Final answer:
Mechanical guards for initiating devices are designed to reduce accidental activation, serving as protective barriers for various control buttons or switches.
Step-by-step explanation:
Mechanical guards for initiating devices have a tendency to reduce accidental activation. These guards are physical barriers designed to protect devices such as push buttons, pull stations, or switches that initiate actions or sequences in machinery. The purpose is to prevent inadvertent engagement that could lead to unexpected operations, machinery startup, or emergency alarm triggering. For example, a mechanical guard on a fire alarm pull station prevents it from being accidentally pulled, which would activate the fire alarm system unnecessarily.