Victoria's state coroner has recommended an overhaul of security guard training following an inquest into a man's death outside a Melbourne nightclub.
Judge Jennifer Coate said security guards should be given probationary licences before becoming fully qualified, so they can learn on the job from more experienced crowd controllers.
She also recommended drug and alcohol testing for guards involved in violent incidents with patrons that result in injury or death and are investigated by police.
Her findings followed the inquest into the death of Jerry Karamesinis, 30, who died after he was punched or pushed to the ground by a bouncer outside the 21st Century nightclub in Frankston on May 12, 2007.
Judge Coate said crowd controllers were often required to work in volatile environments around licensed premises, dealing with alcohol and drug-fuelled behaviour.
"It is a reasonable expectation of the community that such people will be given the basic skills, training and supervision to perform their role," she said.
Judge Coate cited statistics compiled by the Coroner's Prevention Unit which found that between 2000 and 2010 there were 35 deaths in and around licensed premises in Victoria.
All of those who died were males, most aged between 18 to 34, and the perpetrators were also men, she said.
Three of the deaths were linked to security guards.
Sixty-two per cent of the deaths occurred immediately outside the licensed venue and in 57 per cent of cases the victim and assailant were not known to each other.
Mr Karamesinis and his friends had been refused entry to 21st Century after becoming involved in a fight outside a nearby venue, Daveys, where Mr Karamesinis had been banned for life.
Judge Coate said that Mr Vong alleged Mr Karamesinis had threatened to stab him, saying "I'm going to stick you", before he punched or pushed him.
Mr Karamesinis died from head injuries in The Alfred hospital the following day.
No charges were laid against Mr Vong at the time because the Director of Public Prosecutions was not confident of getting a conviction, Judge Coate said.
Mr Karamesinis's widow, Mirella Giordano, said she hoped the new DPP would consider pressing charges.
"This has been a really traumatic and sad time for me," Ms Giordano said outside the court in Melbourne.
"Jerry's death was a tragedy, and so I welcome the recommendations made by the coroner to ensure that this doesn't happen again to anyone else."
Her lawyer, John Cain of Maurice Blackburn, confirmed an application would be made to the DPP to review the case and consider pressing charges.
He said the family was also suing the nightclub and crowd control company in a continuing civil action.
Mr Cain urged the authorities to act on the coroner's recommendations.
"It's time that the regulatory regime is improved so as to avoid harm occurring to people who are just ... having a night out," he said.
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