Thread: Handrail

Handrail required at top right wall adjacent to winders of this rehab common area stairs?

There is a guardrail down lower on left out of sight.

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R311.5.6.2 Continuity. Handrails for stairways shall be continuous for the full length of the flight, from a point directly above the top riser of the flight to a point directly above the lowest riser of the flight.

(2003 IRC)

David,

I just got in to the office from a condo inspection and when I saw your pic, I thought we'd been at the same place almost.

Mine has a handrail though with the always wider than 4" openings.

What do you think Rick. Handrail needed for the top winder? I think so.

David,

I always recommend that additional handrail needed for safety.

David,

First, I will start with Rick's photo because the angle shows the situation better, from there, what I say can be applied to your photo as applicable.

Rick's photo needs the handrail to be continuous up and around the corner (around the winders) to the top riser.

The handrail *could* have been installed on the other side (left side descending, however, the preferred location when just one handrail is installed is on the right side descending). The handrail would also have been more difficult to install there.

Looks like they left 3 balusters out of Rick's guardrail.

Those brackets on Rick's handrail are not allowed either. And, the end of the handrail must be returned (to the wall, preferably).

Although the inside of the winders are not in the photo, my imaginary line tracing the nosing tells me that the winders might not, probably do not, meet the requirements for winders either.

Your photo, as Rick said, almost looks like his stair from another perspective, only your stair has more problems, and verifies (as best I can see) that the winders do not meet the requirements for winders.

Your stair needs everything I mentioned above for Rick's stair, plus the winders look wrong.

Do the openings between the balusters look more than (4) inches, and how about that light switch, it looks a bit low to me.

Are you using body parts to qualify the 4 inch sphere rule for safety guards?
The winders on that stair are bogus and what it needs is not a safety handrail but a safety net.

Rick,
I looked and looked, and then I looked some more. I could not see any balusters or light switches.

Phillip,

Yeah I sad that I'm losing my summer helper. She was a great at taking down my notes as I walked through the house.

Dress cool I always told her. I gets hot on some inspections especially in these foreclosures with no HVAC.

Employees that pay attention is a great thing. Back to college she goes.

Lucky dog you.....
did you say she was an intern... hummmm

Hi Gents!
In addition to the numerous railing defects noted, it is my belief that the winder tread can be no smaller than 6" in depth, at any location. Step treads that kill to nothing should be a thing of the past by now.
Martin

Wow! That can be a bad fall! Yes!! Handrails needed!!

Originally Posted by Chris Risby

Wow! That can be a bad fall! Yes!! Handrails needed!!

I believe the air bags a the bottom would lessen the potential for injury, thus eliminating the need for handrails. It's a sub section of a sub section but an important rule nonetheless.

Matt,

Least it go unmentioned, don't forget subnote c to that last subsection which also includes 'sidecurtain air bags along the wall and floor air bag to fill the space between tread nosings which makes the stairs into a slip and slide instead of a bump-da-bump'.