Guardrails, pedestrian barriers and walkways: keeping people and vehicles apart at work
How to map crossings, choose the right barrier and keep walkways clear and working
Safety Behind the Wheel Foundation built this guide from Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) rules and guidance, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) data, Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) guardrail guidance and published research on workplace vehicle injuries. Every source is listed at the end.
Why separating people from vehicles matters
Many serious injuries happen away from the open road. They happen in a loading yard, a warehouse aisle, a campus lot or a private drive. A person on foot can step into the path of a heavy vehicle that moves slowly and has poor sight lines.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) counted 369 worker deaths from pedestrian incidents involving motorized land vehicles in 2024. That was up 19.0 percent from 310 in 2023 [1]. BLS also splits the 2024 total by place: 61 in road work zones, 148 on roadways and 158 in what it labels nonroadway areas [2].
Studies inside plants point the same way. Researchers studied eight auto plants from 1992 to 1995 and found 171 collisions involving forklifts and similar powered trucks. In 86 of them, a worker on foot was hit by the vehicle or by its load [3]. A second study, published in 1999, looked at 916 incidents in 54 plants. The most common type, at 35 percent, was a person struck by the vehicle, its load or a rack it hit [4]. Of the 913 nonfatal injuries, 41 percent led to missed work [4].
A newer review of OSHA severe injury reports from the food supply chain, 2015 to 2020, found 1,084 severe injuries and 47 deaths [5]. The most frequent event type was transportation related, such as a pedestrian vehicle incident [5].
Warehouses, campuses, apartment communities and shopping centers all mix walkers with moving vehicles. Start with one question. Where can a person and a vehicle be in the same place at the same time? Each answer is a risk to remove, move or guard.
Start with the layout, then add hardware
The best barrier is a layout that never puts people in a vehicle’s path. Barriers are the second step. The first step is to map how vehicles and walkers move.
OSHA calls this map and its rules an internal traffic control plan. The plan sets routes so that vehicles and workers on foot seldom meet, or never do [6].
Here is a simple review you can run in an afternoon:
- Draw the site. Mark every door, dock, aisle, parking row, crossing and blind corner.
- Trace where vehicles travel. Then trace where people walk. Circle every point where the two lines cross.
- Remove crossings you can. Move an entrance, make a lane one way, reroute deliveries or shift parking.
- Protect the crossings you cannot remove with a walkway, a barrier, a marked crossing and clear signs.
- Repeat the review after any near miss, layout change or new type of vehicle.
OSHA’s forklift guidance puts walkways and fixed protective barriers first. It treats floor striping as the fallback when a barrier will not fit [7]. Safety Behind the Wheel Foundation gives employers the same advice.
Spotters (people who guide a driver who cannot see) and tools such as cameras or proximity detectors can add a layer of protection [6]. They work best on top of good separation, not in place of it.
Three jobs, three kinds of barrier
A pedestrian barrier is a rail, fence or guide rail. It shows people where to walk and keeps them from drifting into a vehicle lane. Most are not built to stop a moving truck.
A vehicle barrier is a stronger system built to redirect or stop a moving vehicle. Highway guardrail is the best known example. The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) describes a guardrail as a barrier meant to protect a driver who leaves the road [8]. It can turn a vehicle back toward the road, slow it to a stop or, in some cases, slow it and let it pass behind [8]. The ends matter too. End terminals are built to absorb energy when a vehicle hits them head on [8].
Engineered bollards (short, strong posts) and wheel stops do related jobs. They have their own guides in this series.
Comparison compiled by Safety Behind the Wheel Foundation
Matching barrier hardware to the job
| The job | Typical hardware | Watch for |
|---|---|---|
| Show people where to walk | Pedestrian rail, fence or guide rail | Not built to stop a moving truck |
| Keep vehicles out of a protected zone | Vehicle rated barrier or guardrail | The rating must match the vehicle and speed [8] |
| Mark a path where no barrier fits | Floor striping and signs | Paint does not stop a vehicle and it wears away [7] |
| Guard a dock edge, ramp or drop | Edge marking, fixed rail or guardrail | Keep people out of the fall and swing zone |
Matching barrier strength to the vehicle and the layout
A barrier is only as good as the match between its test and your site. Ask what was tested, and then ask whether that test looks like your yard.
