Alberta Security Guard (ABST) Practice Test 4

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1. A guard arrives at an unfamiliar site before a first shift. What should be reviewed before beginning the assignment?

   1. Only information supplied by the first visitor who arrives.
   2. Old shift instructions without checking for any updates.
   3. Only the route used at the guard’s previous workplace.
   4. Current post orders, contacts and expected site activity.
   Show answer and explanation

   Correct answer: Current post orders, contacts and expected site activity.

   Preparation includes understanding the current assignment, contact arrangements and anticipated events. Familiarity with another workplace does not establish this site’s procedures.

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

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2. A learner passes the provincial final exam but has not received a worker licence. What does the exam result establish?

   1. Training success, not automatic issuance of a worker licence.
   2. Permission to start all security work without further steps.
   3. Automatic authorization to operate a security business.
   4. Permission to lend the training certificate to a colleague.
   Show answer and explanation

   Correct answer: Training success, not automatic issuance of a worker licence.

   Passing the required training test is part of licensing, but it does not itself issue the worker licence. The application and applicable licensing requirements remain separate.

   Based on: s. 14; SSIA ss. 3, 38; source checked 2026-10-24

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3. A licensee is charged with a Criminal Code offence. May they wait for the trial result before reporting it to the Registrar?

   1. Yes; the employer can waive the Registrar’s reporting rule.
   2. Yes; only a conviction triggers the written reporting rule.
   3. No; the specified charge must be reported within 24 hours.
   4. Yes; reporting is unnecessary if the charge is disputed.
   Show answer and explanation

   Correct answer: No; the specified charge must be reported within 24 hours.

   The individual reporting rule concerns the arrest or charge, not only a later conviction. Section 3(1) requires a written report to the Registrar within 24 hours for the specified federal offences.

   Based on: s. 3(1); source checked 2026-10-24

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4. A witness tells a guard that a visitor broke a window, but the guard did not see it. How should this be recorded?

   1. Omit the source so the account sounds more confident.
   2. Describe the visitor’s guilt as established by the interview.
   3. Write that the guard personally watched the visitor break it.
   4. Attribute the allegation to the witness who provided it.
   Show answer and explanation

   Correct answer: Attribute the allegation to the witness who provided it.

   The record should distinguish what the guard observed from information received from someone else. Attribution preserves the source and avoids turning an allegation into eyewitness evidence.

   Based on: ABST Participant Manual (third edition, 2014), Module 5, pp. 3–4; source checked 2026-10-24

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5. What is the key observation required by section 494(1)(a)?

   1. Finding a person who will not provide a phone number.
   2. Receiving an unverified rumour about an earlier event.
   3. Finding a person committing an indictable offence.
   4. Learning that someone has previously been convicted.
   Show answer and explanation

   Correct answer: Finding a person committing an indictable offence.

   Section 494(1)(a) concerns a person found committing an indictable offence. A rumour, past conviction or refusal to supply contact information does not satisfy that observation requirement.

   Based on: Criminal Code, s. 494(1)(a); source checked 2026-10-24

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6. A guard says, “You need to collect your parcel, but you do not know which desk handles it.” What is the purpose of this paraphrase?

   1. Check the message without endorsing every allegation.
   2. Prove that the visitor’s original account was dishonest.
   3. Guarantee that the parcel must be released immediately.
   4. Replace the visitor’s account with the guard’s preferred story.
   Show answer and explanation

   Correct answer: Check the message without endorsing every allegation.

   Paraphrasing restates the message to confirm understanding. It does not necessarily express agreement, decide blame or promise a particular outcome.

   Based on: ABST Participant Manual (third edition, 2014), Module 4, pp. 9–10; source checked 2026-10-24

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7. An alarmed area appears unsafe to enter alone. What should the guard prioritize?

   1. Taking a close-up photograph before assessing personal safety.
   2. A safe position, communication and appropriate assistance.
   3. Entering immediately so the alarm can be called verified.
   4. Completing a solo search before reporting the location.
   Show answer and explanation

   Correct answer: A safe position, communication and appropriate assistance.

   Confirming an alarm does not require an unsafe entry. Consider hazards, communicate the location and request the assistance required by the site procedure before exposing people to danger.

