Workplace Hazards Facing Security Guards – St. Louis Injured at Work Attorneys

Security guards are often the first ones to reach the scene of an incident.

During the September 11th attacks on the Twin Towers, thirty-three security guards died in the line of duty. Security guards act as deterrents, who observe the situation and report suspicious behavior, unarmed. They are often at risk of injury when dealing with criminals or antisocial elements. While more police officers are injured at work each year than security guards, security guards are at a higher risk of suffering a fatal work-related injury.

Security Guard Injuries

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics report on occupational risks of security guard jobs:

• There are approximately 70 fatal work-related injuries each year.
• There are 8,920 non-fatal work-related injuries each year.
• According to 2007 figures, 51 percent of work-related fatalities were from homicides.

Injury Risks Faced by Security Workers

Two-thirds of security guard deaths result from an assault, and other injuries are caused by auto accidents, overexertion, slips, and falls. Statistics show that working the night shift and weekends is the most dangerous. Security guards face injury risks from three primary factors:

• Elements, because they have a physically active job.
• People, because of working directly with the public.
• Environmental conditions and mistakes.

They can suffer injuries from:

• assault from burglars, unruly customers, and trespassers
• motor vehicle accidents, either while driving or being struck by fleeing suspects
• exposure to chemicals and smoke
• slips and falls
• sprains and pulled muscles
• overexertion
• heatstroke, dehydration, and sunburn
• post-traumatic stress disorder

Workers & Industry