Constructions sites are full of hazards for both workers and unauthorized personnel who might inadvertently enter. In order to protect workers and prevent accidental injuries or fatalities, construction sites utilize a variety of guards and barriers. Such measures include guardrails and handholds, load-bearing covers, saw horses, tape, toe boards and cones. Supervisors post signs on or next to the guard features to warn of danger, as well. Areas with stairways, manholes, platforms, machinery, floor openings, wall openings and chutes are usually protected with either a guard or barrier.
Machines make heavy use of guards to help protect operators and those nearby from hazards while the machine is in operation. The four types of guards used on machines are fixed, self-adjusting, adjustable and interlocking.
A fixed guard is part of the machine and does not depend on the moving parts of the machine to function. It is permanent and for this reason is preferable to other methods. Self-adjusting guards lift up when the machine is in operation and move away when it is idle. These guards vary in degree of protection depending on design and materials. Adjustable guards are manually adjusted to allow completion of tasks, incorporating a degree of flexibility in their design. Interlocking guards are designed to shut off the machine if the guard comes off or is removed. A machine with an interlocking guard system will not restart until the guard is properly replaced.
Whether at airports, buildings, or police and military installations, security and force protection are crucial to protecting lives and deflecting attacks. In most cases, a physical barrier system is utilized to ward off intruders. These include concrete barriers, concertina wire, trenches, razor ribbon, and even professional guard forces. Other types of barriers include laser systems that sound an alarm when breached. Such barriers, known as security systems, are used both in commercial applications and in private homes.
Safety on the highways is crucial, helping to save lives and to protect critical infrastructure. Highways utilize guardrail systems and crash cushions to help protect structures and vehicle occupants against hazards from mailboxes, bridges, trees, cliffs, drop-offs, storage facilities, drainage systems and signposts. Guardrails work to redirect a vehicle away from the hazard without causing serious injury. Crash cushions are used in high traffic areas or in locations where guardrails are not an effective option.