Why Sandwell Businesses Need Manned Guarding? Costs, Legal Requirements, and Best Practices for Local Businesses

Manned guarding still tends to get framed as a reaction in security. Owners think guard security is something businesses add after a problem affects them. In reality, across Sandwell, it has become a planning decision. Quietly and gradually, every business started to assign them. Everyone started to analyse and know why Sandwell businesses need manned guarding.

This is a borough where business types overlap in ways that don’t always show up on risk registers. Industrial estates sit close to housing and retail parks. People go back and forth on main roads and tram lines. Warehouses operate through the night while offices empty out early. This mix creates efficiency at work, but it also creates gaps. And those gaps are used by some threats where they risk lives.

Technology has become more advanced over the past decade. No one disputes that fact, but just relying on technology may affect the balance. Cameras are clearer, alarms are faster, and access systems are smarter. But Sandwell’s crime profile doesn’t hinge on blind force or dramatic break-ins alone. It started to depend on distraction, predictability and the assumption. Systems can record those moments, and they cannot prevent them.

This is where manned guarding still matters for on-site protection. It’s not a throwback, and not a replacement for technology. They are the layer that brings judgment into places where behaviour is fluid and conditions change hour by hour. A person on site can read the context thoroughly and prevent any issues. They can notice when a delivery doesn’t line up. When a vehicle lingers too long, or when a situation is starting to tilt in the wrong direction, they notify. And they step in before it becomes an incident that needs explaining later.

Understanding Manned Guarding Basics in Sandwell

Manned guarding in Sandwell is best understood as decision-led security. It is not just physical presence on your site for protection. It exists to fill the gap between what systems can detect and what businesses actually need at the moment.

Below, the key basics are noted down clearly. Understand the structure that reflects how real sites operate security.

What Manned Guarding Means in Practice

Manned guarding places trained personnel on site to observe, interpret, and act. That human layer is what separates it from static security.

Static security typically involves:

• Fixed CCTV cameras
• Alarm systems triggered after a breach
• Access control that reacts, not anticipates

Manned guarding adds:

• Movement across the site, not just fixed points
• Behaviour assessment (what looks wrong, not just what trips a sensor)
• Early intervention before escalation
• The ability to challenge, redirect, or secure immediately

In Sandwell, where industrial estates, retail parks, and residential areas are surrounded. Each building often sits side by side. This close range can make adaptability critical.

How Sandwell’s Crime Patterns Shape Guarding Demand

Crime in Sandwell follows timing and opportunity. As a common, they do not just focus on volume. Businesses are affected differently by crimes. It depends on when they operate and how exposed their sites are.

Common local patterns include:

Daytime opportunistic theft in retail and mixed-use areas

Out-of-hours perimeter testing on industrial estates

Vehicle-related theft and trespass in quieter zones

Anti-social behaviour near transport links

Manned guarding responds to these patterns with a detailed plan for the site. They start by adjusting presence, patrol timing, and focus. This is something static systems cannot do on their own.

Peak Risk Hours for Sandwell Businesses

Risk is not evenly spread across the day. Some hours can face high threat possibilities.

Daytime risk typically involves:

• High footfall and delivery overlap
• Distraction theft and shoplifting
• Unauthorised access during busy periods

Night-time risk shifts toward:

• Organised theft from warehouses
• Trespass and perimeter breaches
• Longer response times if incidents escalate

Manned guarding allows coverage to reflect these realities rather than relying on a flat, all-hours approach.

Sandwell-Specific Warehouse and Industrial Vulnerabilities

Warehousing and light industrial sites across Sandwell share common weaknesses among them.

Typical exposure points include:

• Multiple loading bays with limited oversight
• Large external yards and blind spots
• Poor lighting at perimeter edges
• Predictable shift patterns

A guard on site can spot subtle changes.  From a vehicle waiting too long to a door left unsecured needs to be noted. They rarely trigger alarms but often precede loss.

Retail Parks, Anti-Social Behaviour, and Daytime Patrols

Retail parks face many challenges. And that isn’t always criminal but still disruptive.

Manned guarding helps by:

• Providing visible authority that deters disorder
• De-escalating confrontations before police involvement
• Monitoring repeat behaviour patterns
• Supporting staff during busy trading hours

Rising retail theft in Sandwell has also increased demand for daytime patrols, not just evening cover. Theft now happens in full view, during peak hours, when staff attention is stretched.

