Q&A on codes & specifications for stair rails or stair guards:

This article explains and illustrates the requirements for a stair guard along the open side of steps and stairways. We explain the difference between a stair rail and a handrail and their different requirements, and we describe using the top member of a stair rail as a handrailing.

This article series provides building code specifications, sketches, photographs, and examples of stair & railing safety defects used in inspecting indoor or outdoor stair railings or handrails and related conditions for safety and proper construction.

Stair Rail / Stair Guardrail Specifications & Defects: requirements for stair guards or guard railings along steps, stairs & stairways

These questions & answers about the requirement for guards or guardarailings or balusters along the open side of stairways were posted originally at STAIR RAILS, STAIR GUARDS - you definitely want to read the specifications and codes given there.

At the stairs shown at left, we are missing both handrailings and stair rails.

On 2017-11-26 by (mod) - codes don't specify the way that you attach the post base to the stair.

John,

Building codes don't specify the way that you attach the post base to the stair.

Rather the model and adopted stair codes will specify the strength required, or the ability of the guardrail handrail Etc to withstand a certain Force such as 200 pounds lateral.

I agree with you that a few simple L brackets screwed with little screws into the bottom of a post and into the surface of a stair tread may not be sufficiently strong even though they may be fine for a demonstration model in a building supply store.

Certainly it is possible to secure the bottom of a post to the surface of a tread using sufficiently strong connectors.

It is, in my experience, however, a more difficult connection to make secure than a post which is through bolted to the side of the stair stringer or carried down into the ground to a pier or into a masonry surface.

On 2017-11-26 by John

Each side of my existing handrail for outdoor front steps was mounted on two posts at the top and bottom step, which were drilled into a hole drilled into the top and bottom steps.

At the Home Depot, I saw a handrail for outdoor steps where each post instead of going into the step, was attached by 4 screws at the base of the post.

Is screwing each post into a step compliant with NJ code or does each post have to be drilled a single hole which is then cemented?

On 2017-03-27 by (mod) - codes don't specify the way that you attach the post base to the stair.

Jim,

Ultimately wha't legal is determined by the local building inspector who inspected the stairway you described.

But in my OPINION I'd be much less concerned about what was permitted back in 1978 than about child safety.

If the stair guard is a child hazard I'd address that asap. You may need to remove some horizontal stair guard components to prevent kids from climbing the guard - vertical balusters may not be enough; or install a screening material that's not child-climbable.

On 2017-03-27 6 by Jim

Is is legal to install horizontal beams (spindles) rails in CA on an inside stair? Ours are currently so far apart (vertically) and are unsafe for kids. House built in 1978.

Question: is a 2x6 handrailing safe and legal?

I fell using a handrail. It was a 2 by 6 piece of wood. Was this safety railing up to code in 1991? - Anon 8/20/12

Will a 2 by 6 pass code prior to 1991 to use as a safety railing ? - Anon

Reply: What are the Specifications for a Graspable 2x Hand Railing Along a Stair?

Anon, a 2x6 handrailing placed "on flat" and even a 2x4 handrailing in the vertical position if it lacks a thumb-groove (sketch above from the CBC [37] - click to enlarge) is not readily graspable, is not safe, and does not comply with the hand railing maximum perimeter rules in model building codes.

See GRASPABILITY of HANDRAILINGS for details.

Question: do we need to have a stair guard for just 2 steps?

is it necessary to have a handrail for 2 steps in a hair Salon? Going up to the washing area is that in violation of the building codes? - justwaves777@gmail.com 5/24/12

Reply: 36-inch or 30-inch rule for step heights that require stair guards

Justwaves

The requirement for handrailings is not dependent on the type of business (Hair Salon in your example) - people can trip and fall down stairs regardless of what business or area the stairs serve.

And some stair codes such as CA/OSHA require railings based not on a specific height but on the number of stair treads (4 or more requiring a handrail).

The code requirements for stairs and rails are enforced locally, so you will want to see what your own local building department wants in your case. But as a general guide, some codes and municipalities will excuse a REQUIREMENT for railings on two or fewer riser stairs or on steps less than 3 feet (or a shorter height of 30" in some codes) above ground.

Our own OPINION is, particularly where one is operating a public business, to put secure handrailings on ANY stairway as anyone can trip and fall, even where just one step is present - a secure properly built and shaped and mounted railing can significantly reduce the risk of injury to someone who is tripping or falling by giving them an opportunity to grab on to something to either arrest the fall or reduce its severity.

Relying on "code compliance" is an understandable way to avoid having to think about a risk, but codes are explicitly described as a MINIMUM standard - and can be exceeded - something worth considering where safety risks are involved.

Question: What are acceptable methods for reducing the space between stair rail (stair guard) balusters that are too far apart

We have an apartment complex in Oregon, and the insurance company is requiring that we tighten up the metal posts on the railings.

The railings on the premises currently have vertical balusters that are more than 4 inches apart.

Baluster spacing of 4 inches increase the protection for small children sliding through. It is recommended to replaced the railing with vertical balusters that are no more than 4 inches apart to reduce the risk of small children falling. Is there an easy fix for this? - Tami 7/23/12

Reply: Suggestions for tightening up baluster spacing at a stair rail - Josh Waterman foot stuck in guardrailing

Tami:

We made this same repair recently on a circular stair that had vertical balusters that were too far apart by having our welder add additional balusters in between the existing ones so that the opening was less than 4" between baluster pairs. This was less costly than tearing out the whole rail and building a new one to exactly 4" on spec. Our new balusters varied a bit but were about 3.5" apart side to side or on center.

Watch out though: if you make the vertical balusters too close together, but far enough apart for a toddler to stick a foot through the space - say 2 1/2" they can become a foot trap. No child will fall through but s/he an get a foot stuck in the space by inserting it between the balusters, then turning it to one side.

The ensuing panic requires an adult to sort out and remove the foot - as happened with my Godson Joshua Waterman years ago.

His mom called me in hysterics that his foot was stuck in the balusters at their home and he couldn't get it out. I drove like a madman across town but just as I arrived in the driveway Josh turned his foot the proper direction and extracted himself from the trap without any adult assistance.

...

Continue reading at STAIR RAILS, STAIR GUARDS - topic home, or select a topic from the closely-related articles below, or see the complete ARTICLE INDEX.

Or see these

Recommended Articles

• HANDRAILS & HANDRAILINGS
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• GUARDRAILINGS, BEST PRACTICES
• GUARDRAIL CONSTRUCTION, DECKS & RAMPS
• GUARDRAIL POST CODES & SPECS
• GUARDRAIL RAILING POST CONNECTIONS
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• GUARDRAILs on STAIRS, CONSTRUCTION
• GUARDRAILS on STAIRS, DESIGN
• SNAG HAZARDS on STAIRWAYS
• STAIR CODES & STANDARDS - home
• STAIR CODE DETAILS

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GUARDRAILS on STAIRS, DESIGN FAQs at InspectApedia.com - online encyclopedia of building & environmental inspection, testing, diagnosis, repair, & problem prevention advice.

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INDEX to RELATED ARTICLES: ARTICLE INDEX to STAIRS RAILINGS LANDINGS RAMPS

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