Alberta Security Guard (ABST) Practice Test 6

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 guard recalls the meaning of a statement but not its exact wording. Which is the accurate approach?

   1. Mark it as a paraphrase rather than a verbatim quotation.
   2. Invent stronger words that better explain the incident.
   3. Use quotation marks to make the wording appear exact.
   4. Copy a different witness’s wording as the speaker’s own.
   Show answer and explanation

   Correct answer: Mark it as a paraphrase rather than a verbatim quotation.

   Quotation marks indicate exact words. If only the meaning is recalled, the record should make that limitation clear rather than manufacture a quotation.

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

   Official reference ↗

2. The cause of a damaged gate is unknown. Which report wording is most appropriate?

   1. State that deliberate vandalism is proved by damage alone.
   2. Choose a likely cause so the report has no unanswered question.
   3. Blame the last person seen nearby without supporting facts.
   4. Describe the damage and state that the cause is unknown.
   Show answer and explanation

   Correct answer: Describe the damage and state that the cause is unknown.

   The report should record known facts and their limits. An unknown cause must not be filled with a convenient assumption about intention or responsibility.

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

   Official reference ↗

3. Under Alberta’s Trespass to Premises Act, how may an authorized representative give notice not to trespass?

   1. Orally or in writing.
   2. Only through a sign; spoken notice never counts.
   3. Only by publishing a notice in a newspaper.
   4. Only through a court order delivered by police.
   Show answer and explanation

   Correct answer: Orally or in writing.

   Section 2(2)(a) permits oral or written notice by the owner or an authorized representative. This is distinct from the separate rules about signs and does not resolve every possible exception.

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

   Official reference ↗

4. An emergency requires several agencies. What should the guard’s role remain based on?

   1. Personal preference about which agency should control the scene.
   2. An assumption that the security licence overrides every responder.
   3. A wish to continue giving orders after responsibility has transferred.
   4. The site plan, actual conditions and authorized responder directions.
   Show answer and explanation

   Correct answer: The site plan, actual conditions and authorized responder directions.

   Emergency response is coordinated through the site plan and the responsible authorities. A guard supports the handover and follows their actual role rather than assuming unrestricted command.

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

   Official reference ↗

5. Which combination reflects the limits in section 25(1)?

   1. A uniform, a confident manner and any force requested.
   2. A past incident, public criticism and a wish to punish.
   3. A licence, a client’s approval and unrestricted force.
   4. Lawful authority, reasonable grounds and necessary force.
   Show answer and explanation

   Correct answer: Lawful authority, reasonable grounds and necessary force.

   Section 25(1) is conditional on lawful authority and action on reasonable grounds, and addresses force necessary for that purpose. It does not give a security licence holder an unlimited permission to use force.

   Based on: Criminal Code, s. 25(1); source checked 2026-10-24

   Official reference ↗

6. Which purpose is consistent with the defence-of-person conditions in section 34?

   1. Defending or protecting a person from the believed force or threat.
   2. Punishing a person for an insult after the danger has ended.
   3. Obtaining compensation for a client’s earlier inconvenience.
   4. Teaching a lesson so that future visitors will be afraid.
   Show answer and explanation

   Correct answer: Defending or protecting a person from the believed force or threat.

   Section 34 includes a reasonable belief about force or a threat, a defensive purpose and conduct reasonable in the circumstances. Retaliation or punishment is not the stated defensive purpose.

   Based on: Criminal Code, s. 34(1); source checked 2026-10-24

   Official reference ↗

7. In the manual’s basic alarm sequence, what does the transmitter do?

   1. Communicates the sensor information to the control system.
   2. Writes the guard’s final incident report automatically.
   3. Replaces the need to contact any emergency service.
   4. Decides whether a criminal prosecution will succeed.
   Show answer and explanation

   Correct answer: Communicates the sensor information to the control system.

   The transmitter communicates the detected information to the control system. That function does not establish guilt, complete the incident record or replace the site’s emergency-notification procedure.

