Security training blog
Guides for security officers
Practical advice on licensing, conflict, CCTV, counter terrorism and staying safe at work.
SIA licence guides
Managing Intoxicated or Disorderly Guests in Hotels: A UK Security Guide
Intoxicated guests in hotels are a nightly reality for hotel security and front of house. The job is to keep the guest.
2 October 2026Read the guide
SIA licence guides
Can Security Officers Detain a Shoplifter? UK Law Explained
Can security officers detain a shoplifter? Yes, within limits.
3 September 2026Read the guide
SIA licence guides
Managing Violent Patients and Visitors in UK Hospitals
Managing violent patients and visitors in hospitals asks more of a security officer than a nightclub door does. The person may be ill.
11 August 2026Read the guide
SIA licence guides
How to Get an SIA Licence in London
How to get an SIA licence in London comes down to four steps: pick the licence, pass the course, apply to the SIA and wait for its checks.
6 July 2026Read the guide
SIA licence guides
Maintaining Patient Confidentiality During Security Incidents
Patient confidentiality in security incidents is where hospital security meets data protection. An officer who restrains.
27 April 2026Read the guide
SIA licence guides
Crowd Control Strategies for UK Event Security Officers
Crowd control strategies for events start long before the doors open. Capacity, entry and exit routes.
4 March 2026Read the guide
SIA licence guides
CCTV, Shoplifting and Retail Security: Legal Guidelines and Professional Training Explained
CCTV and shoplifting go together in every retail security plan, but the cameras only help if the operator knows the law and the procedure.
3 February 2026Read the guide
SIA licence guides
How SIA training helps create a compliant security workplace
A compliant security workplace is one where every officer is licensed, trained to the current units and working to the law. SIA training is how that happens.
12 January 2026Read the guide
SIA licence guides
The SIA Door Supervisor Course: Your Most Versatile Route to High-Demand Security Jobs
The security jobs in demand right now are the ones the Door Supervisor licence opens: venues, events, retail, corporate buildings and healthcare sites.
8 December 2025Read the guide
SIA licence guides
Security Staff Right to Work Checks UK
Right to work checks for security staff are a legal duty on every employer, and the SIA checks right to work again when it issues a licence.
7 November 2025Read the guide
SIA licence guides
Common Interview Questions for SIA Security Jobs
These SIA security interview questions and answers cover what employers ask Door Supervisors, Security Guards and CCTV operators.
24 April 2025Read the guide
SIA licence guides
How to Replace a Lost SIA Badge: Cost and Process
A lost SIA badge needs reporting to the SIA straight away, and a replacement is ordered through your SIA online account. This guide covers how to report it.
27 March 2025Read the guide
SIA licence guides
Positional Asphyxia in Security: Risks, Prevention, and Best Practices
Positional asphyxia in security is the risk that a person held face down, or in a position that restricts breathing, stops being able to breathe.
20 March 2025Read the guide
SIA licence guides
What is the New SIA Refresher Training? A Complete Guide
The new SIA refresher training is the course every Door Supervisor and Security Guard must complete before renewing a licence.
13 March 2025Read the guide
SIA licence guides
Frontline vs Non-Frontline Security Careers: Key Differences You Need to Know
Frontline vs non frontline security is the split the SIA licence system is built on.
26 February 2025Read the guide
SIA licence guides
Applying for an SIA Licence with a Criminal Record: Rules & Eligibility
An SIA licence with a criminal record is possible more often than people expect.
12 February 2025Read the guide
SIA licence guides
Fake SIA Licence Leads to Conviction. What Security Officers Must Know
A fake SIA badge is a criminal offence, and the SIA prosecutes. This case shows what happens when a security officer works on a forged or borrowed licence.
10 January 2025Read the guide
SIA licence guides
Epilepsy Basics for Security Officers: Key Insights and Tips
Epilepsy for security officers is a practical subject: a seizure in a venue, a shop or a reception area is something you will deal with.
31 July 2024Read the guide
SIA licence guides
How Security Officers Can Respond to Verbal Abuse with Confidence
Verbal abuse is something every security officer meets, on a door, in a shop or at a reception desk. Responding well is a skill: staying calm.
27 July 2024Read the guide
SIA licence guides
Essential DR ABC Code Techniques for Security Officers
DR ABC for security officers is the primary survey every first aider learns: Danger, Response, Airway, Breathing, Circulation.
23 July 2024Read the guide
SIA licence guides
Top Immigration Challenges and Security Tips
Immigration challenges for security officers come up at every stage: proving the right to work, getting an SIA licence on a visa.
19 July 2024Read the guide
SIA licence guides
Importance of BS7858 in Security Vetting
BS7858 security vetting is the British Standard for screening people who work in security. Employers use it because clients and insurers expect it.
15 July 2024Read the guide
SIA licence guides
Is an SIA Licence Required for Working at Events?
Do you need an SIA licence for events? It depends on what you are doing. Guarding.
11 July 2024Read the guide
SIA licence guides
Finding the Perfect Role for Your Door Supervisor Skills
Door supervisor jobs are not all late nights outside a club. The licence covers pubs, bars, events and festivals, but also hotels, retail.
6 July 2024Read the guide
SIA licence guides
Door Supervisor vs Security Guard
Door supervisor vs security guard licence is the first decision anyone entering the industry makes, and it is worth getting right before paying for a course.
1 July 2024Read the guide
SIA licence guides
Is SIA Licence Worth it?
Is an SIA licence worth it? For most people who want steady, legal security work the answer is yes, but it depends on the course cost.
25 June 2024Read the guide
SIA licence guides
How Much is SIA Licence Renewal?
The SIA licence renewal cost is more than the SIA's own fee.
18 June 2024Read the guide
SIA licence guides
What is the Best SIA Licence?
The best SIA licence for most people is the Door Supervisor licence, because it covers the widest range of work.
14 June 2024Read the guide
SIA licence guides
What Happens When My SIA Licence Expires?
If your SIA licence has expired you cannot work a licensed role until a new one arrives, but you have not lost everything.
10 June 2024Read the guide
SIA licence guides
Benefits of SIA Licence
The benefits of an SIA licence go beyond being allowed to work. It is a legal requirement for front line security jobs, it opens work in venues, retail.
6 June 2024Read the guide
SIA licence guides
Applying for a SIA Licence
Knowing how to apply for an SIA licence saves weeks. The application is made online with the SIA once you have passed your course.
3 June 2024Read the guide