How high must the top of a guardrail be?
Guardrail systems.
Top edge height of top rails, or equivalent guardrail system members, shall be 42 inches (1.1 m) plus or minus 3 inches (8 cm) above the walking/working level.
Height: Top rail to walking-working surface should be around 42 inches – allows flexibility for +/-3 inches. Opening Limitations: OSHA requires a 21” midrail such that a 19” or larger spherical object cannot pass through the guardrail.
42 inches, plus or minus three inches c. 60 inches, plus or minus three inches Page 6 SECTION #1 | Trainer Guide 4 “Fall” Hazards ANSWER: 42 inches, i.e. the toprail must be 39 to 45 inches above the working surface. OSHA also requires a midrail, so workers can't fall through the guardrail.
OSHA states that guardrail must reach a height of 42 inches, plus or minus 3 inches, above the walking-working surface and withstand a force of 200 pounds at any point in a downward or outward direction. If the railing dips below 39 inches, due to the force, the railing is not OSHA compliant.
The installation height of 31 inches to the top of the rail is the nominal height and a construction tolerance of plus or minus one inch applies.
(a) Railings shall be constructed of wood or in an equally substantial manner from other materials, and shall consist of the following: (1) A top rail not less than 42 inches or more than 45 inches in height measured from the upper surface of the top rail to the floor, platform, runway or ramp.
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Guards a minimum of 42" in height are required at open-sided walking surfaces, mezzanines, industrial equipment platforms, stairs, ramps and landings which are located more than 30 inches above the floor or grade.
OSHA requires that fall protection be provided at elevations of four feet in general industry workplaces, five feet in shipyards, six feet in the construction industry and eight feet in longshoring operations.
Each employee on a walking/working surface (horizontal and vertical surface) with an unprotected side or edge which is 6 feet (1.8 m) or more above a lower level shall be protected from falling by the use of guardrail systems, safety net systems, or personal fall arrest systems. Leading edges.
What is the OSHA gap requirement?
OSHA's construction fall protection rule, 29 CFR Subpart M §1926.500, defines these terms as follows: "Hole means a gap or void 2 inches (5.1 cm) or more in its least dimension, in a floor, roof, or other walking/working surface."
Are guardrails required on all open sides of scaffolding? The standard requires employers to protect each employee on a scaffold more than 10 feet (3.1 m) above a lower level from falling to that lower level.

With this, the OSHA requirements call for one of the following numbers. 1000, 3000, or 5000. These are the minimum anchorage connector breaking strength (per ANSI) depending on your fall protection application. 1000# for restraint, 3000# for work positioning, and 5000# for fall arrest.
As a result, four inches would be the maximum allowable opening between the two handrails.
Height requirements
Most U.S. guidelines require railings at least 36″ tall between the decking and top rail, though this varies by location. California and Washington require 42″ or taller railings for decks.
: a railing guarding usually against danger. especially : a barrier placed along the edge of a highway at dangerous points.
One Panel (i.e. panel length) equals 12'-6". Guardrail shall be constructed with rail elements 12'-6" in length except where 25'-0" elements are called for by this and other standards (indexes) or specifically called for in the plans.
OSHA standards are published in Title 29 of the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) and are divided into separate standards for General Industry, Construction, and Maritime.
Examples of OSHA standards include require- ments to provide fall protection, prevent trenching cave-ins, prevent exposure to some infectious diseases, ensure the safety of workers who enter confined spaces, prevent exposure to such harmful substances as asbestos and lead, put guards on machines, provide respirators or ...
OSHA requires employers to provide medical and first-aid personnel and supplies commensurate with the hazards of the workplace. The details of a workplace medical and first-aid program are dependent on the circumstances of each workplace and employer.
What are the 2 types of guardrails?
There are four general types of guardrail, ranging from weakest and inexpensive to strongest and expensive; cable and wood posts, steel and wood/metal posts, steel box-beam, and concrete barriers.
(a) A standard guardrail shall consist of top rail, midrail or equivalent protection, and posts, and shall have a vertical height within the range of 42 inches to 45 inches from the upper surface of the top rail to the floor, platform, runway, or ramp level.
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Section 1926.451(b)(3) does not require fall protection or guardrails when: (1) the front edge of the platform is 14 inches (36 cm) or less from the face of the work; (2) when outrigger scaffolds are 3 inches (8 cm) or less from the front edge;1 and (3) when employees are plastering and lathing 18 inches (46 cm) or ...
Standard Stair Riser Height Requirements
IBC 1011.5. 2 requires that stair riser heights shall be 7 inches (178 mm) maximum and 4 inches (102 mm) minimum.
