Traffic Guard
Encyclopedia
A traffic guard, "traffic controller", "flagman", or "flagger" is a person who directs traffic through a construction site or other temporary traffic control zone past an area using signs or flags. They are responsible for maintaining the safety and efficiency of traffic, as well as the safety of road workers, while allowing construction, accident recovery or other tasks to proceed. Traffic guard are commonly used to control traffic when two way roads are reduced to one lane, and traffic must alternate in direction. Their duties are to direct traffic to safer areas where construction, accidents, and severe traffic are taking placed. In addition they have to moderate the traffic density to not cause traffic jams. They guide motorists to follow the traffic laws; but may not be able to enforce the law. Most traffic guards are seen as construction worker
s; but in some nations, they dress or perform as security guard
s and police officer
s.
Traffic guards are employed on highways and expressways. They are trained to set up warning signs and barricades to slow down the speed of traffic in a temporary traffic control zone. Some areas have full-time traffic guard teams for responding to incidents that could risk the safety to motorists. When they are on scene they will set up equipment to warn approaching traffic about the incident.
Intersections
If construction or maintenance is occurring in an intersection and a law enforcement officer is not used to direct traffic, a traffic guard would control the intersection instead of the traffic light
or signs.
Road construction
Traffic guards who are directing traffic during road construction would maybe block a lane on the road and direct the motorists to merge with another lane. If the road is two lanes and traffic flow moves both ways then one lane will be closed and the traffic guards will direct the traffic to take turns in crossing this area. They would stop one way of traffic for a time till some traffic from other way could pass and then they switch turns.
Crossings
Traffic guards who are stationed at a crossing with no signal or placed for extra safety at a junction. They stop pedestrians and vehicles from crossing a junction where another thing has the right of way to cross.
Parking and gate guard
These traffic guards are waiting for motorists to leave and enter a complex. They also help pedestrians cross or stop them in front of the complex's entrance. They act as second pair of eyes to keep motorists and pedestrians safe. They may direct street traffic to stop for exiting motorists from the complex and they may not allow in doing that.
Construction worker
A construction worker or builder is a professional, tradesman, or labourer who directly participates in the physical construction of infrastructure.-Construction trades:...
s; but in some nations, they dress or perform as security guard
Security guard
A security guard is a person who is paid to protect property, assets, or people. Security guards are usually privately and formally employed personnel...
s and police officer
Police officer
A police officer is a warranted employee of a police force...
s.
Duties and careers
Highway and expressway safetyTraffic guards are employed on highways and expressways. They are trained to set up warning signs and barricades to slow down the speed of traffic in a temporary traffic control zone. Some areas have full-time traffic guard teams for responding to incidents that could risk the safety to motorists. When they are on scene they will set up equipment to warn approaching traffic about the incident.
Intersections
If construction or maintenance is occurring in an intersection and a law enforcement officer is not used to direct traffic, a traffic guard would control the intersection instead of the traffic light
Traffic light
Traffic lights, which may also be known as stoplights, traffic lamps, traffic signals, signal lights, robots or semaphore, are signalling devices positioned at road intersections, pedestrian crossings and other locations to control competing flows of traffic...
or signs.
Road construction
Traffic guards who are directing traffic during road construction would maybe block a lane on the road and direct the motorists to merge with another lane. If the road is two lanes and traffic flow moves both ways then one lane will be closed and the traffic guards will direct the traffic to take turns in crossing this area. They would stop one way of traffic for a time till some traffic from other way could pass and then they switch turns.
Crossings
Parking and gate guard
These traffic guards are waiting for motorists to leave and enter a complex. They also help pedestrians cross or stop them in front of the complex's entrance. They act as second pair of eyes to keep motorists and pedestrians safe. They may direct street traffic to stop for exiting motorists from the complex and they may not allow in doing that.
Equipment
- Signal flags; a small or large flag in colors such as white, red, and orange.
- Signal hand sign; called stop/slow paddles in the United States, these are a sign that has 'stop' on one side and 'slow' or 'go' on the other side.
- Signal baton (or marshalling wand); a baton that lights up or reflects light.
- Traffic vest; a brightly colored vest that is made to reflect headlights light or has built in LED lights.
- Helmet (or a hard hat); protecting the head from hazards.
- Signal flares; flares for night or bad weather.
- Traffic cones and warning signs; a warning and barrier used to slow down traffic and alert drivers.
See also
- Crossing guardCrossing guardA crossing guard , a school crossing patrol officer , school crossing supervisor or school road patrol is a traffic management specialist who is normally stationed on busy roadways to aid pedestrians...
- Level crossingLevel crossingA level crossing occurs where a railway line is intersected by a road or path onone level, without recourse to a bridge or tunnel. It is a type of at-grade intersection. The term also applies when a light rail line with separate right-of-way or reserved track crosses a road in the same fashion...
- Road traffic control
- Road traffic safety
- RoadworksRoadworksRoadworks occur when part of the road, or in rare cases, the entire road, has to be occupied for work relating to the road, most often in the case of road surface repairs...
- Security guardSecurity guardA security guard is a person who is paid to protect property, assets, or people. Security guards are usually privately and formally employed personnel...
- Traffic officerTraffic officerA traffic officer is a person with powers relating to the regulation of traffic on certain roads in England and Wales. In England, they are employed by the Highways Agency and in Wales by the Welsh Assembly Government and are not police officers or members of police forces.*Highways Agency Traffic...