Alberta Security Guard (ABST) Practice Test 2

Every original question, with optional answers, explanations and official references. Open an answer to study, or take the test above for instant feedback.

1. A colleague offers a guard their licence card because the guard forgot theirs. What should the guard do?

   1. Use it until the colleague’s next scheduled shift.
   2. Decline to use a licence issued to someone else.
   3. Use it if both workers have the same employer.
   4. Use it after covering the colleague’s photograph.
   Show answer and explanation

   Correct answer: Decline to use a licence issued to someone else.

   SSIA section 39 prohibits transferring a licence for another person’s use and representing someone else’s licence as your own. Shared employment does not remove the prohibition.

   Based on: s. 39(b)–(c); source checked 2026-10-24

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2. Police take over an incident scene. What should the guard document about the handover?

   1. A guarantee that no further investigation will be needed.
   2. Only that someone in a uniform appeared at some point.
   3. When and to whom control and information were transferred.
   4. The guard’s guess about the final court outcome.
   Show answer and explanation

   Correct answer: When and to whom control and information were transferred.

   The handover record should identify the transition, relevant times and the responsible officer or contact. This helps explain who controlled the scene and what was communicated.

   Based on: ABST Participant Manual (third edition, 2014), Module 5, p. 19; source checked 2026-10-24

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3. A visitor is explaining a problem. Which response shows active listening?

   1. Let the visitor finish, then check the main concern.
   2. Promise the requested outcome before hearing the situation.
   3. Prepare a rebuttal without following the visitor’s words.
   4. Interrupt each sentence to show that the guard is in charge.
   Show answer and explanation

   Correct answer: Let the visitor finish, then check the main concern.

   Active listening involves attention and checking meaning. Interrupting, ignoring the account or promising an outcome before understanding it can prevent accurate communication.

   Based on: ABST Participant Manual (third edition, 2014), Module 4, pp. 7–10; source checked 2026-10-24

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4. A guard discovers a fire. Which response reflects the basic awareness priorities?

   1. Raise the alarm, ensure emergency contact and follow the evacuation plan.
   2. Finish the routine patrol before informing anyone.
   3. Silence the alarm so visitors will remain calm.
   4. Assume a staff member elsewhere has already called responders.
   Show answer and explanation

   Correct answer: Raise the alarm, ensure emergency contact and follow the evacuation plan.

   Fire response starts with warning and appropriate emergency notification, followed by the site plan from a safe position. Do not assume someone else has made the necessary contact.

   Based on: ABST Participant Manual (third edition, 2014), Module 6, When a Fire Occurs; source checked 2026-10-24

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5. 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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6. Who may supervise a general training licensee under AR 55/2010 section 16?

   1. A current same-class licensee with at least two years holding that class.
   2. Any client who agrees to watch the trainee’s activities.
   3. Any experienced employee, even without a current licence.
   4. Any person who recently registered for the same course.
   Show answer and explanation

   Correct answer: A current same-class licensee with at least two years holding that class.

   Section 16(3) requires supervision by an individual who currently holds, and has held for at least two years, a valid licence in the same class. General experience alone is insufficient.

   Based on: s. 16(3); source checked 2026-10-24

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7. 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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8. A visitor’s sarcasm is making a guard angry. What response best manages the guard’s personal trigger?

   1. Use a stronger insult to restore the guard’s status.
   2. Promise punishment unrelated to any lawful site procedure.
   3. Regain composure and return to the legitimate issue.
   4. Make the visitor’s embarrassment the goal of the exchange.
   Show answer and explanation

   Correct answer: Regain composure and return to the legitimate issue.

   Recognizing a personal trigger helps prevent escalation. The response should stay professional and focused on the actual issue, rather than retaliation.

   Based on: ABST Participant Manual (third edition, 2014), Module 4, pp. 13–14; source checked 2026-10-24

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9. 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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10. Contractors are authorized to work on site. Which issue most clearly belongs in the guard’s security observations?

    1. The guard would have chosen a different brand of paint.
    2. Their work is obstructing an identified emergency exit.
    3. The guard personally dislikes the colour they selected.
    4. One contractor takes a different lunch break from another.
    Show answer and explanation

    Correct answer: Their work is obstructing an identified emergency exit.

