Handrails and guardrails are sturdy handholds and barriers that follow
the outside, and sometimes inside, perimeter of the stairs and landings. The
rails are designed to prevent falls and to provide a handhold, especially
when walking up or down the stairs.
For safety reasons, handrails are required on all stairs with a total
riser height greater than 24 inches (2 or 3 steps) and guardrails are
required on open stoops and landings that are more than 24 inches above the floor or
grade. (Handrails on an open stairwell also act as guardrails.)
To function as an adequate barrier to prevent falls, stairs
are required to have a minimum height of 34 inches, and guardrails
on
all porches, balconies, or raised floor surfaces are required to have a minimum height of 36 inches
.
In addition, to prevent injury to children, balusters or spindles should:
- be vertical so as not to create a climbing grid,
and
- have a space or gap
no greater than 4 inches to prevent children from squeezing through or
getting stuck in the opening.
_____________________________________________________________________
Stairs Main Page Landings
Return
to the Top of the Page
