawful basis for each processing activity, keep data secure, set appropriate retention periods and respond to subject access requests within one calendar month.

The ICO publishes specific guidance on video surveillance including CCTV. The Surveillance Camera Code of Practice under the Protection of Freedoms Act 2012 (Part 2) binds only relevant authorities such as police and local authorities — for private security firms it is best-practice guidance rather than a binding legal duty, but following it demonstrates good practice.