Day vs Night Guarding: Different Risks, Different Priorities

Treating day and night guarding as the same is a common mistake. They both have many differences in their duties and threats.

Daytime focus:

• Access control
• Customer interaction
• Visibility and deterrence

Night-time focus:

• Patrol discipline and randomisation
• Perimeter integrity
• Rapid escalation and documentation

Each requires different routines and expectations.

Events, Transport Links, and Local Economic Growth

Seasonal events, including Sandwell Pride, temporarily increase footfall, late-night movement, and alcohol-related behaviour. Many businesses scale up guarding during these periods to manage short-term risk spikes.

Transport infrastructure also matters to think about. The Midland Metro creates predictable movement corridors. Businesses near stops often experience loitering, after-hours trespass, and sudden surges of people. Handling these needed the right amount of attention. And all areas where on-site guards provide control to ensure safety.

Finally, Sandwell’s continued business growth is a major driver. As sites expand and operations intensify, the cost of disruption rises. In many cases, manned guarding increases not because crime has surged, but because exposure has. As they continued to support many businesses and made a good view of it. Businesses start to see the service in a new light and assign it to their site.

Legal and Compliance Requirements in Sandwell

Legal compliance is where many security decisions quietly succeed or fail. In Sandwell, most problems don’t come from ignoring the law outright. They start from assuming that basic cover is the same as compliant cover. But the truth is, it isn’t. And insurers, councils, and licensing bodies are increasingly alert to the difference.

SIA Licensing: The Non-Negotiable Baseline in the West Midlands

Under UK law, if you are carrying out licensable security activities. Then you must hold a valid SIA licence. This applies fully across the West Midlands, including Sandwell, Birmingham and Dudley.

Licensable activities include:

• Guarding premises
• Controlling access
• Patrolling sites
• Monitoring public spaces

Using unlicensed guards is a criminal offence. Penalties can include:

• Fines
• Prosecution of both the individual and the business
• Licence revocation for suppliers
• Insurer’s refusal to honour claims

For clients, the risk is simple, as liability does not stop with the contractor.

DBS Checks and Vetting: What Sandwell Businesses Should Expect

DBS checks form part of the SIA licensing process. But businesses should understand how this works in practice. Clients usually do not see DBS certificates directly (GDPR restrictions apply)

What matters is confirmation that:

• All guards hold valid SIA licences
• Vetting has been completed correctly

Many insurers and public-sector contracts also expect BS 7858 screening. This verifies identity, work history, and background more thoroughly. This isn’t bureaucracy for its own sake. Guards often hold keys, access restricted areas, or manage incidents that later become legal matters.

Insurance Requirements When Hiring Manned Guards

Hiring manned guarding introduces shared risk. At a minimum, UK businesses should ensure their security provider holds:

Public liability insurance

Employer’s liability insurance

Insurers increasingly ask for evidence of:

• SIA licensing
• Vetting standards
• Clear incident reporting
• Documented patrol routines

Strong documentation often reduces perceived risk. Weak documentation does the opposite.

CCTV, Data Protection, and Human Involvement

When manned guarding is combined with CCTV, UK data protection law applies. UK law is strict on data protection. And failing it may cause great damage to the businesses.

Compliance includes:

• Clear signage stating CCTV is in operation
• A defined security purpose for recording
• Controlled access to footage
• Set retention periods

Guards interacting with CCTV systems must operate within these rules. Poor handling of footage can create legal exposure. Even when security intentions were sound, this falls under violation.

VAT and Tax Treatment of Manned Guarding

Manned guarding services are standard-rated for VAT in the UK. There are no special reductions. For Sandwell businesses, this matters for budgeting, procurement comparisons, and long-term contract forecasting.

Council Rules, Construction Sites, and Local Conditions

There is no single national rulebook for construction-site security. However, Sandwell council planning conditions may require specific security measures. It will be part of the construction management plans. Particularly, it looks for high-risk or high-visibility sites. These conditions are enforceable and should be reviewed carefully.

Compliance History and Business Licensing

Reputable firms can demonstrate compliance through:

• Individual SIA licences
• Security company licensing (where applicable)
• Vetting records
• Insurance certificates
• Training and incident-reporting policies

Mandatory company licensing gives Sandwell and Solihull clients additional reassurance. Suppliers are assessed not just on individuals, but on how the business operates.