Road hardware gives a useful model. Crash testing is how engineers judge whether a barrier works as intended [9]. The American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials publishes the Manual for Assessing Safety Hardware, known as MASH. It gives common rules for how to crash test highway safety devices [10]. Guardrail is tested at controlled speeds. FHWA warns that if a vehicle hits it at a higher speed, it may not work as intended [8].
Barriers made for private sites may follow other test methods, so ask which one the maker used. Then work through these site questions.
- What vehicle? Think about weight when loaded, not empty. A loaded forklift, a delivery van and a pickup truck are very different threats.
- How fast? Impact energy rises with the square of speed. Doubling speed means four times the energy.
- What angle? A long straight aisle that ends at a walkway invites a head on hit. A glancing hit at a curve is different. Ask which angle the test used.
- What is behind it? People, racks, a building wall or a drop all change the answer. Some systems flex when hit, so keep that space clear.
- Who is nearby? One study of plant injuries urged restricting forklift use where many pedestrians travel [4].
A rated barrier is normally tested with a specific mounting. Anchors, floor thickness and post spacing all count. Follow the maker’s instructions exactly. A cheaper substitute part may no longer match the rating.
Building walkways people will actually use
A segregated walkway is a path kept apart from vehicle routes. People use it only if it is the easiest way to get where they are going. Place it along the natural path, then protect that path.
If people must use equipment aisles, OSHA’s guidance calls for adequate walking space on at least one side [7].
Keep these design points in mind.
- Few, clear crossings. Put crossings where drivers can see walkers early and walkers can see traffic.
- Open sight lines. A solid barrier at a corner can hide a person. Use see through rails near blind turns.
- Keep it clear. In the plant study, an obstruction that narrowed an aisle raised the odds of a collision by 1.89 times [3]. Stock, carts and snow all count.
- Mirrors at blind corners. Overhead mirrors at intersections with limited view cut the odds of a collision by about a third in the same study [3].
- Space for everyone. Make the walkway wide enough for two people to pass and for a wheelchair or walker. Check accessibility rules for your site.
Two federal workplace rules apply in many warehouses. One rule covers aisles. Where mechanical handling equipment is used, aisles and passageways need enough clearance, must stay free of hazardous obstructions and, if permanent, must be marked [11]. The other covers forklift travel. Drivers must slow down and use the horn at cross aisles and in other spots with a blocked view [12]. If a load blocks the forward view, the driver must travel with the load trailing [12].
Loading docks, yards and parking areas
Warehouses and loading docks
OSHA warns that forklift falls from a dock can be deadly. It advises drivers to keep well back from the edge and watch for tail swing [13]. It also suggests painting dock edges so they are easier to see [13].
Keep walkways away from trailer doors and turning paths. Where a dock edge or ramp is exposed, add a fixed rail or guardrail suited to the vehicle that uses it.
Yards and drop offs
In large yards, put guardrail where a vehicle that leaves its route could fall, roll or reach people. Ramps, retaining walls, steep grades and water edges are common spots. Keep the walk from employee parking to the building away from truck lanes.
Parking lots, campuses and homeowner associations
Separate walkways from the main drive aisle. Protect building entrances, bus stops and play areas. Place crossings where drivers expect them. Backing accidents are a separate risk, covered in our guide to parking lot, driveway and backing safety.
Who chooses, buys and installs
On private property, the owner, employer or property manager makes the choices. An HOA board does so for common areas. A qualified safety professional or engineer can run the review, size the barrier and write the installation plan.