   Based on: ABST Participant Manual (third edition, 2014), Module 6, Responding to Alarms; source checked 2026-10-24

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8. A fire alarm and a building-system alarm activate on different shifts. What should guide the response to each?

   1. The relevant alarm type and site-specific procedure.
   2. Only the quickest way to silence the control panel.
   3. Only whether the sound is louder than the previous alarm.
   4. The assumption that every alarm uses the same contact and action.
   Show answer and explanation

   Correct answer: The relevant alarm type and site-specific procedure.

   Fire, intrusion and building-system conditions may require different contacts and actions. Learn the applicable site procedures rather than treating every indication as the same event.

   Based on: ABST Participant Manual (third edition, 2014), Module 6, Responding to Alarms; source checked 2026-10-24

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9. Can an intent to deprive an owner temporarily fall within the theft provision?

   1. No; only a permanent deprivation can ever be theft.
   2. Only if the owner first publishes a written warning.
   3. Yes, if the other statutory elements are also present.
   4. Only if the property has already been sold to a stranger.
   Show answer and explanation

   Correct answer: Yes, if the other statutory elements are also present.

   Section 322(1)(a) includes an intent to deprive the owner temporarily or absolutely. The fraudulent taking or conversion, absence of colour of right and other applicable elements must still be considered.

   Based on: Criminal Code, s. 322(1)(a); source checked 2026-10-24

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10. 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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11. 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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12. A shopper carries a large bag but no theft has been observed. What is the sound approach?

    1. Replace the normal observation process with a guess.
    2. Tell nearby customers the shopper is certainly a thief.
    3. Base further observations on conduct, not guilt by appearance.
    4. Record that the bag proves the shopper has stolen goods.
    Show answer and explanation

    Correct answer: Base further observations on conduct, not guilt by appearance.

    Appearance alone does not establish criminal conduct or all elements of theft. Keep observations factual and apply lawful site procedures without treating a carried bag as proof.

    Based on: ABST Participant Manual (third edition, 2014), Module 3, pp. 9–10, 16; source checked 2026-10-24

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13. A guard with a valid standard individual licence changes to another licensed employer. Which statement is correct?

    1. The former employer owns the guard’s individual licence.
    2. The licence can remain portable between employers.
    3. The licence automatically becomes a training licence.
    4. The licence must be lent to the replacement guard.
    Show answer and explanation

    Correct answer: The licence can remain portable between employers.

    A standard individual licence can be used with more than one licensed employer during its valid term, subject to its conditions. Employer reporting duties remain; a training licence has different portability rules.

    Based on: s. 12; current worker page — Licensing; source checked 2026-10-24

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14. 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

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15. A person does not understand a site abbreviation used by the guard. What is the best adjustment?

    1. Explain the instruction in clear everyday language.
    2. Add several more technical terms to make the message formal.
    3. Repeat the unexplained abbreviation more loudly each time.
    4. Assume the person is deliberately refusing to cooperate.
    Show answer and explanation

    Correct answer: Explain the instruction in clear everyday language.

    Plain language can remove an avoidable barrier. Volume or extra jargon does not resolve a term the listener does not understand.

    Based on: ABST Participant Manual (third edition, 2014), Module 4, pp. 11–12; source checked 2026-10-24

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16. What qualification does section 8 of the Trespass to Premises Act contain?

    1. A rule that every mistaken statement defeats the Act.
    2. An exemption for anyone who dislikes the owner’s rules.
    3. A fair and reasonable belief in a right to do the act complained of.
    4. An exemption whenever the person claims to know a staff member.
    Show answer and explanation

    Correct answer: A fair and reasonable belief in a right to do the act complained of.

    Section 8 states that the Act does not extend to a case involving a fair and reasonable supposition of a right to do the complained-of act. It is not an automatic exemption for every asserted excuse.

    Based on: Trespass to Premises Act, s. 8; source checked 2026-10-24

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17. Two guards work together on a new assignment. What should they agree before separating into their assigned areas?

    1. That silence always means the other guard is safe.
    2. That neither needs to report a change of location.
    3. Roles, contact arrangements and how to request assistance.
    4. That only one person needs to know the site procedure.
    Show answer and explanation

    Correct answer: Roles, contact arrangements and how to request assistance.