Labour Law, Overtime, and Post-Brexit Rules

UK labour law applies fully to guards:

• Working-time regulations
• Overtime payment rules
• Right-to-work checks

Post-Brexit, EU nationals must hold an appropriate work status. Failures here can jeopardise licensing and expose clients to disruption.

Police Collaboration and Local Intelligence

Private guarding does not operate in isolation. Firms often work alongside West Midlands Police, sharing non-sensitive intelligence about:

• Crime timing patterns
• Repeat locations
• Emerging risks

In Sandwell, Business Crime Reduction Partnerships are well known. Sandwell BCRP helps coordinate responses between police, businesses, and private security. This data-led collaboration shapes patrol timing and deployment better. And the change shows far more than generic crime statistics.

Compliance, in short, isn’t a hurdle. It’s the framework that makes manned guarding defensible, insurable, and effective.

Costs, Contracts, and Deployment in Sandwell

Cost is usually the first question asked about manned guarding. It’s rarely the most important one, but it’s the one that gets meetings scheduled. In Sandwell, the real issue isn’t whether guarding is “expensive”. It’s whether the cost lines up with the risk profile, operating hours, and disruption tolerance of the business.

Typical Costs: Sandwell Centre vs Suburban and Industrial Areas

There is no single rate card for manned guarding. And anyone offering one should raise questions. That said, patterns are consistent.

City-adjacent and high-footfall locations tend to cost more because:

• Risks are more dynamic
• Interaction levels are higher
• Guards are expected to manage people, not just space

Suburban business parks and industrial estates usually sit at a lower hourly range, but costs rise when:

• Sites operate overnight
• Perimeters are large
• Access points are numerous

The important point is that a cheaper hourly rate that doesn’t match the site’s reality often leads to gaps. Those gaps cost more than the difference ever did.

How Long Does Deployment Really Take in Sandwell

Businesses often assume guards can be “switched on” instantly. Yeah, sometimes they can. But the speed and quality are not the same thing every time.

Typical deployment timelines look like this:

• Urgent, short-term cover: 24–72 hours
• Planned single-site deployment: 1–2 weeks
• Larger or multi-guard sites: up to 3 weeks

That time isn’t delayed. It’s vetting, induction, site familiarisation, and scheduling. Skipping those steps shows up later as missed patrols or poor incident handling.

Contract Lengths Used Across the West Midlands

Most manned guarding contracts fall into three broad categories:

• Short-term contracts: Used for construction start-ups, temporary risk spikes, or post-incident cover. Flexible, but higher hourly cost.
• Medium-term contracts (6–12 months): Common for retail parks, offices, and warehouses. Balance flexibility with stability.
• Long-term contracts (2–3 years): Usually include performance reviews and planned price adjustments. Favoured where continuity matters.

None is inherently better. The wrong length for the site is where problems start.

Notice Periods and Ending Contracts

Notice periods exist to prevent sudden operational gaps. And it also helps the old guards to gather things up, make a detailed report, which can be used for the new guards.

Typical ranges include:

• 7–14 days for short-term cover
• 30 days for standard annual contracts
• 60–90 days for larger, multi-site arrangements

Shorter notice usually means higher pricing. And that’s not a penalty; it reflects the risk being absorbed.

Wage Pressure, Inflation, and Looking Ahead to 2026

Security is a labour-heavy task, and when wages rise, costs follow it too. By 2026, most increases are expected to be incremental, not dramatic, driven by:

• Minimum wage adjustments
• Training and compliance costs
• Competition from logistics and manufacturing

Inflation-linked clauses are now common. They smooth pricing over time instead of forcing sharp jumps at renewal. Businesses that plan for this tend to experience fewer service disruptions.

Insurance Benefits and Hidden Offsets

Well-documented manned guarding often reduces insurance premiums. Insurers look for:

• Proof-of-presence patrol records
• Incident logs
• Access control procedures

The saving rarely cancels the cost entirely, but they frequently offset part of it.

Public Sector Contracts and the Procurement Act 2023

For public-sector bodies in Sandwell, the Procurement Act 2023 has changed how guarding contracts are assessed. The lowest price alone no longer wins. Compliance history, audit trails, and delivery quality carry more weight. For private businesses, this quietly raises the standard across the market.

In short, cost decisions around manned guarding aren’t about finding the cheapest cover. They’re about buying predictability in environments where disruption is expensive.

