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Hand & Guardrails are to be constructed to resist a single
concentrated load of 200 pounds applied in any direction at any
point along the top.
Guardrails
Required guardrails on open sides of stairways, raised floor
areas, balconies and porches more than 30 inches above the
floor shall have intermediate rails or ornamental closures not
less than 36 inches in height which do not allow passage of an
object 4 inches or more in diameter. Exception: the triangular
openings formed by the riser, tread and bottom rail of a guard
at the open side of a stairway, may be of such a size that a
sphere 6 inches cannot pass.
Handrails
Of particular interest to municipalities, as a large percentage of
domestic accidents occur in or around stairways, are
handrails. A handrail is required whenever there are more
than 3 risers. It is only required on one side and must be
between 34" and 38" measured from the "nose" of the stair. At
the top and bottom, it must "finish" into a wall or into a post - it
cannot have an "open" end that could potentially catch clothing
and as such pose a trip hazard for the occupant. Handrails
projecting from a wall shall have a space of not less than 1-1/2”
inches between the wall and the handrail.
Handrails shall have either a circular cross section with a
diameter of 1-1/4 to 2 inches, or a non-circular cross section
with a perimeter dimension of at least 4 inches but not more
than 6-1/4 inches and a largest cross section dimension not
exceeding 2-3/4 inches. Edges shall have a minimum radius of
1/8 inch.
The following links are quite useful:
Hand & Guardrail - Gwinnett County Planning Dept
Handrail & guardrail standards - Douglas County Building Dept
concentrated load of 200 pounds applied in any direction at any
point along the top.
Guardrails
Required guardrails on open sides of stairways, raised floor
areas, balconies and porches more than 30 inches above the
floor shall have intermediate rails or ornamental closures not
less than 36 inches in height which do not allow passage of an
object 4 inches or more in diameter. Exception: the triangular
openings formed by the riser, tread and bottom rail of a guard
at the open side of a stairway, may be of such a size that a
sphere 6 inches cannot pass.
Handrails
Of particular interest to municipalities, as a large percentage of
domestic accidents occur in or around stairways, are
handrails. A handrail is required whenever there are more
than 3 risers. It is only required on one side and must be
between 34" and 38" measured from the "nose" of the stair. At
the top and bottom, it must "finish" into a wall or into a post - it
cannot have an "open" end that could potentially catch clothing
and as such pose a trip hazard for the occupant. Handrails
projecting from a wall shall have a space of not less than 1-1/2”
inches between the wall and the handrail.
Handrails shall have either a circular cross section with a
diameter of 1-1/4 to 2 inches, or a non-circular cross section
with a perimeter dimension of at least 4 inches but not more
than 6-1/4 inches and a largest cross section dimension not
exceeding 2-3/4 inches. Edges shall have a minimum radius of
1/8 inch.
The following links are quite useful:
Hand & Guardrail - Gwinnett County Planning Dept
Handrail & guardrail standards - Douglas County Building Dept
