Define 6" rise for requiring handrails

[tbz]

Hello all,

Here is my question:

Start at a landing that then has a less than 2% walk/ramp of only 66" to another over sized landing and then from that landing to the sidewalk below you have another less than 2% walk/ramp that is only 60" long.

With the walks/ramps being 1/20 or less and being under 6" rise on each run are handrails required?

The ADA, IBC & A117.1 only note a change in elevation 6" or more requires handrails however, here each run is less than 6" of rise but the total is more than 6"

Note that the mid landing is just that, each of the runs only go to the mid landing from their starting points.

How do you see this?

Thanks

 

[JPohling]

Sounds like your dealing with a walk and not a ramp based upon the less than 1/20 slope. No railings would be required

 

[Glenn]

If too low to even be a ramp, I would not refer to it as a "change in elevation".

 

[ADAguy]

"change in elevation" by what means? Vertical face exceeding 1/4" or overall point to point achieved by transitions of varying slopes as you have discussed?

 

[tbz]

"change in elevation" by what means? Vertical face exceeding 1/4" or overall point to point achieved by transitions of varying slopes as you have discussed?

Change in elevation is change in vertical height, thus street side walk at 0" the rise to the first landing is under 6" to the mid landing and the rise from the mid landing to the top landing is under 6"

However the total rise from street sidewalk to top landing is over 6", thus is the rise trigger limited to each run or since the mid landing goes nowhere except being between the (2) sloped runs is the rise trigger a combined number?

 

[ADAguy]

By your definition, change in elevation is a "vertical" change between points. In you example however, the vertical change is in fact accommplished by sloping transitions.

If less than 5% then no handrails required unless there are adjacent dropoff exceeding 30" in which case "guards" would be required.

 

[steveray]

I agree with the others that say that less than 1/20 is a sloped floor and no requirements of ramps would apply (rails, guards, landings, cross-slope, etc....)

I assume you are talking about this code section.....?

1003.5 Elevation change.

Where changes in elevation of less than 12 inches (305 mm) exist in the means of egress, sloped surfaces shall be used. Where the slope is greater than one unit vertical in 20 units horizontal (5-percent slope), ramps complying with Section 1010 shall be used. Where the difference in elevation is 6 inches (152 mm) or less, the ramp shall be equipped with either handrails or floor finish materials that contrast with adjacent floor finish materials.

 

[High Desert]

1/20 and less = accessible route - and no handrails required

between 1/20 and 1/12 = ramp - handrails required except ramps with less than a 6 inch rise.

 

[tbz]

I agree with the others that say that less than 1/20 is a sloped floor and no requirements of ramps would apply (rails, guards, landings, cross-slope, etc....)I assume you are talking about this code section.....?

1003.5 Elevation change.

Where changes in elevation of less than 12 inches (305 mm) exist in the means of egress, sloped surfaces shall be used. Where the slope is greater than one unit vertical in 20 units horizontal (5-percent slope), ramps complying with Section 1010 shall be used. Where the difference in elevation is 6 inches (152 mm) or less, the ramp shall be equipped with either handrails or floor finish materials that contrast with adjacent floor finish materials.

Yep Steveray, you nailed it,

 

[ADAguy]

tbz, I back tracked and reread your initial comments of (+0") to a final height of 6". As long as you don't exceed the maxium allowed cross and running slopes for the combined sloped surfaces and per 1003.5, you should be ok.