Typical buying channels are industrial safety suppliers, traffic safety suppliers and qualified property contractors.
Federal rules set a floor. Some states run their own OSHA approved programs, and these may have different or more stringent requirements [14]. Check with your state program before you finalize a plan.
Local rules matter too. A barrier must never block an emergency exit or an accessible route. Ask your fire marshal or building official before you install one. Locate underground utilities before drilling anchors.
Public streets are different. The road agency selects, designs, installs and maintains traffic control devices there. Road managers follow the federal Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD). It covers streets, highways, walking and biking facilities, and private site roads that are open to public travel [15]. If your concern is on a public street or sidewalk, ask your city, county or state traffic engineer for a review. Never install a barrier or sign there yourself.
Keeping barriers and walkways working
Barriers fail quietly. A bent rail, a loose anchor or a faded line looks minor until the day it matters.
A sensible schedule has three layers. Drivers glance at the area at the start of each shift. A supervisor does a monthly walk with a checklist. A qualified person reviews every barrier after any hit. Treat a struck barrier as damaged until that person says otherwise. It may not protect as designed the next time.
Keep a simple log. Scrapes and paint transfer show where vehicles stray, and where the layout is wrong.
Mistakes that undo good separation
- Relying on paint alone where heavy vehicles run. OSHA treats striping as the fallback when a barrier cannot be used [7].
- Using a pedestrian rail where a vehicle barrier is needed. The two look alike but do different jobs.
- Counting on vests or training alone. High visibility clothing helps people be seen, but it does not stop a vehicle.
- Forgetting that vehicles change. A heavier forklift or bigger truck can outgrow an old rating.
What you can do in your role
Workers can stay on marked walkways, cross only at crossings and make eye contact with a driver before stepping out. Report bent or missing rails right away.
Property managers and HOA boards can walk the site at the busiest hour, when people and vehicles overlap most. Residents and parents can report a damaged or missing barrier to management in writing. For problems on a public street, contact the local traffic engineer.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a crash rated barrier, or is a pedestrian rail enough?
It depends on what could hit it. A rail can guide walkers where only slow, light carts pass. Where loaded forklifts or trucks travel, a pedestrian rail may not stop a vehicle. Ask a qualified professional to size the barrier, and ask what vehicle weight and speed its rating covers.
Is painted floor striping enough?
Paint shows people where to walk, but it does not stop a vehicle, and wheels wear it away. OSHA treats striping as the fallback when a barrier cannot be used [7]. In busy forklift areas, aim for a fixed barrier and keep the paint bright as a second layer.
How wide should a walkway be?
No single width fits every site. Make it wide enough for two people to pass, and for a wheelchair or walker. Busy exits need more room than a quiet side path. Check local accessibility and building rules, and ask a safety professional to review the layout.
Can I use highway style guardrail at my site?
Sometimes, but not by default. Guardrail is tested for road vehicles at set speeds [8]. A site may have heavier trucks, tighter turns or different speeds. A qualified engineer should confirm that the product, ends and mounting suit your conditions. Do not copy a highway design without that review.
Who decides about barriers near a public street?
For a public street or sidewalk, the road agency decides, using standards such as the MUTCD [15]. For a private lot, the owner or manager decides. If you are unsure which applies, ask your city or county public works office. Staff there can tell you who owns the road.
Do mirrors, cameras or spotters replace barriers?
No. They add layers. In one plant study, overhead mirrors at blind intersections cut the odds of a collision by about a third [3]. OSHA also describes spotters and detection technology as ways to add protection [6]. Use them together, and keep separation first.
The bottom line
Recommendation from Safety Behind the Wheel Foundation
Safety Behind the Wheel Foundation urges employers and property owners to separate people from vehicles first and to add the right barrier wherever paths still cross. Keeping people and vehicles apart is the surest way to prevent a struck by injury. Start by mapping where paths cross. Remove the crossings you can, and protect the rest with walkways and the right kind of barrier.
