Questions & answers about codes & requirements for guard railing height & other features.

This article series gives complete guidelines & codes for building guardrails on balconies, decks, landings, stair landings: this document provides building code specifications, sketches, photographs, and examples of defects used in inspecting indoor or outdoor guards or guard railings required at stairway landings, porches, decks, walkways, balconies.

FAQs on Guardrail Specifications & Defects

These questions and answers about guardrail codes, standards, construction, specifications, inspection and hazards were posted originally at GUARDRAIL CODES & STANDARDS - home - be sure to see the guidelines given in that article and its additional pages.

On 2018-05-08 by (mod) - Height for top decking bottom railing in California

I'm sorry Ken but I don't understand the question. "Top decking bottom railing" isn't clear to me. Try using the Add Image button to attach a photo and perhaps then we can make a useful comment.

On 2018-05-08 by Ken

Height for top decking bottom railing in California

On 2018-05-08 by (mod) -

Dave: a ground level patio doesn't require guardrailings. Enclosed screens can be a child hazard if the screen is the only protection against a fall to a lower level; in that case guards would be appropriate, but that's not the case that you describe.

On 2018-04-19 by Dave

Are there any Codes in FL specifying the height of a horizontal bar above the floor of a screen enclosed, ground level patio?

I have a ground level lanai (patio) in FL. (enclosed by screen walls), with a horizontal bar 42" above the floor. Can i lower that visual obstruction to 36"?

On 2018-04-13 by (mod) -

Olin

Grandfathering acceptance of non-conforming building conditions is entirely common, is selected and enforced differently in different communities and cities.

Grandfathering should be understood to mean

"The building department is not going to force you to update or correct a condition even though by today's standards it is considered unsafe or improper for other reasons"

That does NOT make a condition "safe".

Reliance on "compliance" or "grandfathering" will often be found an unsuccessful defense should an injury occur at a property - that has been the case in some legal cases in which I've been consulted. At the very least, a property manager has an obligation, often under local law, to inspect a property for and to correct unsafe conditions.

If you have found a particularly-unsafe condition at your apartment complex, you could start by notifying the property manager in writing, using certified mail, that the condition exists, is a concern, and should be addressed promptly to avoid a fall-injury (in this case) along a public accessway.

Meanwhile keep your small children on a leash. (That's what my mom did)

On 2018-04-13 by Olin davis

Is there a grandfathering law on gaurdrails say if they didn't exist before certain date they do not have to be installed

I live in an apartment complex in Columbia SC and there is a walk way about four feet from our front door that has about a five foot drop and the maintenance man is telling me that the wall is grandfathered in and doesn't have to have a railing

I'm curious because I have two small children

On 2017-12-01 by (mod) - length of countersunk screw to be used for handrail base plate

Fair question but one for which there is no right answer. Different floor, stair, materials, different vase plates, starting screw materials, use of anchors etc. All vary.

1.5 inches into were soft treated wood is not the same as 1.5 inches into epoxy or lead anchored concrete.

That's why codes usually express the connection requirement as strength resistance to a given force

However the base plate manufacturer will often specify fastener size and recommended penetration for their particular product

On 2017-12-01 by Al

What is the minimum length of countersunk screw to be used for handrail base plate to fasten to floor ,stair or balcony?

On 2017-11-09 by (mod) -

Robert

at BUILDING CODES for STAIRS found at inspectapedia.com/Stairs/Stair-and-Railing-Codes.php
in two subsections you'll find in that article:

OSHA REGULATIONS for TEMPORARY STAIRS & RAILINGS

OSHA REGULATIONS for STAIR RAILINGS & GUARDRAILS

we include OSHA stair and rail codes with the warning that these pertain to workplaces or in some cases to temporary stairs.
That said, in that article you'll read the following statement as well as more OSHA stair regulation details:

Stairways having four or more risers, or rising more than 30 inches (76 cm) in height, whichever is less, must have at least one handrail. A stair rail also must be installed along each unprotected side or edge.

When the top edge of a stairrail system also serves as a handrail, the height of the top edge must not be more than 37 inches (94 cm) nor less than 36 inches (91.5 cm) from the upper surface of the stair rail to the surface of the tread.

You'll also find these rules:

The height of handrails must not be more than 37 inches (94 cm) nor less than 30 inches (76 cm) from the upper surface of the handrail to the surface of the tread.

The height of the top edge of a stairrail system used as a handrail must not be more than 37 inches (94 cm) nor less than 36 inches (91.5 cm) (1) from the upper surface of the stairrail system to the surface of the tread.

On 2017-11-09 by Robert

What is Osher required handrail heights

On 2017-09-06 by Allison

I love I'm Newmarket NH in an apartment bldg. on the second floor of a 3 story bldg. The guardrail on the decks are 38 inches. with severely weathered wood. How many inches should the guardrail be? There are at least 20 apt. Bldgs. in this area with children living in them.

On 2017-05-30 by (mod) -

ER

Grandfathering rules depend on
- the type of building and whether or not there is new work - a building open to the public: I wouldn't live with 28"
- where you live and local code enforcement officials

I'd take care that even "grandfathered" low guardrails won't prevent an injury nor a lawsuit;

On 2017-05-30 by ER

Dan,
If I have a Guard Rail at 28" is there such thing as "grandfathering" such an unsafe condition?

On 2017-04-19 by (mod) -

The Guard railing Heights in the article above do not change for balconies on upper floors.

On 2017-04-19 by Jeff

What's the minimum guardrail height on a balcony five stories high

On 2017-04-08 by (mod) -

Joe,

Let's clarify the difference between a handrail and a guardrail.

The guardrail, the taller of the two, is required to keep people from falling off of a balcony or stairway.