    The security assignment concerns protection and site conditions, not general supervision of a contractor’s productivity or taste. An obstructed emergency exit is a relevant safety issue.

    Based on: ABST Participant Manual (third edition, 2014), Module 3, pp. 12–13; source checked 2026-10-24

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11. Which English term is among the permitted security uniform labels in AR 55/2010?

    1. MUNICIPAL POLICE SERVICE.
    2. LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICER.
    3. SECURITY GUARD.
    4. PRIVATE DETECTIVE UNIT.
    Show answer and explanation

    Correct answer: SECURITY GUARD.

    The uniform rule lists SECURITY, SECURITY GUARD and SECURITY AGENT. Required markings distinguish private security from police and must meet the regulation’s placement and lettering requirements.

    Based on: s. 21(3)(d); source checked 2026-10-24

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12. Which option is most suitable when offering choices to an upset visitor?

    1. Two realistic options that the guard is authorized to offer.
    2. A choice designed to embarrass the visitor in front of others.
    3. A threat of consequences the guard has no authority to impose.
    4. A promise that police will never become involved under any condition.
    Show answer and explanation

    Correct answer: Two realistic options that the guard is authorized to offer.

    Useful choices are lawful, realistic and within the guard’s authority. False promises and threats can make the interaction less clear and more confrontational.

    Based on: ABST Participant Manual (third edition, 2014), Module 4, p. 14; source checked 2026-10-24

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13. A suspicious object may be connected to a threat. What is the safest awareness-level response?

    1. Move it to a busy reception area for a better view.
    2. Ask an untrained visitor to carry it outside.
    3. Open it to determine whether the threat is genuine.
    4. Do not touch it; keep people away and notify the appropriate services.
    Show answer and explanation

    Correct answer: Do not touch it; keep people away and notify the appropriate services.

    Do not touch or move a suspicious object. Protect people from the area and follow the emergency notification plan; this practice does not train searches, device inspection or disposal.

    Based on: ABST Participant Manual (third edition, 2014), Module 6, Bomb Threats and suspicious objects; source checked 2026-10-24

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14. After a citizen’s arrest without warrant, what does section 494(3) require?

    1. Delay police contact until the next business day.
    2. Deliver the arrested person to a peace officer forthwith.
    3. Hold the person until the client completes an internal interview.
    4. Keep the person until an apology or payment is obtained.
    Show answer and explanation

    Correct answer: Deliver the arrested person to a peace officer forthwith.

    A person other than a peace officer who arrests without warrant must deliver the arrested person to a peace officer forthwith. An internal interview, payment demand or next-day schedule is not a substitute.

    Based on: Criminal Code, s. 494(3); source checked 2026-10-24

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15. How should arrangements for people needing evacuation assistance be addressed?

    1. Assume every person can use the same route without assistance.
    2. Learn the site’s planned arrangements before an emergency.
    3. Wait for the person to become stranded before seeking advice.
    4. Plan to improvise lifting techniques during the alarm.
    Show answer and explanation

    Correct answer: Learn the site’s planned arrangements before an emergency.

    Emergency planning should identify assistance arrangements in advance. Untrained lifting or assuming identical mobility can create additional hazards; follow the assigned plan and seek appropriate help.

    Based on: ABST Participant Manual (third edition, 2014), Module 6, site emergency planning; source checked 2026-10-24

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16. Which information is useful in the opening entry for a shift?

    1. Date, time, location and relevant special circumstances.
    2. A personal to-do list unrelated to the assignment.
    3. Only the name of the last visitor expected to arrive.
    4. Only the guard’s opinion about how quiet the shift will be.
    Show answer and explanation

    Correct answer: Date, time, location and relevant special circumstances.

    The opening entry establishes the date, time, posting and relevant conditions, including partner and handover information where applicable. It should not be a prediction or private diary.

    Based on: ABST Participant Manual (third edition, 2014), Module 5, p. 6; source checked 2026-10-24

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17. 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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18. Which statement accurately reflects section 5 of Alberta’s Trespass to Premises Act?

