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Flare at Base of Ramp?

P

Phil B

SAWHORSE
Joined
Sep 15, 2018
Messages
229
Location
Florida
The configuration below is an employee only ramp. The ramp extends past the wall corner near the bottom. By virtue of being an employee only area, railings are not required now, but need to be able to be installed compliantly in the future if needed.

There are other issues involved in this situation that need to be worked out, but my questions for this post are:
1. Would the little flare at the base of the ramp be allowed, and;
2. Would a turn in the orange rail as shown in green be allowed, or would that constitute a change in direction that would require a landing?
1730139276482.png
 
I don't now FL code, but the IBC doesn't have different rules for a ramp just for employees.
I would not install that flair or call the flair "edge protection" and continue the required handrail to the end of the ramp with the required 12" extension. Make sure the bottom landing complies to code. 60" long, 48" long if not an accessible route.
 
So if you could make the turn/ landing with the non-required HR there. I would say it would be OK....We just don't have a landing dimension....
 
steveray said:
So if you could make the turn/ landing with the non-required HR there. I would say it would be OK....We just don't have a landing dimension....
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Thank y ou for looking at this. As I mentioned, there are other issues involved making this not the best approach. I'm getting my ducks in a row so I can justify a another approach.
 
steveray said:
And to clarify....I would allow the flare if the HR went straight....
Click to expand...

I would not allow the flare, with or without a handrail. I would require a curb or other edge runoff protection along that open extension of the ramp, and I would require a compliant level landing space at the foot of the ramp.
 
redeyedfly said:
Don't you still need to comply with 1012.8 of the Florida Building Code?
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Yes, but unless I am misunderstanding the code, in employee only areas you only need to ensure that if the railings need to be installed in the future for instance if the ramp becomes for public use, they can be installed so that they comply.
 
Phil B said:
Yes, but unless I am misunderstanding the code, in employee only areas you only need to ensure that if the railings need to be installed in the future for instance if the ramp becomes for public use, they can be installed so that they comply.
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You quoted ADA above which gives an exception for employee areas. I quoted the Florida Building code which does not provide an exception. You must meet the more restrictive of all the requirements.
 
Phil B said:
The configuration below is an employee only ramp. The ramp extends past the wall corner near the bottom. By virtue of being an employee only area, railings are not required now, but need to be able to be installed compliantly in the future if needed.

There are other issues involved in this situation that need to be worked out, but my questions for this post are:
1. Would the little flare at the base of the ramp be allowed, and;
2. Would a turn in the orange rail as shown in green be allowed, or would that constitute a change in direction that would require a landing?
View attachment 14515
Click to expand...

My first reply skipped over the second part of your question.

Handrail extensions are required to follow the direction of travel on a stair or ramp. In order to justify wrapping that handrail around the corner as per your sketch, the ramp's direction of travel would have to turn 90 degrees around that corner -- and a change of direction in a ramp requires a 60" x 60" level landing, which you obviously don't have.

That little "flare" is too narrow to be a walking surface. In addition, the slope isn't parallel to the wall as your arrow shows it. The slope will be at approximately 45 degrees to that -- perpendicular to the line where the flare meets the level floor. So, even if that little triangle were walkable (which it obviously isn't), the handrail as sketched doesn't follow the line of the sloped surface. And the slope of that flare is going to be steeper than 1:12.
 
redeyedfly said:
You quoted ADA above which gives an exception for employee areas. I quoted the Florida Building code which does not provide an exception. You must meet the more restrictive of all the requirements.
Click to expand...
Agreed, but you'd think both codes would work complimentary to each other and not contradict.
 
Phil B said:
Agreed, but you'd think both codes would work complimentary to each other and not contradict.
Click to expand...
Phil,

It is simple, the more restrictive of the requirements supersedes the other.

If memory serves me right after 14 hours of airport travel back from La, does not the Florida Fire code require 2.25" handrail wall clearance, which is more restrictive than the FBC, Florida Accessibility code and the ADA/ABA.

Thus, I am not sure where you are going with this, but is this in a existing building, you might have a chance through that window.

But from where I sit - the exception from the Accessibility Code does not over rule the stricter requirement in the FBC.

But then again I have jet lag....
 
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