Alberta Security Guard (ABST): Personal safety, hazards and reporting

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1. Unless the hazard is corrected immediately, what should the employer provide after the investigation?

   1. Only a verbal assurance that no record is needed.
   2. Only a new schedule without addressing the reported danger.
   3. A written report explaining the investigation and corrective actions.
   4. A requirement that the worker sign a blank incident account.
   Show answer and explanation

   Correct answer: A written report explaining the investigation and corrective actions.

   The guidance requires a written investigation report describing the circumstances, hazard inspection and corrective actions, with a copy to the worker and relevant committee or representative. The worker should review it.

   Based on: Alberta OHS — Refuse dangerous work, investigation report; source checked 2026-10-24

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2. How does Alberta’s current guidance describe an undue hazard for dangerous-work refusal?

   1. A serious and immediate threat actually observed or experienced at work.
   2. A concern that must first be approved by the client’s customer.
   3. Only a hazard that has already caused a permanent injury.
   4. Any routine task the worker would prefer not to perform.
   Show answer and explanation

   Correct answer: A serious and immediate threat actually observed or experienced at work.

   Alberta describes an undue hazard as a serious and immediate health-and-safety threat actually observed or experienced at the work site. The process does not require waiting for an injury.

   Based on: Alberta OHS — Refuse dangerous work, undue hazard; source checked 2026-10-24

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3. Required protective equipment is damaged before a task. What should the guard do?

   1. Lend it to another worker without mentioning the defect.
   2. Use it because its presence satisfies every safety requirement.
   3. Report the defect and follow the safe replacement or control procedure.
   4. Cover the damage so the inspection record remains simple.
   Show answer and explanation

   Correct answer: Report the defect and follow the safe replacement or control procedure.

   Protective equipment must be suitable and functional for the task. A known defect should be reported and controlled rather than concealed or transferred to another worker.

   Based on: ABST Participant Manual (third edition, 2014), Module 7, protective equipment; source checked 2026-10-24

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4. What should a guard assume after putting on the required protective equipment?

   1. Other hazards and safe-work procedures still need attention.
   2. The equipment removes the need for communication or assistance.
   3. Any task is permitted even without the required training.
   4. All hazards associated with the task have been eliminated.
   Show answer and explanation

   Correct answer: Other hazards and safe-work procedures still need attention.

   Protective equipment is one part of safe work. It does not remove every hazard, replace training or make the communication and assistance procedures unnecessary.

   Based on: ABST Participant Manual (third edition, 2014), Module 7, protective equipment and hazards; source checked 2026-10-24

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5. A guard finds an unidentified spill. What should they avoid?

   1. Reporting its location and requesting qualified help.
   2. Keeping people away from the affected area safely.
   3. Touching or closely smelling it to identify the substance.
   4. Following the site’s spill-notification procedure.
   Show answer and explanation

   Correct answer: Touching or closely smelling it to identify the substance.

   An unknown substance can present hazards that are not visible. Avoid exposure and obtain qualified assistance; a security awareness quiz does not train chemical identification or spill cleanup.

   Based on: ABST Participant Manual (third edition, 2014), Module 7, unfamiliar hazardous substances; source checked 2026-10-24

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6. What does Alberta’s guidance say about reprisal for exercising OHS rights and duties?

   1. The worker must first agree not to keep any records.
   2. The employer must not take or threaten disciplinary action for doing so.
   3. A client may remove the protection by requesting faster work.
   4. The protection applies only after a worker has been injured.
   Show answer and explanation

   Correct answer: The employer must not take or threaten disciplinary action for doing so.

   Workers are protected from reprisal for exercising their OHS rights and duties. An employer cannot take or threaten disciplinary action for that exercise; the reporting and refusal process still needs to be followed.

   Based on: Alberta OHS — Refuse dangerous work, reprisal protection; source checked 2026-10-24

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7. A hazardous event causes no injury this time. Why may a report still be important?

   1. A near miss automatically removes the need for further assessment.
   2. A report is required only after a hospital admission.
   3. No injury proves the procedure was adequate.
   4. The near miss can reveal a hazard needing corrective action.
   Show answer and explanation

   Correct answer: The near miss can reveal a hazard needing corrective action.

   A near miss can show that harmful exposure was narrowly avoided. Reporting the facts supports hazard assessment and correction instead of waiting for a later injury.

   Based on: ABST Participant Manual (third edition, 2014), Module 7, hazard reporting; source checked 2026-10-24

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8. A person becomes threatening during a contact. What should guide the guard’s response?

   1. Move closer solely to demonstrate confidence.
   2. Maintain safety, obtain assistance and follow the violence-response plan.
   3. Continue the contact alone because requesting help looks weak.
   4. Treat the threat as a personal challenge to be won.
   Show answer and explanation

   Correct answer: Maintain safety, obtain assistance and follow the violence-response plan.

   Personal safety and the applicable response plan guide a threatening encounter. A guard should seek appropriate assistance rather than escalate a personal contest or reject help to protect an image.

