Traffic Guards

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 place. In addition they have to moderate the traffic density to not cause traffic jams. They guide motorists to follow thetraffic laws; but may not be able to enforce the law. Most traffic guards are seen as construction workers; but in some nations, they dress or perform as security guards and police officers.

Duties and careers

Highway and expressway safety

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.

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.

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.