   Based on: ABST Participant Manual (third edition, 2014), Module 6, Alarm Systems — transmitters; source checked 2026-10-24

   Official reference ↗

8. A guard must give an emergency location by radio. Which message is most useful?

   1. Give only “come here” and assume everyone knows the place.
   2. Describe the guard’s frustrations before naming the location.
   3. Identify the location and state the observed need clearly.
   4. Use an unfamiliar private code without checking comprehension.
   Show answer and explanation

   Correct answer: Identify the location and state the observed need clearly.

   A concise factual message with a usable location helps the recipient respond. Unexplained codes, emotional detail and vague directions can delay understanding.

   Based on: ABST Participant Manual (third edition, 2014), Module 4, pp. 3–7; source checked 2026-10-24

   Official reference ↗

9. A guard finds a recurring lighting fault but has not seen anyone injured. What should be done?

   1. Assume the next guard will discover and report it.
   2. Ignore it because only injuries belong in shift records.
   3. Document and report the fault before a harmful incident.
   4. Record an invented injury to make the report more urgent.
   Show answer and explanation

   Correct answer: Document and report the fault before a harmful incident.

   Patrol records include maintenance and safety concerns, not only completed offences or injuries. Factual reporting helps the responsible people address a hazard.

   Based on: ABST Participant Manual (third edition, 2014), Module 3, pp. 15, 29–30; source checked 2026-10-24

   Official reference ↗

10. An evacuation alarm becomes silent. What does that establish about re-entry?

    1. The guard can cancel emergency-service control immediately.
    2. Silence alone does not authorize people to return.
    3. The nearest visitor may authorize the building’s reopening.
    4. All affected areas have necessarily been inspected.
    Show answer and explanation

    Correct answer: Silence alone does not authorize people to return.

    A quiet alarm is not an all-clear. Re-entry must follow the authorization process in the emergency plan and the directions of the responsible responders or authority.

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

    Official reference ↗

11. A familiar employee arrives with an unfamiliar companion. What should the guard do?

    1. Assume every staff member can authorize every visitor.
    2. Follow the site’s procedure for companions and visitors.
    3. Give the companion the employee’s access credential to use.
    4. Grant access because the employee’s own identity is known.
    Show answer and explanation

    Correct answer: Follow the site’s procedure for companions and visitors.

    Recognizing the employee does not establish the companion’s access rights. The site’s visitor and escort rules still apply.

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

    Official reference ↗

12. Which statement correctly describes an Alberta guard’s general criminal arrest authority?

    1. The client may add criminal arrest powers to a contract.
    2. Any refusal to answer creates an arrest power.
    3. It depends on the applicable legal conditions.
    4. The licence gives the same general powers as police.
    Show answer and explanation

    Correct answer: It depends on the applicable legal conditions.

    A security licence or contract does not create police powers. A citizen’s arrest must satisfy the conditions of the applicable law, including the specific branches of section 494.

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

    Official reference ↗

13. A radio fails during the pre-shift equipment check. What is the best response before an isolated patrol?

    1. Start the patrol and hope another worker passes nearby.
    2. Carry the failed radio so the equipment list is complete.
    3. Leave the radio behind without telling the supervisor.
    4. Report the fault and arrange a reliable contact method.
    Show answer and explanation

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

    Equipment must work for its intended purpose. A failed communication device needs reporting and a workable contact arrangement, especially before an isolated assignment.

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

    Official reference ↗

14. Which notebook statement is an observation rather than an unconfirmed interpretation?

    1. Someone planned to return through the unsecured door.
    2. The cleaner must have deliberately left the door open.
    3. The service door was open about ten centimetres.
    4. The open door proves the building was being targeted.
    Show answer and explanation

    Correct answer: The service door was open about ten centimetres.

    The door’s position is directly observable. The other choices assign a cause, intention or conclusion that has not been established.

