There's an English word I don't know

[PlatinumSkink]

The things preventing you from falling off a bridge on either side. The fences of bridges or balconies. The construction preventing millions of deaths each year simply by preventing so many falls down lethal heights.

What are they called?

[stark]

Railings.

[Halo]

Sherlock Holmes said
Railings.

Ah, but what type of rail? Wikipedia has once again astounded me by informing me that there are different classifications of railings - guardrails and handrails.

[PlatinumSkink]

That was the word I was looking for. Thank you very much.

[stark]

Halo said
Ah, but what type of rail? Wikipedia has once again astounded me by informing me that there are different classifications of railings - guardrails and handrails.

It's both and neither. The word 'railing' is used on its own here, but you could really apply either of those terms if you wanted to. (It's a handrail that will assist someone in climbing up and over the bridge. It's a guardrail to keep people from falling off the bridge.)

[Prentice Hall]

In that instance it'd be both a guardrail AND a handrail right? At least that's what I think, since it's both their to help you support your weight on it when the bridge is slippery, and to stop little kids from going off the side into the drink.

E: What language do you speak?

[Dervish]

I believe the proper term is Killjoy Firewood.