Railing heights

[Hitch]

Measured a job last week, some rails around a roof terrace.
It has a shallow wall, capped with flags, the bbco, seems to think that the 1100 should be taken from th e top of the capping. As you can see, the stub posts we will fix to are only just in from the edge.

Flooring will be tiles, so only adding 20mm or so to the current level. Railing height will be about 1250-1300 from the ffl.

Anyone come across this before?!

 

[Welderpaul]

Yeah, we had a similar thing with some Juliet balconies. We set the top rail to be 1100 from the finished level of the decking set inside the balcony. The balcony was only 250mm wide, and the door cill/threshold was 100mm higher than the decking so our top rail height ended up at 1200 off the decking. Come across it a few times and had Building Control explain it to me that the 1100 dim has to be taken from the highest point at which someone could get a toe hold, even if its not the place where you would normally stand. So if you were stood on the cill, the handrail height would effectivly only be 1000. Daft, but seems the accepted norm.

 

[Hitch]

But if you stood on the bottom rail of the railings.... we then need to add another 50mm height onto it from the ffl.....

 

[Welderpaul]

Agreed, similar design with our juliets, well it was a 150mm kick flat, apparently that doesnt count because someone has then started to climb the structure that is there to protect them, not simply standing in the paving/wall etc.(Albeit with their toes hanging off the top of the parapet wall)

 

[Hitch]

Done jobs like it in the past, not had a problem. I guess it depends on the individual interpretation of the rules.

 

[Welderpaul]

Did you set the stub posts? Only primer finish on them? Whats the detail if you are only fixing at the base?

LIke you say, i think a lot is open to interpretation by the BCO. Grey areas like that never seem to be in the Building Regs Approved Docs

 

[Hitch]

Stubs are 40 box, galv, Posts slip over, and drilled/tapped into the stubs.

 

[^neo^]

1100mm is the maximum height from where you will be standing, with 1m as the minimum.
If there is a chance you can stand on the capping, then that's where the minimum height should be taken from. Standing on the bottom rail doesn't count.
If public use then a babies head (100mm diameter ball) can't pass though any part of the railings, including your spacing between capping and bottom rail
It's all a bit of a grey area as the same thing on a scaffold tower or any sort of work platform is a minimum of 960mm from foot to top rail.

 

[Bobtail4x4]

Part K says 1100mm from the floor,
by his measurements if you had a table there do you measure from that??

btw the 100mm is to prevent a childs BODY passing, their head will be much bigger.

and it applys anywhere an under 5 may be, public or private.

 

[^neo^]

it applys anywhere an under 5 may be, public or private.

Never knew that it was domestic too, handy to know

 

[Jaeger_S2k]

Well that'll never happen!

Show me a child under 5 in today's 'Who Ate All the Pies' society that's body will fit through 200mm spacings.

I wasn't sure on the public private settings but it makes sense and cheers for the clarification.

Can you take pics of the finished article, and fitting shots please Hitch?

 

[Hitch]

1100mm is the maximum height from where you will be standing, with 1m as the minimum.If there is a chance you can stand on the capping, then that's where the minimum height should be taken from. Standing on the bottom rail doesn't count.

Stupid really isnt it. It will easier to stand on the bottom rail or the railing than it would to be able to stand on the capping.
As you see it in the pic, the inside is the side with the posts nearest. The outside is unacessable.


Single dwellings, i think reccomended is 900 on all internals, and 1100 on external protection, such as in this case.

 

[Jay]

Paul is spot on on that one, the disputes that you have with domestic customers over it though... If building inspector isn't involved and we need or want the work then we've been known to put like a disclaimer in. Don't know how it would stand up if it ever went legal should someone fall.

If yot can't get a foot on the capping though then your 1100 can start from the deck, maybe put a crank inwards on the railing or offet the toprail inwards.

 

[mike os]

externally top of rail must be a minimum of 1100mm above the highest point someone could stand before they try to cross the barrier, commercial or domestic. If there is a step immediately next to the railing then either the total height must increase or you need a step in the rail to match and maintain the height.

Spindles/infill & gaps must not allow the passage of a sphere 100mm in diameter ( so take care if the components are shaped/curved) anywhere within the protected area.

A disclaimer will not necessarily indemnify you if the work does not comply with the building regs as they are a statutory minimum, ie you are legally obliged to comply or show your design exceeds the requirements. ( been in construction for over 20years....& the regs never cease to haunt you)

 

[Hitch]

Got them up now....
You can see from the pics, theres not anywhere for your foot to go

Railing virtually on the edge of the capping, only 50mm gap.


Not all my work, i made the bits, and got someone else to put it together

 

[Welderpaul]

Tidy job. Nutcaps as well!

Punch the horizontal bar/s?

Nice detail around the gutter. Shame the gutter is wonky! - although looking how its positioned the rain is going to run straight past it!

 

[Hitch]

Yes, top 2, bottom isn't.
Dont like the post capsmyself ,they look rubbish, them cheap pressed things.

 

[Welderpaul]

Yes, top 2, bottom isn't.
Dont like the post capsmyself ,they look rubbish, them cheap pressed things.

Usually use a piece of flat bar say 60 x 60 for 50 shs posts with a champher on all edges for the caps - looks a bit neater that the tin caps.
Did you end up rolling the flat bar after punching it?

 

[Hitch]

I normally prefer to cut a 44x44x3 square, weld on and sand flush.
Pressed it flat rather than rolling .

 

[Welderpaul]

I normally prefer to cut a 44x44x3 square, weld on and sand flush.
Pressed it flat rather than rolling .

Do you not find though that after galvanising the welds swell anyway and ruin all that perfect flappering/sanding? With an overhanging cap - no need to fettle the welds