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BC Security Guard (BST) overview

BC Security Guard (BST): De-escalation, fights and emergencies

Warning signs of violence, verbal and non-verbal de-escalation, ending a hostile interaction, responding to a fight, fire classes and the PASS method, when not to fight a fire, and evacuation and emergency planning basics.

  • 24 questions
  • Topic drill
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De-escalation, fights and emergencies · Question 1Score 0/0

A fight involves a broken bottle used as a weapon. What should the guard do immediately?

Study reference: B.C. security legislation and gov.bc.ca guidance (Oct 2026), Ch. 10 De-escalation, fights and emergencies — CCOHS OSH Answers: Violence warning signs, Dealing with negative interactions, Fire extinguishers, Emergency planning

All 24 questions in this test

Every question and its answer choices. The correct answers and explanations appear when you take the test above.

  1. A fight involves a broken bottle used as a weapon. What should the guard do immediately?

    1. Wait to see who wins
    2. Grab the bottle from the fighter
    3. Call the police
    4. Step between the two fighters

  2. How should a guard read warning signs of possible violence?

    1. As certain proof that violence will happen
    2. As unimportant unless the person is armed
    3. As a reason to arrest the person at once
    4. In context, watching for several signs or escalation

  3. An upset customer is shouting at a guard. Which phrase should the guard avoid?

    1. "Let's step over here where it's quieter."
    2. "I can see this is frustrating for you."
    3. "Calm down!"
    4. "Help me understand what happened."

  4. What is a guard's first priority when a fight breaks out?

    1. Recording the fight on their phone
    2. Ending the fight as fast as possible, by any means that may be needed
    3. Deciding which fighter started it
    4. Avoiding injury to themselves and bystanders

  5. A person keeps using abusive language after a warning. What should the guard do?

    1. Physically push the person out the door
    2. Return the insults to match the tone
    3. Keep listening to the abuse no matter how long it continues to last
    4. End the conversation and step away or ask them to leave

  6. Which of these is a physical warning sign that a person may become violent?

    1. Asking a question politely
    2. Standing still with relaxed hands
    3. Clenched jaw or fists
    4. Smiling while giving directions

  7. How do responders confirm that everyone has left a building during an evacuation?

    1. Head counts at designated gathering points
    2. By checking the parking lot for cars
    3. By asking the last person out
    4. By waiting for phones to stop ringing

  8. After stepping away from a threatening person, what should the guard not do?

    1. Go back alone if the person may be a physical threat
    2. File an incident report afterwards
    3. Call police or other security help
    4. Tell other staff to leave the area until the situation is under control

  9. Which approach does CCOHS recommend with a person who keeps acting unreasonably?

    1. Take their side against the business
    2. Promise them anything they ask for
    3. Set ground rules and calmly explain the consequences
    4. Bargain with them until they finally agree to leave the premises

  10. In which situation should a guard not try to fight a fire?

    1. The guard has a clear escape route behind
    2. The guard has the right extinguisher ready
    3. The fire is spreading beyond where it started
    4. The fire is small and in a wastebasket

  11. What does the PASS method stand for when using a fire extinguisher?

    1. Push, Activate, Spray, Stop
    2. Pull, Aim, Squeeze, Sweep
    3. Point, Alert, Spray, Signal
    4. Pull, Alarm, Shout, Seal

  12. How often should an emergency plan be reviewed at minimum?

    1. Only when a new client signs on
    2. Every five years, during the fire department's routine building inspection
    3. Never, once it has been written
    4. Once a year, and after each drill or real emergency

  13. How should a guard give instructions to people who are fighting?

    1. With vague requests to behave
    2. By yelling as loudly as possible
    3. Clearly and specifically, in a calm but firm voice
    4. By threatening to hurt both fighters if they do not stop immediately

  14. Where should you stand when using a fire extinguisher?

    1. Between the fire and a wall
    2. In a doorway you cannot see past
    3. Directly above the fire
    4. Between the fire and your escape route

  15. How much personal space does CCOHS suggest keeping with an upset person?

    1. About one metre
    2. About 10 centimetres
    3. No space is needed
    4. About five metres

  16. Which class of fire involves energized electrical equipment?

    1. Class A
    2. Class K
    3. Class C
    4. Class B

  17. A crowd is cheering on a fight in a mall food court. What should the guard do with the crowd?

    1. Direct them to leave, saying exactly where to go
    2. Ignore them and focus only on the fighters
    3. Let them stay and watch so that they can act as witnesses for police later
    4. Ask them to film the fight for evidence

  18. Where should you aim a fire extinguisher?

    1. At the top of the flames
    2. At the smoke above the fire
    3. At the wall behind the fire
    4. At the base of the fire

  19. Why should a guard restate what an upset person has said?

    1. To make the person repeat the complaint
    2. To confirm they understood the person correctly
    3. To fill time until police arrive
    4. To catch the person in a contradiction

  20. Which body language is recommended when talking to an angry person?

    1. Pointing at the person while speaking
    2. Hands on hips and a firm stare
    3. Relaxed posture and standing at an angle
    4. Arms folded tightly across the chest

