Guard rail and hand rail forces

[ajweaver]

I have heard there is a specific amount of weight hand and guard rails are supposed to be able to withstand.

I can't find it in the 2006 IRC.

I found a publication from a jurisdiction that says 200#.

Is this amount somewhere in the IRC ?

Thanks

 

[cboboggs]

09 IRC table R305.1

 

[steveray]

Here you go AJ....

R301.5 Live load.

The minimum uniformly distributed live load shall be as provided in Table R301.5.

TABLE R301.5 MINIMUM UNIFORMLY DISTRIBUTED LIVE LOADS

USE

LIVE LOAD

Attics with storageb

20

Attics without storageb

10

Deckse

40

Exterior balconies

60

Fire escapes

40

Guardrails and handrailsd

200

Guardrails in–fill componentsf

50

Passenger vehicle garagesa

50a

Rooms other than sleeping rooms

40

Sleeping rooms

30

Stairs

40c

For SI: 1 pound per square foot = 0.0479 kN/m2, 1 square inch = 654mm2, 1 pound = 4.45N.

a. Elevated garage floors shall be capable of supporting a 2,000-pound load applied over a 20-square-inch area.

b. No storage with roof slope not over 3 units in 12 units.

c. Individual stair treads shall be designed for the uniformly distributed live load or a 300-pound concentrated load acting over an area of 4 square inches, whichever produces the greater stresses.

d. A single concentrated load applied in any direction at any point along the top.

e. See Section R502.2.1 for decks attached to exterior walls.

f. Guard in-fill components (all those except the handrail), balusters and panel fillers shall be designed to withstand a horizontally applied normal load of 50 pounds on an area equal to 1square foot. This load need not be assumed to act concurrently with any other live load requirement.

 

[ajweaver]

perfect thanks y'all.