Thread: Hand rail question.

When are two (2) hand rails required.
I gleaned 311.5.6 Handrails but I can not see or missed the codified experience.

I am also ill which makes making funny allot harder.
But do not get me wrong, if there is a will there is a way.

That being said, looking on Google I ran across many InspectionNews threads on the codification for stairs.
Geez Louise, you guys split hairs a lot and tenderise the posters.

Similar Threads:

• Hand Rail??
• Hand rail (?)
• Hand rail required?
• Hand rail
• non-continuous hand rail

Under the IRC - two handrails are not required.

Under the IBC - two handrails are always required* where handrails are required.

*Except within dwelling units. (There may be other exceptions I'd have to check on.)

Originally Posted by Jerry Peck

Under the IRC - two handrails are not required.

Under the IBC - two handrails are always required* where handrails are required.

*Except within dwelling units. (There may be other exceptions I'd have to check on.)

Thanks, Jerry.
It's for the building's,condo, fire egress.
No fire extinguishers.
Missing in 50% of the building's I inspect.

Don't know about where you guys are but around here 2 handrails required, i.e. one along each side of stairs if stairs over 44" wide (pretty sure that's the width, would have to look up)
Intermediate handrail if stairs over 96" wide? once again would have to look up but pretty sure 96" wide

Originally Posted by Markus Keller

Don't know about where you guys are but around here 2 handrails required, i.e. one along each side of stairs if stairs over 44" wide (pretty sure that's the width, would have to look up)
Intermediate handrail if stairs over 96" wide? once again would have to look up but pretty sure 96" wide

Even in dwelling units (single family, townhouses, condo units themselves)?

Not referring to condo areas outside each condo unit.

I didn't read the OP's question as being occupancy specific. I just read it as a general stair rail question. Obviously requirements vary between occupancies.

Intermediate handrails, in addition to the two required for (basically specking) ... other-than-dwelling units and buildings constructed under the IRC ... depends on the occupant load.

Example might be something like this: occupant load requires the egress width to be 60 inches, an intermediate handrail is required to be within 30 inches:
- the egress width is 60 inches, thus no additional handrail required other than handrails on each side
- the egress width is 72 inches, one intermediate handrail is required
- the egress width is 84 inches, one intermediate handrail is required
- the egress width is 120 inches, one intermediate handrail is required

The reason only one intermediate handrail is required in the above example is that the occupant load only requires a 60 inch width, and the additional intermediate handrails are not based on the actual width of the egress but on the "required width", and the "required width" (in the example) is only 60 inches ... no matter how wide the egress is ... the "required width" does not change.

That is why you can have a 50 foot wide stair with a handrail at each side and only one, maybe two, intermediate handrails across the entire 50 foot width of the stair - its based on the "required width".