What safety precaution is especially important for a ground-mounted antenna?

Ground-mounted antennas, such as verticals or loops placed near ground level, are easily accessible to people and pets. Because they are not elevated out of reach, they pose a significant RF exposure and burn hazard during active transmission. To ensure safety, you must ensure that people are kept at a safe distance, often by utilizing a physical barrier like a fence to keep everyone far enough away to avoid accidental contact or excessive RF field exposure. While burying radials or keeping locations dry might be good for antenna efficiency or general electrical safety, they do not address the primary, life-threatening hazard of a ground-mounted antenna: humans accidentally touching the radiating element.