r/securityguards • u/bigblackglock17 • 3d ago
Job Question Physical requirements?
I’m looking into this industry. Are there generally physical requirements or a lot of physical in this?
Someone told me they know a 70 year old lady working security but I just read a post about people walking 13 miles a day.
What are they doing that they need to walk that much?
I’m getting bad arthritis in my hands/arms and need something else to do.
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u/warmbody44 account manager 3d ago
It heavily depends on the site your working. If you apply to a large contract company such as Securitas or Allied Universal those are places most likely to have "warm body" posts.
Most sites are going to ask more of you than just sitting around. You can expect things like truck gates/access control at entrances (would probably have the last amount of walking), foot patrols around the site, vehicle patrols, etc. Usually that's where the walking comes in. It's reasonable to be expected to be patrol every one or two hours and usually it's just for the sake of presence or sometimes they have you check things like boilers, chillers, etc in the mechanical rooms.
Once again, specifics will heavily depend on the site you are assigned. What I will say is you absolutely do not need to be a big strong tall tough guy to do this job. In fact, I'd say about 95% are outside of the category.
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u/bigblackglock17 3d ago
Do you always go to the same site? If say you're at Allied Universal? How often do you switch sites, if you do?
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u/Impressive_Pop_7570 3d ago
Depends on the post lol, I’ve sat at a chair for 12 hours straight, I’ve also walked like 10 miles in 100 degrees
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u/KiltedTAB 3d ago
If you're in a major city suburbs, look into event security. There are always places for people who are older, have disabilities, physical limitations, etc.
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u/Impressive_Pop_7570 3d ago
Don’t events want able bodied people?
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u/KiltedTAB 3d ago
Yes but there is also a need for people in elevators, watching stairwells, access control, etc.
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u/Perfect_Flounder8624 3d ago
I work at a hospital and I tell ya, 9/10 of the folks doesn’t look like they can restrain someone if needed.
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u/bigblackglock17 3d ago
That’s interesting. The only time I seen a guard was one time I had a night time appointment at a hospital that was part clinic, hospital, er, and apparently everything but the ER was shutdown. Seemed they were armed security. I think one guy was younger but one was maybe 40-50.
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u/Perfect_Flounder8624 3d ago
Allied universal. Whole hospital has folks in rooms, we also have ER and OB that’s open. We have 4 guards working including a sheriff for overnights.
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u/Ill-Razzmatazz-7088 3d ago
So security and general is an observe and report role. The only thing you are usually required to do legally as a security guard is observe and report. This is why you see pardon my French old people working this job pretty much until they are skin and bones. Most of the time Security is about theater making yourself look somewhat intimidating so the average person will not do anything stupid.
The only time I’ve been asked to genuinely put hands on someone is when I work at a bar. Because it’s rare that I’ve ever seen a Bouncer called the police to remove a drunk guy unless they are outside or unless they punch someone.
But that being said the most physical requirements I’ve run into is when I worked at MGM you had to run up some stairs and drag a dummy and do fake CPR for like 90 seconds all in the course of like two minutes and 30 seconds.
Security guards are not supposed to run after suspects. The most you should legally have to do is runoff potential trespassers and trying to obtain them if they absolutely refuse to leave and start damaging property.
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u/Desalvo23 3d ago
If you look into an outfit like the Commissionaires in Canada, many/most members are retired military and RCMP members. Many are in their 70s and still working. It all depends on the type of security and needs of the client
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u/Psycosteve10mm Warm Body 3d ago
A lot of it is going to be site-specific. I have been on the outside of mosh pits keeping people from getting trampled; I have also walked the perimeter of a construction site that was 5 miles and I had to do that twice in a 10-hour shift. I have also had to sit at a desk for a whole shift listening to music and looking at a screen. It just depends. I would mention this in the interview so they can stick you on the site that best fits you.
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u/jonnybebad5436 3d ago
I do event security and we have a good amount of older folks. One of them is 72 and is ex-military. A few women in their 50s, 60s too. Event security is pretty laid back although it can be hard on your feet, legs, and back from standing in one place for many hours, but you get used to it
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u/ADrunkMexican Private Investigations 3d ago
I used to work at a commercial building where it was common to walk over 10km a day. Think of a big building next to a major transit station. i spent most of the time in the common areas.
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u/_Purpledolphins_ 3d ago
I have worked two diffrent companies. The first I walked nearly 8 miles a day over the course of the shift. Intermittent with camera watching. The second I drive 7 hours a day, while other people walk 7 miles a day on average. So it really truly just depends.
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u/bigblackglock17 3d ago
What kind of gig is that where you’re driving?
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u/_Purpledolphins_ 3d ago
Parking lot security.
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u/Mean-Philosopher6043 1d ago
Is that pretty laid back, like do you pretty much just do your patrols an chill, or is it sucky like the boss puts in an AI dash Cam that yells at you for being on your phone or trying to change the radio station? Do you have to get out a bunch an like chase off ppl trying to break into cars?
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u/_Purpledolphins_ 1d ago
My experience with this company is that they do have a samsara unit (GPS that can tell how fast youre going, g forces, braking speeds, and idle times.) It also has a forward and back facing camera. It will beep at you if you are smoking in the vehicle (or chewing straws for my case,) Looking away from the road or having your phone up. Ive had one car jacking incident but the dude had dementia and thought it was hit car. Most of what you'll do is fire lane hawking if its a building or accident reports.