  21. Why should a water extinguisher never be used on a burning electrical panel?

    1. Water freezes when it hits hot metal
    2. Water makes the fire spread to paper nearby
    3. Water is only for Class A fires and conducts electricity
    4. Water extinguishers are too small to reach the back of an electrical panel

  22. A guard must enforce a ban on a person who is getting angrier. What does CCOHS suggest?

    1. Enforce it immediately, whatever the risk to the guard or bystanders
    2. Leave the site without reporting it
    3. Delay it until backup is present or it is safer
    4. Tell the person the ban is cancelled

  23. Who usually orders an evacuation and sounds the all-clear under an emergency plan?

    1. The first guard to go on break
    2. The Emergency Co-ordinator or a named back-up
    3. The building's cleaning contractor, who is often the last one on site
    4. Any customer who smells smoke

  24. Which technique can help calm a tense conversation, according to CCOHS?

    1. Interrupting to correct every error
    2. Giving quick ultimatums
    3. Using silence and asking open questions
    4. Raising your voice over theirs

De-escalation, fights and emergencies: key rules to remember

Our summary of what the official handbook says on this topic, in our own words. Read it before or after the practice questions above, then check the original chapter. Read the official chapter ↗

Violence and harassment warning signs

  • No single sign predicts violence; read signs in context and watch for several signs or escalation over time.
  • Physical signs include a flushed or pale face, sweating, pacing or restlessness, trembling, clenched jaw or fists, exaggerated gestures, loud talking, rapid shallow breathing, glaring or avoiding eye contact, and invading personal space.

Dealing with negative interactions: verbal skills

  • Give full attention and keep eye contact; stay calm; watch tone and volume; speak slowly and confidently in plain language.
  • Listen without interrupting; use silence to help calm the situation; ask open questions to understand why the person is upset.
  • Do not tell an upset person to "calm down" or "relax".
  • Restate what you heard; be honest and never promise what you cannot deliver.
  • Ask for small, specific favours (such as moving to a quieter spot); offer choices; break the problem into smaller steps.

Non-verbal skills

  • Relaxed posture, unclenched hands, attentive expression.
  • Keep about one metre of personal space and stand at an angle rather than squarely in front of the person.
  • Avoid challenging gestures: hands on hips, pointing, waving arms, folded arms, glaring.

Avoiding escalation and ending an interaction

  • Set clear ground rules and calmly explain the consequences (ending the conversation or refusing service); suggest alternatives instead of commands or ultimatums.
  • Do not take sides, do not reject demands outright, and do not bargain with a threatening person.
  • Someone enforcing a penalty should wait for backup or a safer moment.
  • To end an interaction: interrupt firmly and politely, say abusive language will not be accepted, and leave or ask the person to leave; if they stay, step away and tell a supervisor; do not go back if they may be a physical threat.
  • If you said you would call police or security, follow through; file an incident report afterwards.

Physical fights

  • First priority: avoid injury to yourself and bystanders; do not step in if you fear injury or lack training.
  • If any weapon, including an improvised one, is involved, call police immediately.
  • Get help or assign a named bystander to get it; move bystanders back, and send an audience that is fuelling the fight to a specific place.
  • Give the fighters clear, specific instructions in a calm, firm voice without yelling; use names or visible features.
  • Refer to organizational policy rather than personal authority; do not take sides or demean anyone.

Fire extinguishers

  • Four elements make a fire (fuel, heat, oxygen and a chemical reaction); removing one puts it out.
  • Class A: ordinary combustibles (paper, wood, cloth, rubber, plastics). Class B: flammable liquids and gases, oil, paint. Class C: energized electrical equipment. Class D: combustible metals. Class K: cooking oils and fats.
  • Water extinguishers are for Class A only, never electrical, flammable-liquid or cooking-oil fires; CO2 is for B and C fires and has a short range; dry chemical (e.g. ABC) is the most common type.
  • PASS: Pull the pin, Aim at the base of the fire, Squeeze the handle, Sweep side to side.
  • Do not fight a fire if you do not know what is burning, which extinguisher to use or how to use it, or if it is spreading beyond where it started; pull the alarm, evacuate and call the fire department.
  • Keep your back to an escape route (stand between the fire and the exit); never walk away from a fire that seems out, because it can reignite.
  • Extinguishers get a visual check monthly and professional servicing at least once a year.

Emergency planning

  • Emergencies include fire, explosion, spills, building collapse, power or communication failure, floods, earthquakes and severe storms; one event can trigger another.
  • Keep evacuation routes and alternate exits known and clear; use designated gathering points and head counts to confirm everyone is out.
  • Use one distinct evacuation signal; assign people to help those who need assistance.
  • An Emergency Co-ordinator (with back-ups) reports emergencies, activates the plan, orders evacuation and sounds the all-clear.
  • Keep current contact lists and agree on a chain of command with fire, police and ambulance in advance.
  • Practise the plan with drills, review it after each drill or real emergency, and at least once a year.

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