Last December, International Security Ligue published a supplement to its Global Security Barometer focused on security officer health and safety. It found that the industry needs to recommit to protecting its people.
Over several years, International Security Ligue has collected insights into the routine realities of the security profession and the evolving risks facing frontline personnel.
“Alongside everyday risks and simple injury causes — a misstep, a twist — we observe a growing and concerning rise in public aggression toward our officers,” states the report. “Exposure varies by location, culture, event, and situation, yet the upward trend is clear.”
Benchmark data from over one million officers show a 2023 lost-time injury rate of 6.9 per 1,000 employees and a recordable rate of 12.8. Compared to the 2019-22 average, this means a decrease of 0.7% for Europe and increases for South America (+47.2%), North America (+6.0%), Middle East and Africa (66.6%), and Asia and Australia (+6.9%).
“The industry owes a debt to frontline employees, and it must recognize that safety efforts should extend beyond worker behaviours and examine what we give them, and how we support them. In short, we must recognize the broader context surrounding worker actions without ignoring the reality that worker actions also play a role.”
Fatalities
The global fatality rate fell in 2023 from 2022 to 2.53 per 100,000 security officers in 2023; just above the six year average of 2.4, although fatalities from violence has grown. The top causes of fatalities include (i) slips, trips, falls, (ii) over-exertion, (iii) violence, and (iv) transportation.
On the positive side, the report observed that regulations increasingly recognise psychosocial illnesses as occupational diseases, high occupational safety is being successfully used to attract personnel, and investment in mental health and wellness is increasing.
On the downside, officers face rising third-party aggression, slips, trips, and falls remain frequent, and challenges persist from a lack of control over operating environments.
Challenges – Interventions
“Safety training can be a competitive differentiator and is most effective when practical, realistic, specialist-led, and supported by blended delivery for consistency,” says the report. “Refresher training is essential to reinforce critical responses and should focus on high-risk, infrequently used, and legally changing tasks.”
The Ligue found that road incidents drive disproportionate occupational deaths, with vehicle patrols posing the highest fatality risk, worsened by long night shifts and urban traffic. “Effective interventions include defensive driving training, telematics and dashcams, strict no-phone and fatigue policies, vehicle checks, and behaviour-based monitoring.”
“Violence poses high likelihood and severe consequences—from gun threats to assaults—so prevention centres on threat assessments, de-escalation and conflict management, client collaboration, technology (CCTV/bodycams), robust training, and rapid victim support including 24/7 psychological aid.” Technology such as lone-worker alarms, drones, smart cameras, bodycams, GPS/telematics, and AI risk-prediction are enabling proactive, data-driven prevention and reduced frontline exposure.