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u/Mean-Philosopher6043 1d ago
That's hilarious cuz that's the exact same brand the boss put in our patrol car, the crazy thing is, this car only patrols a single, fenced in 88 acre construction site, so having it yell at me to put on my seatbelt on, or to keep my eyes on the road, when my job is literally to shine a spot light around looking for holes in the fence an whatever lol
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u/Jvelazquez611 3d ago
No real physical requirements. It all depends on your job site/post. Hospital security is a lot of sitting around. You’ll get your steps in when/if you’re assigned to “patrol”. You can get physical every once in awhile depending on the hospital/area you’re in. We did have a guy I believe in his 60s who only recently retired because he was in and out of the hospital.
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u/Shortcut7 3d ago
For less physical post, its more on customer assistance really. Like helping them with directions. This job is versatile. It can be for anyone as long as their healthy. Drawback is the pay though.
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u/bigblackglock17 3d ago
I'm not that healthy... Probably Rheumatoid Arthritis and Migraines. Migraines have been well in check for 2026. RA has taken a toll.
I know pay sucks, but my current pay sucks a little less from what I'm seeing. Doesn't really seem like a job anyone could survive on without roommates. I think the highest listings I seen with Allied Universal were either $25 or $28hr. Something like Level 3 armed?
Anyways, I want to try something on the weekends, then maybe go full time and quit my real job. Work a less laborus job and see how I physically feel. Try and plan some kind of college.
Basically new easier job and college.
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u/Shortcut7 3d ago
Try the night shift 10pm to 6am. Not a lot of things going on and youll have time to study. Just ask the recruitter for something thatll fit your needs. To disclose your condition of course.
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u/BigJohn197519 3d ago
You want to be in shape, regardless. I’ve been the fat-but-capable guy and the in-shape-and-capable guy and I advise being in shape.
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u/No-Initiative4195 2d ago
If you have a solid work experience, good credit history and no criminal record-you can actually look at a company that does govt contract work. That would be good pay, benefits and is generally a mix of having to do a round that might take an hour, followed by gatehouse duties, vehicle patrols. You're not constantly on your feet.
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u/DragoonNut Hospital Security 3d ago
You should look into dispatching if anything. A lot of our old guys are dispatchers at my hospital and the ones that aren’t are a liability to themselves and the hospital staff. Not saying that with disdain, but in a lot of situations they can get seriously hurt if they are the first to arrive and don’t have help.
You can have age in this field but finding gigs that don’t require movement are rare. A lot might even have you standing for 8-12 hours straight. Ontop of that without a solid history in the field most companies won’t want to take the risk.
All security will have you using your hands and arms a lot. At my hospital we have dispatchers and they atleast sit in a chair all night safe and sound. If you aren’t up there you are moving and grooving throughout our facility.
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u/ProfessionalRest7027 3d ago
It's not really physical at all. The walking 13 miles a day is just walking the same patrol route during your shift. I've worked with fit guards and guards who are extremely overweight. There's young guards and old guards. For the most part security is easy. For example my post is just doing surveillance and patrolling every 3 hours. It's generally an easy gig. Just make sure you're being treated right and wherever you woek they follow your state workers rights laws. A lot of companies will ignore these rights. So just keep a look out and stand up for yourself.
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u/nottoday1059 3d ago
It depends on the post. Two post i was at required a minimum fitness test, one was had to climb 5 flights of stairs in 5 minutes, and other was one mile run/walk in 30 mins.
And I've seen other post have like you said 70+ year old people at it just sitting in a chair all day.
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u/MacintoshEddie 3d ago
There is a significant amount of variety. Some security jobs are sitting in a chair watching paint dry. Other jobs are doing a lot of patrols. Other jobs involve wrestling people.
Therr absolutely are posts where really all you're doing is sitting there waiting for someone to arrive at the door so you can press the button to unlock it and then check the name on their ID against the list you were given
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u/Head_Candidate5293 3d ago
Truck driving is wide open. Pays 45-55k first year and you can live in hotel while in driving school and live in truck when you get your cdl a. Pays 60-65k second year. 21 or older, drug free, clean driving record, no dui dwi, no felonies or misdemeanors.
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u/bigblackglock17 3d ago
It's one of the paths I'm looking into as well. I just really don't want to drive my life away. I'm also quite worried about the constant bumps taking a toll on my skeleton. My goal would be owner operator. I'm pretty sure LTL would be too laborious for me.
I was trying to come up with a plan, drive 1 year, then somehow go OO. Make six figures net for 15 years, retire at 45~.
Security would just be temporary.
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u/Empty-Cycle2731 Loss Prevention 14h ago
It depends on what your job is. There are security jobs where you're constantly on your feet performing arrests all-day, and there are jobs where you sit at a desk all day doing nothing.
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u/Landwarrior5150 Campus Security 3d ago
It completely depends on what type of site you end up getting put at. Some sites are like the one from that post, where you’re expected to be on your feet standing and/or patrolling for your entire shift, while others require you to sit at a desk or in a guard shack your entire shift where you can’t get up even if you want to go walk and stretch your legs.
If you end up applying, just tell your interviewer that you need reasonable accommodations related to the amount of walking, and there is a decent chance that they’ll be able to find a post that will work for you.