Handrail and guarding heights in Ireland
Handrail height sounds like one number and turns out to be several, depending on whether you are on a flight, on a landing, in a house or in a public building. Here is the practical version.
Where the measurement starts
On a flight of stairs the height is measured vertically from the pitch line, which is the imaginary line joining the nosings of the treads, not from the surface of an individual step. On a landing or balcony it is measured from the finished floor level.
Getting this wrong is the usual reason a balustrade is refused at inspection: it was set out from the tread rather than the pitch line and ends up short.
The common figures
In dwellings, guarding to a flight is generally 900mm and guarding to landings, balconies and level areas is generally 1100mm. In buildings other than dwellings the figures differ in places, with higher guarding used where the drop or the occupancy demands it.
Handrail height on a flight commonly falls in the 900mm to 1000mm band. Where a handrail is provided in addition to guarding, both requirements have to be satisfied.
The 100mm sphere rule
No gap in guarding should allow a 100mm sphere to pass through. That governs the spacing of vertical bars, the gap under the bottom rail and the space between open risers on a stair.
It applies at every point, including at the top and bottom of a flight where a balustrade meets a newel or a wall, which is where designers most often leave an oversized gap.
Designing to it from the start
All of this is straightforward when it is part of the design and painful when it is discovered at inspection. We set out balustrade and handrail to the applicable heights and gaps as standard, and confirm the figures with your certifier where a building is not a straightforward dwelling.
This article is a summary for planning purposes. The Technical Guidance Documents and your assigned certifier govern what applies to your project.
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Common questions
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