    1. An apprehended person may be kept until an internal complaint is withdrawn.
    2. It identifies peace officers, owners and authorized representatives, with police handover required.
    3. Every licence holder has unrestricted powers on any Alberta property.
    4. Only the business client may hold someone until the next working day.
    Show answer and explanation

    Correct answer: It identifies peace officers, owners and authorized representatives, with police handover required.

    Section 5 names a peace officer or the owner/authorized representative and requires a non-peace officer to deliver the trespasser to a peace officer as soon as practicable. It is not a general licence-based power.

    Based on: Trespass to Premises Act, s. 5; source checked 2026-10-24

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19. A building relies on signs to give trespass notice. Which placement is specified in section 2(2)(b)(i)?

    1. Visible signs at each entrance normally used to enter.
    2. A notice kept only in the client’s off-site filing cabinet.
    3. A sign visible only after a person has reached the roof.
    4. One hidden sign in a staff room behind the reception desk.
    Show answer and explanation

    Correct answer: Visible signs at each entrance normally used to enter.

    The sign-notice provision specifies visible display at each entrance normally used to enter the premises. Additional corner requirements apply to the other-land category identified in the Act.

    Based on: Trespass to Premises Act, s. 2(2)(b); source checked 2026-10-24

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20. After immediate safety needs are addressed, how can a guard help preserve a scene for police?

    1. Clean damaged surfaces before police have assessed the scene.
    2. Rearrange items to make the suspected sequence easier to see.
    3. Limit unnecessary access and avoid disturbing possible evidence.
    4. Invite onlookers to inspect objects so more people can describe them.
    Show answer and explanation

    Correct answer: Limit unnecessary access and avoid disturbing possible evidence.

    Preservation includes preventing avoidable disturbance and unauthorized access. Cleaning or staging a scene may change the information investigators need.

    Based on: ABST Participant Manual (third edition, 2014), Module 5, p. 19; source checked 2026-10-24

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21. A witness declines a voluntary interview. What should the guard do?

    1. Invent a statement using the answers the guard expected.
    2. Detain the witness solely to force completion of the interview.
    3. Threaten to publish the witness’s name unless they cooperate.
    4. Respect the refusal and follow the appropriate reporting process.
    Show answer and explanation

    Correct answer: Respect the refusal and follow the appropriate reporting process.

    The witness is not obliged to participate in the guard’s voluntary interview. A refusal does not create authority to detain, intimidate or fabricate an account.

    Based on: ABST Participant Manual (third edition, 2014), Module 4, p. 16; source checked 2026-10-24

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22. A delivery driver insists that urgency should override a restricted-area access rule. What should the guard do?

    1. Verify permission through the designated site contact.
    2. Let the driver borrow any employee’s credential.
    3. Abandon the entrance while the driver chooses a route.
    4. Allow access solely because the driver appears impatient.
    Show answer and explanation

    Correct answer: Verify permission through the designated site contact.

    An urgent explanation does not establish authorization. The guard should apply the access procedure and seek direction through the designated contact when necessary.

    Based on: ABST Participant Manual (third edition, 2014), Module 3, pp. 17–18; source checked 2026-10-24

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23. A familiar door is often opened by wind. Tonight it is open again. What should the guard avoid?

    1. Assuming the cause without checking the current situation.
    2. Checking the door from an appropriate safe position.
    3. Recording relevant findings and required notifications.
    4. Comparing the condition with the expected locked state.
    Show answer and explanation

    Correct answer: Assuming the cause without checking the current situation.

    Past experience can create complacency. The current condition still needs an appropriate assessment; the earlier explanation is not proof of tonight’s cause.

    Based on: ABST Participant Manual (third edition, 2014), Module 3, pp. 13–15; source checked 2026-10-24

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24. A friend asks a guard to send an incident photograph for a social-media post. Which response is appropriate?

    1. Decline unauthorized sharing of confidential work material.
    2. Send it because the photograph was taken during work.
    3. Send it after removing only the guard’s own name.
    4. Post it first so the friend can copy the public version.
    Show answer and explanation

    Correct answer: Decline unauthorized sharing of confidential work material.

    Confidentiality is part of the required code of conduct. Work access to an incident photograph does not authorize sharing it for personal publicity or social-media discussion.

    Based on: s. 20(2)(i); source checked 2026-10-24

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