Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether her Department is taking steps to work with private security companies to ensure that security staff are provided with appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE) when operating in retail environments; what guidance has been issued to such companies on PPE standards; and how compliance with health and safety requirements is being monitored and enforced.

The Security Industry Authority (SIA) is the regulator of the private security industry and continues to work with security businesses to improve standards, training, and best practice in support of public safety.

It is for individual businesses to determine their own policy on the provision of equipment to security guards in compliance with UK law. All employers and venues should conduct risk assessments to ensure that staff and personnel working for them are provided with the appropriate equipment to fulfil their role safely and securely. Any assessment and mitigation of risk should include the need for appropriate Personal Protection Equipment.

The SIA signposts to advice produced by the Health and Safety Executive on conducting risk assessments. Knowledge on the uses of PPE is included within SIA’s licensed linked training qualifications for security operatives.