How to Onboard SIA Door Supervisors at a Licensed Venue
Step-by-step guide to onboarding door supervisors at a licensed venue: SIA verification, body cam policy, briefing, and shift records.
Onboarding door supervisors well protects the venue's premises licence and the staff themselves. Whether the door supervisor is permanent contracted staff or casual hired for one shift, the same checks apply: SIA verification, body cam policy acknowledgement, venue-specific briefing, and shift recording. A 10-minute onboarding routine done right is much cheaper than a licensing review against the venue.
6 steps to complete
Verify the SIA Door Supervisor licence
Inspect the physical badge and verify against the SIA public register at services.sia.homeoffice.gov.uk/rlr. Confirm the licence type is Door Supervisor (not Security Guard) and the expiry date is in the future. Record the licence number and expiry.
Capture supplementary credentials
Where applicable: body cam ID number, ACS provider details (if engaged through a security firm), public liability insurance certificate (if self-employed), first aid qualification, conflict management training. Store with the door supervisor profile.
Issue the body cam policy
If the venue uses body-worn video, the door supervisor must read and acknowledge the BWV policy before their first shift. The policy covers when recording starts, retention, subject access, and storage. Capture digital acknowledgement.
Brief on the operating schedule
Walk through the venue's operating schedule conditions: capacity, Challenge 25, drug and search policies, dispersal, incident logging, and CCTV. The door supervisor needs to know what they are accountable for delivering.
Run a venue-specific briefing
Cover the layout (fire exits, queueing, smoking area, manager office), tonight's manager and DPS, radio channels and call signs, key contacts (police licensing, ambulance, taxi rank), and any specific instructions for the night (high-risk groups, recent incidents, capacity concerns).
Log the shift start
Record the door supervisor's shift start time, badge details, any equipment issued (radio, body cam, jackets). At the end of the shift, log the end time and any incidents recorded.
Tips for success
Common mistakes to avoid
Frequently asked questions
How quickly can a casual door supervisor be onboarded?
With a self-fill link and a 5-minute pre-shift briefing, 15 to 20 minutes total. Pre-fill happens before the shift; verification and briefing happen at the venue.
Do I need to onboard an ACS-provider's staff?
Yes. ACS approval validates the firm's management; verification of the individual licence and venue-specific briefing are still the operator's responsibility.
What if a door supervisor refuses to acknowledge the body cam policy?
They cannot lawfully use a body cam at the venue. Either deploy them without a body cam (where venue policy permits) or do not engage them.
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