Shift briefing and handover with no gaps
A shift is handed over properly when the incoming guard knows everything the outgoing guard knows. That takes three things: a short briefing in a fixed order, a handover checklist (keys, equipment, open incidents, visitors on site, system status) and a written record both guards confirm. If the relief does not arrive, the guard does not leave the post: they alert the supervisor at once, the supervisor finds cover, and everything is recorded.
Updated: 4 min readSources: 1
What should a security shift briefing include?
What changed since the last shift and what is expected in the next, in the same order every time. Five minutes on a fixed template is enough.
- What happened: incidents in the last shift and what is still open from them.
- What is expected: visits, deliveries, contractor work, events, closing times.
- What changed: new or amended post orders, changes to access or contacts.
- Risks: anything that needs watching — a faulty door, a dark corner, a person who caused concern.
- Contacts: whom the guard calls tonight, in escalation order.
The outgoing guard gives the briefing, or the supervisor when the change is significant or the new guard does not know the post.
What is checked at a shift handover?
Keys, equipment, open incidents, visitors and contractors on site, and the status of the systems. Both guards check them together, by looking, not just by talking.
- Keys and cards: counted against the list; which are out, with whom and when they come back.
- Equipment: radio, phone, torch, patrol device — working and charged?
- Open incidents: what is not closed, who has been told, what is pending.
- Visitors and contractors on site: who is inside now, where, and when they are due to leave.
- System status: alarm, cameras, fire panel, access-control doors — what is armed, what is faulty, what has been reported.
- Outstanding tasks: patrols or checks not done, and why.
A key that is “somewhere” or a visitor who “probably left” is an open issue. Record it as one and pass it to the supervisor.
How should a shift handover be recorded?
With the time, both guards’ names, each checklist item and every exception, confirmed by both. A handover is complete when it is recorded, not when one guard leaves.
- Time and people: who handed over, who took over, exactly when.
- Checklist items: checked one by one, not a blanket “all fine”.
- Exceptions: anything missing or not working, and who was told.
- Confirmation: a signature or digital confirmation from both.
The handover record belongs in the shift report. At OVIT, patrols, incidents and reports are logged on the Guardly platform, which gives one live picture to the guard, the supervisor, the operations team and the client.
What should a guard do when the relief guard does not show up?
Stay on post. Alert the supervisor or operations desk immediately so they can find cover, and record the time and every call.
- Stay on post: an uncovered post is the worst outcome.
- Alert at once: the supervisor or operations desk, at changeover time, not an hour later.
- The supervisor finds cover: from the reserve and the roster’s call order.
- Record: when the changeover was due, who was told, when cover arrived.
- Hand over as normal: when the relief arrives, the handover follows the same checklist.
Holding a guard over is a stopgap, not a roster. A guard needs at least 11 consecutive hours of rest in every 24 hours (Labour Code art. 171), so the supervisor brings in cover rather than asking the guard to “do the next one too”.
What are the most common shift handover mistakes?
A rushed verbal handover, an unchecked “all fine” and leaving before the next guard arrives. A fixed checklist and a rule that nobody leaves before handing over fix all three.
- Corridor handovers: two words and gone. The checklist is skipped.
- Generalities: “quiet shift” instead of times, names and open items.
- Leaving before the relief arrives: even for a few minutes, the post is uncovered.
- Lost open issues: an incident not handed over is forgotten.
- A new guard with no briefing: they need a walk-through of the post, not just the checklist.
Want guarding where every handover is on record? Ask for a proposal.
At a glance
- The incoming guard must know everything the outgoing guard knows.
- A five-minute briefing in a fixed order: what happened, what is expected, what changed, risks, contacts.
- The handover checklist covers keys, equipment, open incidents, visitors on site and system status.
- The handover is recorded with times, names and exceptions, and both guards confirm it.
- If the relief does not arrive, the guard stays on post and alerts the supervisor at once.
Frequently asked questions
How long should a shift handover take?
As long as it takes to go through the whole checklist: briefing, keys, equipment, open incidents, visitors, systems. With a fixed template, a quiet shift hands over in a few minutes.
Can a guard leave if the next guard does not arrive?
No. They stay on post, alert the supervisor or operations desk immediately and record the time. The supervisor brings cover from the reserve.
What goes in a shift handover record?
The time, who handed over and who took over, each checklist item one by one, every exception with who was told, and confirmation from both guards.
Sources
Every legal or pay point in this guide was checked against the official sources below.
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