    Partners need a shared understanding of duties and communication. Assumptions about location or silence can interfere with safe coordination.

    Based on: ABST Participant Manual (third edition, 2014), Module 3, p. 31; source checked 2026-10-24

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18. A guard is preparing to testify about an incident from months ago. Which preparation is appropriate?

    1. Memorize another witness’s account as a replacement for memory.
    2. Review their own relevant notes and reports carefully.
    3. Agree with colleagues on a single story before attending.
    4. Add new details because the original report seems too short.
    Show answer and explanation

    Correct answer: Review their own relevant notes and reports carefully.

    Reviewing one’s own records can refresh recollection. Preparation must not become invention or coordination of a story with other witnesses.

    Based on: ABST Participant Manual (third edition, 2014), Module 5, pp. 20–21; source checked 2026-10-24

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19. An emergency vehicle is approaching the site. Which action supports the response?

    1. Withhold the incident location until a routine report is finished.
    2. Keep the designated access route clear and provide the exact location.
    3. Use the approach lane to store spectators’ vehicles.
    4. Direct every visitor to gather in front of the response entrance.
    Show answer and explanation

    Correct answer: Keep the designated access route clear and provide the exact location.

    Responders need a usable approach and accurate location information. Follow the site plan to protect access and relay known hazards rather than create congestion or delay essential information.

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

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20. Several people witnessed an event. Why obtain their accounts separately where practical?

    1. To encourage everyone to repeat the first witness’s story.
    2. To prevent anyone from saying that a detail is uncertain.
    3. To ensure the accounts contain identical wording and details.
    4. To preserve each person’s independent recollection.
    Show answer and explanation

    Correct answer: To preserve each person’s independent recollection.

    Individual interviews help obtain each witness’s own information. The objective is accurate accounts, not a single rehearsed version or forced agreement.

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

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21. Why should a guard record relevant observations promptly when it is safe to do so?

    1. Details may become harder to recall accurately later.
    2. A notebook makes every guess legally conclusive.
    3. Writing notes removes the need to report an emergency.
    4. Later memory is always more accurate than early observations.
    Show answer and explanation

    Correct answer: Details may become harder to recall accurately later.

    Timely factual notes support later reports and recollection. Immediate safety still comes first, and a written guess does not become a proved fact.

    Based on: ABST Participant Manual (third edition, 2014), Module 5, pp. 3–4; source checked 2026-10-24

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22. A person starts making threats and striking a barrier. What should the guard prioritize?

    1. Continuing the argument until the person concedes defeat.
    2. Safety, continued observation and immediate assistance.
    3. Turning away from the situation to show indifference.
    4. Moving alone with the person into an isolated room.
    Show answer and explanation

    Correct answer: Safety, continued observation and immediate assistance.

    Escalating threats call for safety and assistance. The guard should remain aware of the person and others without isolating themselves in a dangerous confrontation.

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

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23. A general training licensee is asked to drive the patrol vehicle while on duty. What restriction applies?

    1. Driving is allowed whenever the trainee has a driver’s licence.
    2. Driving is allowed if the client rides in the passenger seat.
    3. A general training licensee may not drive a vehicle on duty.
    4. Driving is allowed if the vehicle stays on private property.
    Show answer and explanation

    Correct answer: A general training licensee may not drive a vehicle on duty.

    Section 16(4) prohibits a general training licensee from driving a vehicle while on duty. An ordinary driver’s licence does not remove this separate security-training restriction.

    Based on: s. 16(4); source checked 2026-10-24

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24. An authorized employee seems unusually hurried. What should guide the guard’s interpretation?

    1. Repeat a colleague’s suspicion as an established fact.
    2. Treat a hurried manner as proof of criminal intent.
    3. Gather relevant information without assuming wrongdoing.
    4. Ignore every other observation once the person is known.
    Show answer and explanation

    Correct answer: Gather relevant information without assuming wrongdoing.

    Unusual behaviour can have more than one explanation. The guard should gather relevant information and maintain safety rather than substitute an assumption for evidence.

    Based on: ABST Participant Manual (third edition, 2014), Module 3, pp. 9–10; source checked 2026-10-24

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