   Based on: ABST Participant Manual (third edition, 2014), Module 7, violence and personal safety; source checked 2026-10-24

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9. Fatigue is affecting a guard’s ability to patrol safely. What is the appropriate first workplace response?

   1. Assume a quiet site makes fatigue irrelevant.
   2. Accept a more hazardous assignment to stay alert.
   3. Raise the concern with the supervisor and follow safe arrangements.
   4. Hide it so the scheduled patrol appears unchanged.
   Show answer and explanation

   Correct answer: Raise the concern with the supervisor and follow safe arrangements.

   Fitness for duty affects observation and safe decisions. A concern that affects the task should be reported and managed rather than hidden or treated as harmless because the site seems quiet.

   Based on: ABST Participant Manual (third edition, 2014), Module 7, fitness for duty; source checked 2026-10-24

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10. A patrol crosses an active loading area. Which factor belongs in the safety assessment?

    1. Vehicle movements, visibility and separation from pedestrians.
    2. Whether a previous worker used the same route without an incident.
    3. Only the colour of the guard’s uniform lettering.
    4. Only the number of successful deliveries last month.
    Show answer and explanation

    Correct answer: Vehicle movements, visibility and separation from pedestrians.

    Moving vehicles and limited sight lines can create a conflict with a walking guard. Assess the current work area and safe route rather than rely only on past uneventful use.

    Based on: ABST Participant Manual (third edition, 2014), Module 7, site hazards; source checked 2026-10-24

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11. What temporary alternative work may be assigned during the refusal process?

    1. Only work chosen by an unrelated visitor.
    2. The same unchecked exposure under a different task name.
    3. Safe work the worker is reasonably capable of doing.
    4. Any task, even if it requires competence the worker lacks.
    Show answer and explanation

    Correct answer: Safe work the worker is reasonably capable of doing.

    Alberta’s guidance allows other assigned work if it is safe and the worker can reasonably do it. Alternative assignment is not permission to bypass competence or repeat an unresolved hazard.

    Based on: Alberta OHS — Refuse dangerous work, alternative work; source checked 2026-10-24

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12. A client says no incident has occurred for years. What does that establish about today’s task?

    1. The guard may skip the site’s check-in requirements.
    2. Past history alone does not establish current safety.
    3. There can be no hazard until the first injury occurs.
    4. Equipment defects no longer need to be reported.
    Show answer and explanation

    Correct answer: Past history alone does not establish current safety.

    A quiet history does not eliminate current hazards. Conditions, equipment and activities still need assessment, and the required communication and reporting arrangements remain relevant.

    Based on: ABST Participant Manual (third edition, 2014), Module 7, ongoing safety assessment; source checked 2026-10-24

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13. A radio does not work in part of the patrol route. What is the soundest preparation?

    1. Remove that area from the log without telling the supervisor.
    2. Delay reporting until an emergency proves the problem matters.
    3. Report the dead zone and arrange a reliable contact method.
    4. Carry the radio anyway and regard possession as sufficient.
    Show answer and explanation

    Correct answer: Report the dead zone and arrange a reliable contact method.

    A communication plan must work where the task takes place. Test and report failures and arrange the applicable alternative rather than assume a device guarantees access to help.

    Based on: ABST Participant Manual (third edition, 2014), Module 7, communication equipment; source checked 2026-10-24

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14. After an undue-hazard refusal, when may the employer resume the task or assign another worker?

    1. Whenever the original worker has left the site.
    2. Immediately, if the replacement has not heard the complaint.
    3. Only after deleting the refusal from the shift report.
    4. After inspection and the hazard is remedied or determined not to exist.
    Show answer and explanation

    Correct answer: After inspection and the hazard is remedied or determined not to exist.

    The guidance requires hazard inspection and either correction of the hazard or a determination that none exists before resuming or assigning another worker. Simply substituting a person does not complete the process.

    Based on: Alberta OHS — Refuse dangerous work, employer obligations; source checked 2026-10-24

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15. What is the difference between a hazard and risk?

    1. A hazard can cause harm; risk considers likelihood and consequences.
    2. A hazard is a written complaint; risk is the worker’s job title.
    3. A hazard and risk both mean the number of people on shift.
    4. A hazard exists only after an injury; risk means the repair cost.
    Show answer and explanation

    Correct answer: A hazard can cause harm; risk considers likelihood and consequences.

    A hazard is a potential source of harm. Assessing risk considers how likely harm is and its consequences in the actual conditions, rather than waiting for an injury.

    Based on: ABST Participant Manual (third edition, 2014), Module 7, hazard assessment; source checked 2026-10-24

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16. Which hazard report is most useful for follow-up?

    1. Only the guard’s preferred outcome without the observed condition.
    2. A copied report from another site with its original location left unchanged.
    3. Only a general statement that the shift felt unsafe.
    4. A specific location, observed condition, immediate controls and notification details.
    Show answer and explanation

    Correct answer: A specific location, observed condition, immediate controls and notification details.

    A useful report identifies what was observed, where it occurred and what was done or communicated. Specific facts help the responsible people assess and address the actual hazard.

