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Wood-plastic label requirements for guards and other means of egress components

G

George McGerd

Bronze Member
Joined
Dec 19, 2013
Messages
58
Location
Maryland
Ok Gurus --- IRC 2012 Chapter R312 requires exterior guard rail components to comply with Section R317.4, which states: "Wood/plastic composites used in exterior deck boards, stair treads, handrails and guardrail systems shall bear a label indicating the required performance levels and demonstrating compliance with the provisions of ASTM D 7032."

Section R202 defines wood/plastic composites as: "A composite material made primarily from wood or cellulose-based materials and plastic."

Anyone have experience with someone applying this labeling provision required under R317.4 to wood (e.g. preservative treated) or plastic (e.g. vinyl railings)?

Any information / interpretations would be appreciated.

Also, is there a similar provision in the IRC for guards to be able to withstand 50 LF uniform and 200 lb concentrated lateral load (as there is in the IBC)? If so, please point me in the right direction. I don't always do residential design, but when I do……I want it to meet code.
 
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 (in pounds per square foot)

USE LIVE LOAD

Uninhabitable attics without storageb 10

Uninhabitable attics with limited storageb, g 20

Habitable attics and attics served with fixed stairs 30

Balconies (exterior) and deckse 40

Fire escapes 40

Guardrails and handrailsd 200h

Guardrail in-fill componentsf 50h

Passenger vehicle garagesa 50a

Rooms other than sleeping room 40

Sleeping rooms 30

Stairs 40c

For SI: 1 pound per square foot = 0.0479 kPa, 1 square inch = 645 mm2,

1 pound = 4.45 N.

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

b. Uninhabitable attics without storage are those where the maximum clear height between joists and rafters is less than 42 inches, or where there are not two or more adjacent trusses with web configurations capable of accommodating an assumed rectangle 42 inches high by 24 inches in width, or greater, within the plane of the trusses. This live load need not be assumed to act concurrently with any other live load requirements.

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 R502.2.2 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 1 square foot. This load need not be assumed to act concurrently with any other live load requirement.
 
Yes, ASTM D 7032 test procedures can and are used for manufactured decking and guards other than wood and plastic composite.

Future codes will change the language to not be so specific, but it starts with ASTM changing the standard, which I believe is happening.
 
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