What is a guard rail used for?
A guardrail is, first and foremost, a safety barrier intended to shield a motorist who has left the roadway. The best case scenario, if a car is careening off the road, would be for that car to come to rest unhindered.
What is a guard rail called?
Although the OSHA standard calls for a guardrail or guardrail system to protect workers on elevated work areas, current industry terminology would refer to that type of safety system as a handrail system or safety rail system.
What is a guard rail for stairs?
In building terms, a guardrail is a railing used to prevent falling from an elevated surface like a deck or balcony. When guardrail lines a stairway (or a ramp with a rise of greater than 6 inches), building codes will require a secondary handrail, too.
What are guard rails in construction?
Temporary construction guardrails are required by OSHA and are designed to provide fall protection for people who are working at height. These temporary safety railing systems are appropriate for construction, infrequent roof maintenance, and roof repairs.
What is the difference between a handrail and a guard rail?
Defining Guardrails and Handrails OSHA and many building codes use the term “guardrail” to refer to fall protection for raised platforms and stairways, but the industrial safety industry uses the more specific term “handrail,” with “guardrail” used only to refer heavy-duty beams of formed steel.
Whats the difference between a guard and a handrail?
Often the two are used interchangeably. However, a guardrail is a barricade installed at the perimeter of a raised surface such as balconies or walkways. While a handrail is any horizontal or sloping railing especially on escalators or stairways on which you can grasp by the hand.
How tall are guard rails?
42 inches to 45 inches
(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.
At what height do you need a guard rail?
42 inches
As opposed to the requirements of handrail system, a guardrail must be 42 inches in height – plus or minus 3 inches above the walking surface.