Match the barrier to the job. A rail guides walkers. A vehicle barrier has to handle the weight, speed and angle of the vehicles on your site. Keep walkways clear, inspect often, and replace what gets hit. Then review the plan whenever your vehicles or layout change.
Related articles
- Parking lot, driveway and backing safety: beat your blind zones
- Workplace motor vehicle safety program: a step by step employer guide
- Work crash and near miss investigation: a step by step employer guide
- Pedestrian safety for drivers: how to spot, yield to and protect walkers
- Speeding and speed management: why a few mph matter so much
Sources and further reading
- 1U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries Summary, 2024. Published February 19, 2026. Data year: 2024. bls.gov/news.release/cfoi.nr0.htm
- 2U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Fatal occupational injuries by event (interactive chart, Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries). Page date not shown. Data year: 2024. bls.gov/…/fatal-occupational-injuries-by-event-d…
- 3Collins JW, Smith GS, Baker SP, Landsittel DP, Warner M. A case-control study of forklift and other powered industrial vehicle incidents. American Journal of Industrial Medicine, November 1999 (PubMed record). Data year: July 1992 to March 1995. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/10506734
- 4Collins JW, Smith GS, Baker SP, Warner M. Injuries related to forklifts and other powered industrial vehicles in automobile manufacturing. American Journal of Industrial Medicine, November 1999 (PubMed record). Data year: a three-year period before 1999 (exact years not stated in the abstract). pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/10506733
- 5Michael JH, Gorucu S. Severe injuries from product movement in the U.S. food supply chain. Journal of Safety Research, 2023 (PubMed record). Data year: 2015 to 2020. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37330873
- 6Occupational Safety and Health Administration. Preventing Backovers: Backing Safety Solutions. Page date not shown. osha.gov/preventing-backovers/solutions
- 7Occupational Safety and Health Administration. eTool: Powered Industrial Trucks (Forklift) – Understanding the Workplace – Pedestrian Traffic. Page date not shown. osha.gov/…/pedestrian-traffic
- 8Federal Highway Administration. Guardrail 101. Updated August 11, 2020. highways.dot.gov/…/guardrail-101
- 9Federal Highway Administration. Reduce Crash Severity. Updated March 12, 2025. highways.dot.gov/…/reduce-crash-severity
- 10Federal Highway Administration. AASHTO Guidance (Manual for Assessing Safety Hardware). Updated August 6, 2025. highways.dot.gov/…/aashto-guidance
- 11U.S. Code of Federal Regulations. 29 CFR 1910.176, Handling materials, general. Current as of October 1, 2026 (eCFR). ecfr.gov/…/section-1910.176
- 12U.S. Code of Federal Regulations. 29 CFR 1910.178, Powered industrial trucks. Current as of October 1, 2026 (eCFR). ecfr.gov/…/section-1910.178
- 13Occupational Safety and Health Administration. eTool: Powered Industrial Trucks (Forklift) – Understanding the Workplace – Loading Docks. Page date not shown. osha.gov/…/loading-docks
- 14Occupational Safety and Health Administration. Powered Industrial Trucks – Standards (State Plan standards note). Page date not shown. osha.gov/powered-industrial-trucks/standards
- 15Federal Highway Administration. Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD). Page date not shown. mutcd.fhwa.dot.gov
This article reflects the safety priorities of workplace pedestrian safety and keeping people on foot apart from moving vehicles. It is general education, not legal, insurance or engineering advice. Rules change, so verify details with official sources. For your own site, contact a qualified safety professional, your state OSHA program and your local building or fire official. For public streets, contact your city, county or state road agency. Reviewed October 2026.
Cite this article: Safety Behind the Wheel Foundation. “Guardrails, pedestrian barriers and walkways: keeping people and vehicles apart at work.” drivewithcare.org, https://drivewithcare.org/guardrails-pedestrian-barriers-segregated-walkways/. Reviewed October 2026.
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