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Space between guard and building

Mr. Inspector

Mr. Inspector

SAWHORSE
Joined
Nov 28, 2009
Messages
4,114
Location
Poconos/eastern PA
Usually I let them have a space less than 4" between the guard top rail and a wall.
Nowhere does section 1013 says the top of the guard is to be continuous except at stairways or anything like that. So I go by the following:
1013.3 Required guards shall not have openings which allow passage of a sphere 4" in diameter from the walking surface to the required guard height.

But at this S building the top of the rail stops 5.5" from the wall with a vertical support which leaves an 5.5" opening. The exceptions for group S buildings let's you have a 21" opening in the barrier. The top rail is part of the barrier. Does this mean they can have a gap of 21" between the guard top rail and the wall?
 
What code edition? (I'm assuming 2012)

Don't confuse guards with handrails. There is no requirement that the top of a guard be continuous--that is only a requirement for handrails. Since guards are required to have a height of 42 inches and handrails a height of 34-38 inches, the top of a guard could not be a handrail unless one of the exceptions apply (mostly for residential occupancies).

A gap of 5-1/2 inches would not violate the requirement for 21-inch openings permitted by Section 1013.4, Exception 4.
 
Not talking about handrails. I'm talking about the top rail of a guard. This is a landing for an Exterior area for assisted rescue in a S building.
So you would be ok with a gap between the wall and the guard of 21" even with no top rail of a guard?
 
Rick18071 said:
Not talking about handrails. I'm talking about the top rail of a guard. This is a landing for an Exterior area for assisted rescue in a S building.
So you would be ok with a gap between the wall and the guard of 21" even with no top rail of a guard?
Click to expand...
The top rail of a guard is not required to be continuous (I had though you said it did, but I read your post wrong). If there are no openings greater than 21 inches, then it complies with the requirements for a non-public, Group S guard.
 
# ~ #

Rick,

Can you post a sketch or image of your application & question ?
Thanks !

# ~ #
 
I think what Rick is uncomfortable with is that basically you could have a 1" by 42" tall post at 21" O.C. and meet code which would be a sucky guard in my opinion...
 
steveray said:
I think what Rick is uncomfortable with is that basically you could have a 1" by 42" tall post at 21" O.C. and meet code which would be a sucky guard in my opinion...
Click to expand...
From that perspective, you're correct. Fortunately, the OSHA regulation that Phil provided a link to would prevent that to some extent for industrial guards. It seems the IBC is basing its requirements on a set of assumptions (Who has ever really seen a guard without horizontal rails?). Even a reading of the definition for "guard" in Chapter 2 doesn't provide much more clarification. The definition states a guard is an element "...that minimizes the possibility of a fall..." Posts at 21 inches o.c. will minimize the possibility of a fall, but to a much, much lesser extent than it would if it had horizontal top rails and mid rails.
 
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