    Based on: ABST Participant Manual (third edition, 2014), Module 7, hazard reporting; source checked 2026-10-24

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17. A scheduled safety contact is missed. What should the responsible person follow?

    1. An assumption that silence means the patrol went well.
    2. A rule that only the absent guard may initiate assistance.
    3. The agreed missed-contact and assistance procedure.
    4. A decision to wait until the following week’s meeting.
    Show answer and explanation

    Correct answer: The agreed missed-contact and assistance procedure.

    The response to a missed safety contact should already be defined. Treating silence as proof of safety defeats the purpose of the check-in arrangement.

    Based on: ABST Participant Manual (third edition, 2014), Module 7, working alone and communication; source checked 2026-10-24

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18. A worker reasonably believes a task presents an undue hazard. What does the provincial guidance say to do?

    1. Remain silent so the employer can infer the reason later.
    2. Complete the task first, then report only if an injury occurs.
    3. Ask an untrained colleague to take the same exposure immediately.
    4. Do not do the work; report the refusal and reasons promptly.
    Show answer and explanation

    Correct answer: Do not do the work; report the refusal and reasons promptly.

    The worker should not perform the dangerous work and must promptly report what is being refused and why. As far as possible, the refusal should not endanger others.

    Based on: Alberta OHS — Refuse dangerous work, worker obligations; source checked 2026-10-24

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19. Who may receive the worker’s prompt refusal report under Alberta’s guidance?

    1. Only a public social-media audience.
    2. The employer, supervisor or another designated person.
    3. Only a colleague who has no reporting role.
    4. Only an unrelated customer who happens to be nearby.
    Show answer and explanation

    Correct answer: The employer, supervisor or another designated person.

    The worker must promptly tell the employer, supervisor or designate what work is refused and why. Public posting or telling only an unrelated person does not replace that workplace report.

    Based on: Alberta OHS — Refuse dangerous work, reporting; source checked 2026-10-24

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20. Ice has formed on the normal outdoor route. What should determine the next action?

    1. The changed surface hazard and the site’s safe controls.
    2. A preference to avoid adding another entry to the hazard report.
    3. Only the fact that the route was safe yesterday.
    4. Only whether the next patrol is already overdue.
    Show answer and explanation

    Correct answer: The changed surface hazard and the site’s safe controls.

    A route must be assessed in its present condition. Ice can change the risk even on a familiar path, so report it and follow the safe controls and instructions for the task.

    Based on: ABST Participant Manual (third edition, 2014), Module 7, patrol hazards; source checked 2026-10-24

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21. Damaged electrical equipment creates a possible hazard. What response stays within an untrained guard’s role?

    1. Protect access to the area and notify qualified personnel.
    2. Ask a visitor to test the equipment by touching it.
    3. Attempt an electrical repair to finish the patrol faster.
    4. Move exposed wiring without checking a safe procedure.
    Show answer and explanation

    Correct answer: Protect access to the area and notify qualified personnel.

    Electrical hazards require appropriate competence and controls. Keep people from danger and obtain qualified assistance instead of improvising a repair or testing exposure.

    Based on: ABST Participant Manual (third edition, 2014), Module 7, electrical hazards; source checked 2026-10-24

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22. A familiar patrol area now has failed lighting and vehicle movements. What should the guard reassess?

    1. Only the route’s usual completion time in daylight.
    2. Only whether the previous patrol report was signed.
    3. Whether the area’s familiar name makes an assessment unnecessary.
    4. The current hazards and safe way to complete the task.
    Show answer and explanation

    Correct answer: The current hazards and safe way to complete the task.

    A previous safe patrol does not establish current safety. Changes in lighting, traffic or staffing can change the hazards and the controls needed for the task.

    Based on: ABST Participant Manual (third edition, 2014), Module 7, changing work conditions; source checked 2026-10-24

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23. An unknown sharp item is found during patrol. What is the appropriate awareness-level approach?

    1. Place it in a pocket until the shift report is complete.
    2. Pick it up with bare hands if it looks clean.
    3. Give it to an untrained visitor to dispose of privately.
    4. Avoid handling it without the assigned training, equipment and procedure.
    Show answer and explanation

    Correct answer: Avoid handling it without the assigned training, equipment and procedure.

    A sharp or contaminated item can cause injury or exposure. Protect the area and follow the assigned response; apparent cleanliness does not establish safety or provide handling competence.

    Based on: ABST Participant Manual (third edition, 2014), Module 7, sharps and contamination awareness; source checked 2026-10-24

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24. Before working alone, what should a guard clarify about check-ins?

    1. Only whether someone may notice an absence at the next shift.
    2. Only which ringtone the worker prefers for personal calls.
    3. That no action is needed until the worker returns voluntarily.
    4. Who makes contact, when, and what happens after a missed contact.
    Show answer and explanation

    Correct answer: Who makes contact, when, and what happens after a missed contact.

    A useful working-alone arrangement includes a reliable contact process and a response to missed contact. Possessing a device is not the same as having a functioning help plan.

    Based on: ABST Participant Manual (third edition, 2014), Module 7, working alone and communication; source checked 2026-10-24

    Official reference ↗