During a late-night access control duty at a corporate office building, a security guard encounters an individual attempting to enter who presents an expired access card and claims to be a new employee whose permanent card has not yet arrived. The individual is not on the pre-approved visitor log but provides a business card with a company title matching a known department. What is the MOST defensible action for the security guard to take, balancing security and customer service, in accordance with standard Canadian security protocols?

Question: During a late-night access control duty at a corporate office building, a security guard encounters an individual attempting to enter who presents an expired access card and claims to be a new employee whose permanent card has not yet arrived. The individual is not on the pre-approved visitor log but provides a business card with a company title matching a known department. What is the MOST defensible action for the security guard to take, balancing security and customer service, in accordance with standard Canadian security protocols?

Answer options:

• Allow the individual entry, noting their name and business card details for follow-up by management.
• Refuse entry and advise the individual to return during business hours to resolve the access issue with HR. ✅ Contact the stated department or an on-call supervisor to verify identity and authorization before granting any access.
• Escort the individual to a designated waiting area until a verifiable company representative can confirm their identity and purpose.

Correct answer: Contact the stated department or an on-call supervisor to verify identity and authorization before granting any access.

Explanation: The most defensible action is to verify the individual's identity and authorization through established channels before granting any access. Granting access based solely on an expired card and a verbal claim, or refusing entry without attempting verification, would violate security protocols or customer service expectations, respectively. Escorting to a waiting area without attempting verification doesn't solve the core access issue and may still pose a security risk.