Training, Operations, and Daily Duties in Sandwell

Training and daily routines are where manned guarding either quietly works or quietly fails. On paper, most providers look similar. On-site, the difference shows up in the first ten minutes of a shift and compounds from there. In Sandwell, sites vary widely and risks change by the hour. In those times, these routines matter more than many businesses realise.

Training Standards for Retail and Public-Facing Sites

Guards working in retail environments are trained for more than visibility. They’re expected to manage people.

Typical retail-focused training covers:

• Conflict management and de-escalation
• Customer interaction and safeguarding awareness
• Recognising distraction theft patterns
• Hands-off intervention techniques
• Accurate incident reporting involving members of the public

Retail guarding fails when it’s treated like static watching. It works when guards understand behaviour, pressure points, and when to step in early.

What Happens in the First Minutes of a Shift

When a guard arrives on a Sandwell site, the priority isn’t patrol. It’s more about the orientation.

The first actions usually include:

• Confirming arrival with control or a supervisor
• Reviewing handover notes from the previous shift
• Taking a short visual scan of the site for obvious changes

The first thing most experienced guards check is anything that looks out of place. They check from a door ajar, light that’s off when it shouldn’t be, to a vehicle that wasn’t logged.

Shift Handovers and Continuity

Handover quality can directly affect risk at the site. A failed handover can pose more risk than before.

A proper handover includes:

• Verbal briefing on incidents, alarms, or suspicious behaviour
• Review of the logbook, especially unresolved entries
• Notes on expected visitors, contractors, or deliveries
• Status of CCTV, lighting faults, or damaged access points

Good handovers pass context, not just information. This helps them to understand the site more thoroughly.

Patrol Frequency and Early Perimeter Checks

Patrol frequency depends on risk, but patterns are common:

• Low-risk sites: every 1–2 hours
• Medium-risk sites: every 45–60 minutes
• Higher-risk industrial sites: 20–40 minutes, with random timing

In Sandwell industrial areas, early patrols focus on:

• Perimeter fencing and gates
• Loading bays and roller shutters
• Utility areas and plant rooms
• Dark corners and blind spots

Predictable patrols are not reliable as they can invite problems. Randomised ones discourage potential threats.

Equipment, CCTV, and Access Checks

At shift start, guards verify that tools will work when needed.

Standard checks include:

• Radio function and signal
• Torch and spare batteries
• Body-worn camera or ID (if issued)
• CCTV feeds to confirm cameras are live
• Alarm panel status

They also verify internal access points like offices, storerooms, and restricted zones. This ensures they match the site’s access schedule.

Logs, Alarms, and Reporting

Daily logbooks form the backbone of manned guarding.

Guards record:

• Patrol times and observations
• Visitor entries and exits
• Alarm activations and responses
• Equipment faults or maintenance issues
• Interactions involving conflict or refusal of access

Early-hours alarms are handled carefully. Guards attend safely, assess the cause, document findings, and escalate only when justified. False alarms still matter; patterns reveal weaknesses.

Fire Safety, Lighting, and Utilities

Fire exits, extinguishers, and clear escape routes are priority checks. In Sandwell car parks, lighting inspections are routine. Having failed lights can create both safety and security risks.

Utilities are also checked for tampering. Interference with power, water, or fuel systems is more common than many businesses expect.

Supervision, Shift Patterns, and Secure-Down

Night shifts usually involve more frequent supervisor check-ins:

• Every 30–90 minutes, depending on site risk
• 24/7 coverage typically runs on 8- or 12-hour rotations

At shift end, guards complete secure-down checks: doors, gates, lighting, equipment return, and final log updates. These continuous checks around the site are not a waste of time. In a security service, every action is essential for safety.

This is what effective manned guarding actually looks like. They act quietly, structured, and reliable when it counts.

Performance, Risks, and Challenges in Sandwell

Performance in manned guarding is rarely about dramatic interventions. Most of the time, it shows up in quieter ways. Having consistency and judgment lets you see the wide results. A reliable security firm finds even small issues to prevent threats. This shows why Sandwell businesses need manned guarding at their site. For businesses in Sandwell, understanding how to measure and manage this performance is what separates. And it shows effective guarding from cover that merely looks reassuring on paper.

KPIs That Actually Matter to Businesses

Not every metric is useful. The most meaningful KPIs are the ones that tell you whether risk is being reduced in practice.