Look for areas with high personnel traffic.
These are typically around entrance and exit doors, stairways, restrooms, and walkways. Any location within a facility where people are most likely to be or congregate — and should be segregated from vehicle or equipment traffic — is an optimal place to install a guardrail.
29 CFR 1926.500(d)(1) requires every opensided floor or platform 6 feet or more above the adjacent floor or ground level to be guarded by a standard railing or the equivalent on all open sides, except where there is an entrance to a ramp, stairway, or fixed ladder.
Currently, OSHA requires that employers provide fall protection for construction workers on a walking or working surface with an unprotected edge that is 6 feet or more above a lower level.
This edge protection needs to consist of at least two horizontal rails and have a minimum height of 1100mm.
If the edge protection has rails, the edge protection must have: a bottom rail fitted at least 150mm, but not over 250mm, higher than the surface that is at the base of the edge protection; or.
At what minimum height does OSHA require fall protection when working on unprotected surfaces?
The 6-foot rule. Subpart M requires the use of fall protection when construction workers are working at heights of 6 feet or greater above a lower level.
The minimum clearance between handrails and any other object is 2.25 inches (5.7 cm). Surfaces. Handrails and stair rail systems are smooth-surfaced to protect employees from injury, such as punctures or lacerations, and to prevent catching or snagging of clothing.
a gap or void 2 inches (5.1 cm) or more in its least dimension, in a floor, roof, or other walking/working surface. The floor holes within the chase would pose a fall hazard to workers on each floor unless exposure to the holes is eliminated or fall protection is provided.
The “Construction Focus Four: Fall Hazards” lesson is part of the 4-hour block consisting of segments on each of the Focus Four Hazards: Falls, Caught-In or -Between, Struck-By and Electrocution. Because most construction fatalities are caused by fall hazards, falls must be covered for at least one hour and 15 minutes.
The top rail must be at least 42 inches in height (§1910.29(f)(1)(ii)(B)) and the handrail must be 30 to 38 inches in height (§1910.29(f)(1)(i)) (as measured at the leading edge of the stair tread to the top surface of the rail).
The first line of OSHA fall protection defence is to eliminate and/or engineer fall protection equipment in order to eliminate fall hazard risk. Engineering/elimination controls can be as simple as moving the work to ground level and eliminating the work height.
The standard requires that handrails and top rails withstand a force of 200 pounds without exceeding its ultimate strength. The standard does not require any specific safety factor applied to the required 200 pound force.
Trenches 5 feet (1.5 meters) deep or greater require a protective system unless the excavation is made entirely in stable rock. If less than 5 feet deep, a competent person may determine that a protective system is not required.
Guard rail strength
OSHA requires guardrail be strong enough to withstand force both outward and downward along the top rail and at the midrail section. Guardrail systems need to be capable of withstanding a force of at least 200 pounds (890 N) at any point along the top rail.
Load requirements: guardrails must be able to resist a linear load of 50 pounds per linear foot. OSHA standard 1926.502(b)(3) requires guardrails to withstand a 200-pound concentrated load.
What is the fall protection height for OSHA 1926?
Each employee in a hoist area shall be protected from falling 6 feet (1.8 m) or more to lower levels by guardrail systems or personal fall arrest systems.
Deck railing height standards can vary from state to state but typically require a 36″ or 42″ railing. In California, deck railings are required to be a minimum of 42″ tall measured from the deck surface to the top of the guardrail.
Handrail height, measured above stair tread nosings, or finish surface of ramp slope, shall be uniform, not less than 34 inches (864 mm) and not more than 38 inches (965 mm).
OSHA requires that fall protection be provided at elevations of four feet in general industry workplaces, five feet in shipyards, six feet in the construction industry and eight feet in longshoring operations.
The employer must ensure each employee on a runway or similar walkway is protected from falling 4 feet (1.2 m) or more to a lower level by a guardrail system.
OSHA requires that potential free fall distances will never exceed 6 feet (1.8 m) when using personal fall protection. So, careful consideration must be given to the way that a fall arrest system is selected and rigged so that a 6-foot fall distance is not exceeded.
Height requirements
Most U.S. guidelines require railings at least 36″ tall between the decking and top rail, though this varies by location. California and Washington require 42″ or taller railings for decks.
Four feet above the ground or a lower level is widely understood among general industry employers as the “trigger height” that requires you to take action to protect your employees from fall hazards.
Guardrail Requirements for Work Platforms
Any work platform which is 4 feet or more above a lower level must have guardrails. Guardrails must have a height of at least 42 inches on every open side. The guardrails must be capable of withstanding 200 pounds of force.