Guard Rails

[Dave L. Stephenson]

I often get a lot of flack from builders, etc. when documenting the strength of guard rails. Most areas require that the rails support 200 pounds in either direction. This is for both decks and interior guard rails. Since dynamic testing is not possible, how do others handle this?

[Frank M. Carrio, CMI]

Originally Posted by Dave L. Stephenson

I often get a lot of flack from builders, etc. when documenting the strength of guard rails.

• Most areas require that the rails support 200 pounds in either direction.

This is for both decks and interior guard rails. Since dynamic testing is not possible, how do others handle this?

Dave.... This is a very unusual post.

You are telling us that;
1. During a Residential inspection You "Document the strength" of Guardrails?

2. They are "Required" to support 200-ponds "In either direction". Where did you get these "Facts & Figures"?

3. Dynamic testing is not possible.


First of all..... What Standards of Practice are you using in your inspection? None that I know of mention "Documenting the strength" of Guardrails.

Second...... Since you do not have a laboratory "on the job site" how have you physically "Documented the strength" of a Guard rail in your past inspections? {I guess that you "Guess-timated"}

Third...... I can see why "You get a lot of flack from the builders".

[Stephen W. Stanczyk]

I agree with Frank.... Verify the method of attachment and spans. Other than that, you are going out on a limb with guesstimating any strength of the rails.

I find that there are still many subs that use lag bolts instead of through bolts when attaching rails and supports.

[Barry Adair]

Don't see how this post is any more unusual than most I see on this MB

Guardrails

For obvious safety reasons, guardrails are required when the deck floor is more than 30 inches above another floor or the grade below. The guardrail shall not be less than 36 inches in height. Open sides of stairs with a total rise of more than 30 inches above the floor or grade below shall have guards not less than 34 inches in height measured vertically from the nosing of the treads.

The perimeter support posts can be incorporated into the railing of the deck. The posts extend from the footings to the top rail cap. Balusters or ornamental closures that do not allow a 4-inch diameter sphere to pass through are used to fill in between the posts. These balusters in combination with the cap rail and bottom rail transfer the loads to the posts. In order to do this successfully, the main railing posts should be spaced approximately 6 feet apart. The advantage of this design is that the full length of the post resists the rail load.

Guardrails and handrails shall be designed to support a single 200 pound concentrated load applied in any direction at any point long the top. This is to be able to withstand and support the loads of people leaning on or running into it.

"I check fastening and grasp the rail and give it a good push/pull if any fasteners are absent or loose or significant movement is present I note it for repair."

[Larry D. Kage]

Dave, I "test" any guard/hand rail that I think is questionable by swinging my hip against it a certain amount. That amount comes from doing it over and over. It is questionable if it feels loose with my hand/arm moving it.

If, after my test, I think it is inadequate I report it as loose needing repair.

If you can see the attachment method that is helpful. It is a judgement call, that is all.

[Frank Magdefrau]

Originally Posted by lkage

Dave, I "test" any guard/hand rail that I think is questionable by swinging my hip against it a certain amount. That amount comes from doing it over and over.

Then I spin around and swing my other hip and if it anit loose by then I just spin my hip into again.

I think just grabbing it with a tug would be allot less painful than your thrusting hip displacement.

[Frank M. Carrio, CMI]

Originally Posted by badair

Don't see how this post is any more unusual than most I see on this MB
IMO... It is "Unusual" that he "Documents the strength" without any viable testing.



Guardrails



For obvious safety reasons, guardrails are required when the deck floor is more than 30 inches above another floor or the grade below. The guardrail shall not be less than 36 inches in height. Open sides of stairs with a total rise of more than 30 inches above the floor or grade below shall have guards not less than 34 inches in height measured vertically from the nosing of the treads.

The perimeter support posts can be incorporated into the railing of the deck. The posts extend from the footings to the top rail cap. Balusters or ornamental closures that do not allow a 4-inch diameter sphere to pass through are used to fill in between the posts. These balusters in combination with the cap rail and bottom rail transfer the loads to the posts. In order to do this successfully, the main railing posts should be spaced approximately 6 feet apart. The advantage of this design is that the full length of the post resists the rail load.

Guardrails and handrails shall be designed to support a single 200 pound concentrated load applied in any direction at any point long the top. This is to be able to withstand and support the loads of people leaning on or running into it.

"I check fastening and grasp the rail and give it a good push/pull if any fasteners are absent or loose or significant movement is present I note it for repair."

Barry,
Good post!

[Larry D. Kage]

Originally Posted by fmagdefrau

Then I spin around and swing my other hip and if it anit loose by then I just spin my hip into again.

I think just grabbing it with a tug would be allot less painful than your thrusting hip displacement.

Yes, if you are that uncoordinated you should use another method.

[Dan Bowers, CMI]

Gosh I never thought about the hip swing. I've been doing it the old fashioned way ever since way back when.

In 1983, I was getting ready to stop doing HI's part-time and go full-time. There were only 2 HI schools I could find (1 in Texas and 1 in Silver Springs, MD).

One of the tricks that one of my instructors showed us for testing rails was grab the realtor by the arm and swing them against the rail to see if it holds.

Been using that for years - never thought about using your own hip. Learn something new every week.

[jkogel]

Originally Posted by dbowers

One of the tricks that one of my instructors showed us for testing rails was grab the realtor by the arm and swing them against the rail to see if it holds.

Do you ask the realtors if they weigh 200 lbs first? If not, you're just guesstimating like the rest of us.

John Kogel
www.allsafehome.ca

[Barry Adair]

a 2G swing will work for the skinny ones

[Jeffrey R. Pope]

There are simple ways to apply a 200 lb. load if that's what you'd like to do - but as suggested, it goes well beyond any standard inspection procedures.

You can purchase spring-scales that work very well for this purpose. I've used them on job-sites for just this type of testing.

I would suggest you use the "pull" type, rather than the "push" type

[Dave L. Stephenson]

Thanks for all the reponses. It seems that some of you make no mention of the ability of the guard rails to support 200 pounds of force, or least the fact that you suspect they will not. How do you address the safety of the gurad rails? I am not looking for ways to test the strength, but how do you document suspicions that they will not?

[Dave L. Stephenson]

Frank and all. I may have misled you. I did not mean that I actually put a figure down to document the strength. I state the rails appear loose and then document what they are supposed to support (200 pounds).

[Dave L. Stephenson]

Seems like a reasonable question to me Frank. I think my statemant about "documenting the strength" may have thrown you off. I simply meant the rail's ability to support the required pressure or force.