Commonly tracked indicators include:

• Patrol completion rates with timestamped proof
• Response times to alarms or incidents
• Quality and clarity of written reports
• Consistency of shift handovers
• Accuracy in visitor and access logging

If these are strong, most other issues tend to resolve themselves. When they slip, problems usually follow.

Weather: The Quiet Variable in Sandwell Guarding

The weather has a bigger impact on guarding than many businesses expect. Sandwell’s mix of open industrial estates, car parks, and external walkways means guards spend real time outdoors.

Weather-related challenges include:

• Reduced visibility during heavy rain or fog
• Slower movement and higher slip risk in icy conditions
• Wind damage to fencing, signage, and temporary barriers

Good guards don’t ignore this. They adapt patrol routes and timings to stay effective and safe.

How Weather Conditions Are Documented

Weather isn’t just noted for curiosity. It’s logged because it explains context.

Typical log entries include:

• Severe rain is affecting patrol speed
• Ice is restricting access to certain areas
• High winds create debris risks

This documentation matters later. Insurers and auditors often ask why patrols vary. Weather notes answer that question.

Health, Fatigue, and Long Shifts

Long shifts, especially overnight, can affect concentration. Fatigue slows reaction times and dulls judgment over time. And these two things need to be looked out for.

Common impacts of extended shifts include:

• Reduced situational awareness
• Missed early warning signs
• Slower response to alarms

That’s why responsible operations rotate duties and schedule welfare checks. Also, it avoids stacking too many long nights together. This is not about comfort but reliability.

Mental Health and Night-Shift Support

Night work brings isolation. Large, quiet sites can feel very different at 3 a.m. than they do at midday.

Progressive operations now recognise the need for:

• Regular supervisor check-ins
• Access to wellbeing support
• Debriefs after serious incidents

When guards feel supported, performance holds steady. When they don’t, small mistakes creep in.

Environmental Regulations and Outdoor Patrols

Outdoor guarding is shaped by environmental rules. Guards must work within limits on:

• Noise levels at night
• Lighting use near residential areas
• Waste handling around industrial sites

Ignoring these can create compliance issues even when security intentions are sound.

Service Continuity

Labour shortages across security haven’t disappeared. For Sandwell businesses, this matters less as a staffing issue and more as a service risk. A lack of guards can create an impact on security services. In the end, unstable staffing could lead to inconsistent patrols and weak reporting.

Performance challenges in manned guarding are rarely dramatic but are gradual. Measured properly, most are visible early enough to fix.

Technology and Future Trends in Sandwell

Technology hasn’t pushed manned guarding aside in places like Sandwell. It has changed how guards work, where attention is focused, and what businesses now expect from on-site security. The shift has been gradual, not dramatic. That’s important, because the most effective changes tend to be the quiet ones.

How Technology Has Changed Day-to-Day Guarding in Sandwell

A decade ago, guarding relied heavily on notebooks, radios, and routine patrols. Those still matter, but they’re no longer the whole picture.

Today, many Sandwell sites use:

• Digital patrol verification instead of paper sign-offs
• Mobile incident reporting that timestamps actions
• Access control systems linked to central dashboards

This doesn’t replace judgment. It reduces guesswork. Guards spend less time proving they were somewhere and more time deciding what actually needs attention.

Post-COVID Shifts in Guarding Protocols

COVID didn’t eliminate on-site security. It changed the rhythm of the security protocol.

Many Sandwell buildings now have:

• Irregular occupancy patterns
• Hybrid working hours
• Access points that are open at unusual times

Guards have adapted by focusing more on who should be present, not just who is present. Managing quiet buildings during the day and unexpected activity at night. This routine has become routine rather than exceptional.

AI Surveillance: Support, Not Substitution

AI-assisted surveillance is increasingly used across Sandwell sites. It started to be used in warehouses and retail parks. Its role is narrow but valuable.

AI tools help by:

• Flagging unusual movement patterns
• Identifying loitering or repeated perimeter testing
• Prioritising camera feeds that need human review

What AI does not do is decide how to respond. It can only point out the threats, and it needs reliable guards to act. This balance is why Sandwell businesses need manned guarding. Especially, it is important when behaviour sits in grey areas rather than clear breaches.

Remote Monitoring and On-Site Guards Working Together

Remote monitoring centres and on-site guards now work as a pair. This creates a reliable impact on site protection.

Remote teams can:

• Verify alarms before escalation
• Guide guards to exact locations
• Maintain oversight during lone-worker patrols

For urban Sandwell sites, this hybrid model often improves response. And it stays useful for security without increasing on-site headcount.

