How High Should A Guardrail Be?

Guardrail Height UK

Guardrails have an important role to play in the safety of workers, the public, and children. Thus, there are various regulations that govern guardrails. Guardrails act as barriers that prevent people from falling. In this blog post, we will discuss important regulations regarding the heights of railings. 

The UK law has a set of different regulations for guardrails depending on where they are situated and what they are used for. Generally speaking, they must be high enough to protect people from falling as well as strong enough when there is overcrowding.

There are different types of railings and each of them has slightly different requirements regarding height. 

So, how high should guardrails be and what is the minimum guardrail height? 

Children’s Safety Guardrails

Areas that are dedicated to children must follow the UK’s Building Regulations. According to those, railings need to be at least 100mm apart. They must prevent children from climbing and be resistant to pushing. When it comes to domestic and residential guardrail height, guardrails that are located on balconies and outdoor roofs require to be a minimum of 1.1 metres high. Moreover, they need to have gaps of less than 99mm to prevent children from passing between them.

Outdoor Guardrails 

Outdoor guardrails that are located on roofs and terraces must be at least 1.1 metres high from the floor. If guardrails are used for construction work to keep workers safe, they must be at least 950mm high and have gaps below 470mm. These requirements are described in the Work at Height Regulations 2005. 

Indoor Guardrails 

Indoor stair railings and balustrades must be a minimum of 0.9 metres high. Also, if a space is used by children, better to make sure that railings are not possible to climb. Every area with guardrails must be reassessed accordingly to prevent accidents from happening. Thus, project managers should think about the unexpected to better evaluate the risks. 

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At Alpha Rail, we supply a range of various guardrails. If you need some help with choosing the best products, please contact us on 01623 750 214 or at @websales@alpharail.co.uk. Alternatively, you can fill out the form down below. We will be in touch with you shortly.