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

    Official reference ↗

15. An argument continues despite calm explanations, and the guard cannot resolve it safely alone. What is the appropriate next step?

    1. Request assistance and maintain a safe professional position.
    2. Move into a secluded place to avoid being seen by witnesses.
    3. Threaten an unlawful consequence to force an immediate agreement.
    4. Keep arguing until the other person accepts personal blame.
    Show answer and explanation

    Correct answer: Request assistance and maintain a safe professional position.

    De-escalation has limits. When a situation cannot be handled safely, the guard should obtain assistance and protect people rather than escalate a contest of authority.

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

    Official reference ↗

16. A proposed uniform closely resembles a police uniform. How should it be assessed?

    1. It is acceptable if the guard removes their licence card.
    2. It is acceptable whenever the client prefers it.
    3. It is acceptable if the guard never makes an arrest.
    4. It must not be used as a security-work uniform.
    Show answer and explanation

    Correct answer: It must not be used as a security-work uniform.

    The ministerial regulation prohibits a security uniform resembling one used by police or other law-enforcement agencies. Client preference and the guard’s intentions do not override that restriction.

    Based on: s. 21(2); source checked 2026-10-24

    Official reference ↗

17. A witness uses an unclear phrase. What is the best way to clarify it?

    1. Replace it with the guard’s preferred explanation.
    2. Ask what they mean without adding a suggested event.
    3. Ask another witness to decide what this witness meant.
    4. Choose the most serious interpretation and record it as certain.
    Show answer and explanation

    Correct answer: Ask what they mean without adding a suggested event.

    Clarification should preserve the speaker’s own meaning. The guard should not insert an assumption or let another person supply the account.

    Based on: ABST Participant Manual (third edition, 2014), Module 4, pp. 16–17; source checked 2026-10-24

    Official reference ↗

18. A licensee proposes using “security officer” on their work identification. Which Alberta rule is relevant?

    1. The title is permitted only on an evening shift.
    2. SSIA section 40 prohibits that title in licensed work.
    3. The title is permitted whenever the client approves it.
    4. The title automatically grants limited police status.
    Show answer and explanation

    Correct answer: SSIA section 40 prohibits that title in licensed work.

    SSIA section 40 specifically includes security officer among prohibited titles connected with the licensed business or employment. Do not assume terminology used in another province is allowed in Alberta.

    Based on: s. 40; source checked 2026-10-24

    Official reference ↗

19. 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

    Official reference ↗

20. 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

    Official reference ↗

21. 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

    Official reference ↗

22. A worker completed equipment training, but their licence does not authorize the weapon offered by the client. What is correct?

    1. The course certificate permits any weapon during a paid shift.
    2. The client’s written permission replaces all licence conditions.
    3. Training and client preference do not replace licence authorization.
    4. The worker may carry it until the next licence renewal.
    Show answer and explanation

    Correct answer: Training and client preference do not replace licence authorization.

    The regulation ties permitted weapon possession and use to applicable rules, licence authorization and employer issuance. A training certificate or client request alone does not meet those requirements.

    Based on: ss. 8–9; source checked 2026-10-24

    Official reference ↗

23. A person indicates that written communication would be easier. Which response is appropriate when safe and practical?

    1. Use a clear written message and verify understanding.
    2. Let another visitor invent an answer without checking it.
    3. Refuse every alternative because speech is always required.
    4. Shout the same words while standing closer to the person.
    Show answer and explanation

    Correct answer: Use a clear written message and verify understanding.

    An appropriate alternative such as writing can help overcome a barrier. The guard should still check that the actual direction was understood.

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

    Official reference ↗

24. An incident occurs at 9:20 p.m. What is the matching 24-hour time?

    1. 20:09.
    2. 12:20.
    3. 21:20.
    4. 09:20.
    Show answer and explanation

    Correct answer: 21:20.

    For an afternoon or evening time after noon, the hour continues beyond 12. Thus 9:20 p.m. is 21:20; 09:20 denotes the morning.

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

    Official reference ↗