Drone Patrols and Aerial Visibility

Drone patrols are still limited, but they’re appearing on larger industrial sites.

Used correctly, drones:

• Sweep large perimeters quickly
• Provide thermal visibility at night
• Feed live images to guards on the ground

They don’t replace foot patrols. They extend awareness, especially where distance and visibility are problems.

Predictive Analytics and Smarter Deployment

Some Sandwell businesses now use analytics tools for better security deployment. These tools that look at:

• Past incident timing
• Seasonal trends
• Weather patterns
• Nearby crime data

The outcome isn’t a prediction in the science-fiction sense. It’s better scheduling. Patrol frequency changes because the data says it should, not because “that’s how it’s always been done”.

Upskilling and New Expectations for Guards

As systems evolve, so do training needs. They hold increasingly common skills, including:

• Digital reporting platforms
• Basic AI/CCTV system awareness
• Counter-terror awareness training
• Enhanced first aid

Guards who understand the systems around them make fewer mistakes and escalate more accurately.

Green Security Practices in Outdoor Patrols

Sustainability now appears in security tenders. In Sandwell, this shows up as:

• LED and motion-triggered lighting
• Electric patrol vehicles
• Digital logs replacing paper
• Solar-powered temporary CCTV towers

Green practices rarely change risk directly, but they increasingly influence procurement decisions.

Martyn’s Law and What Comes Next

Martyn’s Law will raise expectations for venues across Sandwell. For manned guarding, this means:

• Clearer protective security roles
• Stronger documentation
• Better coordination during events

Technology will support this shift. Guards will remain central to it.

Conclusion

Manned guarding in Sandwell hasn’t stayed relevant by standing still. It’s stayed relevant because the places it protects keep changing.

Warehouses run longer hours. Retail parks stay busy in ways they didn’t a decade ago. Offices empty out unpredictably, then fill again at odd times. Construction sites sit closer to homes. Transport routes cut straight through commercial zones. None of this is unusual on its own. Taken together, it creates environments where risk isn’t constant, but conditional.

Technology plays a bigger role than it once did, and rightly so. But it works best when it supports someone who understands the site. They can notice what doesn’t quite fit, and can act before a situation hardens into a reportable incident. This is why Sandwell businesses need manned guarding; that human layer is what turns security from observation into control.

The real question isn’t whether manned guarding is old-fashioned or modern. It’s whether your current security setup reflects how your site actually behaves.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Do all Sandwell businesses legally need manned guarding?

 No. There’s no blanket requirement. Manned guarding becomes relevant when the risk profile of a site is high. Operating hours, location, footfall, or asset value can’t be managed with systems alone. Many businesses add guards after an insurer review or an incident highlights gaps.

2. Is CCTV on its own usually enough for most sites?

 Sometimes, but not always. CCTV records what happens, but it doesn’t challenge, intervene, or adapt when behaviour changes. Sites with regular public access, nighttime activity, or complex layouts often find that cameras work best. They assist when someone on-site can act on what they show.

3. How quickly can manned guarding be put in place if we need it urgently?

 For short-term or urgent cover, deployment can often happen within a few days. Longer-term arrangements usually take longer. It happens because proper vetting, induction, and site familiarisation matter more than speed.

4. Will having manned guards actually reduce our insurance costs?

 It can. Insurers often look favourably on documented on-site security. Especially where patrol logs, incident reports, and access controls are consistent. It doesn’t always mean a lower premium, but it can reduce risk ratings and claims disputes.

5. Are manned guards mainly a night-time solution?

 Not anymore. Many Sandwell businesses now use guards during the day to manage access and deter retail theft. They handle low-level incidents that don’t justify police involvement.

6. What’s the biggest compliance risk when hiring guards?

 Using unlicensed or poorly vetted personnel. If something goes wrong, responsibility doesn’t stop with the contractor. Businesses are expected to check that licensing, insurance, and documentation are in place.

7. How often should we review whether our guarding setup is still right?

 At least once a year, and sooner if the site changes. Expansions, new operating hours, nearby developments, or shifts in how a building is used all affect risk.

8. Is manned guarding a long-term commitment once it’s in place?

 Not necessarily. Some businesses use it seasonally, during construction phases, or at specific risk points. The key is matching the level of cover to current conditions, not assuming one model fits forever.