The handrailing, the lower of the two, is required along stairways for people to grasp to offer a chance to arrest a fall or to reduce falling hazards.

The article above describes guardrails and their heights.

In most circumstances you wouldn't need a handrailing along a horizontal walking surface such as a balcony but you would darn sure want a guardrailing.

On 2017-04-08 by Joseph

Resident balcony over 15 feet, should the handrails be at lease 42 inches?

On 2017-04-03 by (mod) - guardrails on ramps

Hank, at our article RAMP RAILING CODES - https://inspectapedia.com/Stairs/Access_Ramp_Railing_Codes.php (found by using the search box just above to look for "ramp guardrails") the codes we cite specify a 12-inch MINIMUM extension of the rail past the ramp end but not a maximum.

Or in Florida,
If handrails are not continuous, they shall extend at least 18 inches (305 mm) beyond the top and bottom of the ramp segment and shall be parallel with the floor or ground surface. Ends of handrails shall be either rounded or returned smoothly to floor, wall or post.

505.10.1 Top and Bottom Extension at Ramps. Ramp handrails shall extend horizontally above the landing for 12 inches (305 mm) minimum beyond the top and bottom of ramp runs. Extensions shall return to a wall, guard, or the landing surface, or shall be continuous to the handrail of an adjacent ramp run. - Florida Building Code 505.10.1

That cited, I'd add that a handrail / guardrail extension past the ends of a ramp should not interfere with travel - so, for example if there is a landing with a turning space, you wouldn't want the rail extension to intrude into the minimum required space to make a turn in a wheelchair.

On 2017-04-03 by Hank

when making a ramp guardrail, what is the max. length past the last post a guardrail can extend?

On 2017-03-15 by (mod) - guardrail height in a parking garage

Not in my OPINION: the guardrailing height is a critical factor in fall safety. Still, you might see if your local building inspector approves your parapet as a guardrail. I suspect she'll require that you add a top railing to meet height requirements if this is an area open to public access.

On 2017-03-15 by Frank

I have a structurally solid parapet wall on a parking garage that is 37” tall and 10” wide. Technically it is two inches short of the minimum height requirement need for a guardrail (1926.502(b) and 1910.29(b)).

However, the width of the wall must have factor in during the engineering of the structure. Originally guardrails height were determined by center of gravity off the ground of workers, keeping workers safe by having their COG on the protected side of the rail system.

This formula would place the COG on the horizontal plain of the wall, still providing protection.

On 2017-02-11 by (mod) -

Dee

The "fix" depends on the situation: what is installed, using what materials, how securely supported. It is often possible to add a height extension to an existing guardrail provided it's properly installed to meet strength requirements.

On 2017-02-11 by Dee

Need to correct unsafe 32 inch safety railings. They are Original so grandfathered but I want to fix and condo association says no. Now what

On 2016-11-22 by john Harbison

What is the maximum protrusion of the bottom shoe or extrusion away from back of glass before it is considered a step and the finished height has to be taken from the step instead of walking surface

On 2016-11-17 by Corky OS

Our home was built in 1975 with a front porch that had no steps and was 34 in. high. We installed steps and a handrail on one side. Do we need rails on the sides of the porch?

On 2016-10-21 by (mod) -

Sorry I don't understand the question. Two handrails in parallel along one side of a stairway?

Please see https://inspectapedia.com/Stairs/Handrails.php

Or if you're in mind to install close-set parallel handrails, to maintain graspability see https://inspectapedia.com/Stairs/Handrail_Graspability.php

On 2016-10-21 by Anonymous

I want 2 hand rails going down my outside front steps. How far apart should they be?

On 2016-10-14 by Michael Rigg

In Florida - Broward County, what are regulations regarding height of balcony guardrail when built in to a balcony wall and what is regulation width between vertical rails

On 2016-09-14 by (mod) -

Laurie,
Check with your local building department who have the final, legal authority to say what is permitted. However I can tell you that in general two Riser stairways are not usually required to have a handrail. I add that in my opinion a handrail is a good idea anyway. On a 5-foot wide stair I would prefer railings at each side of the stairway.

On 2016-09-10 by Laurie

Just bought a house where one level of the house is 16" above the other half of the house. There is an ugly little two step stair there now. I want to widen the opening to lets say 5 feet across, rather than the 20" wide steps there are now. Do I have to have handrails since it is only two stairs?

On 2016-05-24 by Marc Babin

Does a condo complex need to re build all there decks and balconies to come into code?

On 2016-01-26 by Bo Day

I'm dealing with a 60" x 80" elevated loft area in a small cottage. It is accessed only by a ladder and it has only about 30" of clearance from it's edge to the ceiling. Is there a specific area of code dictating a guard rail height? I'm in CA.
thanks.

On 2016-01-25 by Linda Rentfrow

Commercial building balcony - do horizontal railings meet Oregon building code?

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Continue reading at GUARDRAILINGS, BEST PRACTICES or select a topic from the closely-related articles below, or see the complete ARTICLE INDEX.

Or see these

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• RAILING CODES & SPECIFICATIONS - home
  • GUARDRAIL CODES & STANDARDS
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  • GUARDRAIL CONSTRUCTION, DECKS & RAMPS
  • GUARDRAIL POST CODES & SPECS
  • GUARDRAIL & HANDRAIL STRENGTH & TESTING REQUIREMENTS
  • GUARDRAIL on STAIRS, CONSTRUCTION
  • GUARDRAILS on STAIRS, DESIGN
  • HANDRAILS & HANDRAILINGS
  • RAILING POST CONNECTIONS
  • RETAINING WALL GUARDRAIL CODES & STANDARDS

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GUARDRAIL, BALCONY, DECK, LANDING CODE FAQs-3 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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