Stairs required to be accessible by 4 1 shall comply with 4 9.
Stair handrail requirements ada.
So this basically sums up the basic code requirements for residential stairs and their dimensions.
These regulations adopted revised enforceable accessibility standards called the 2010 ada standards for accessible design 2010 standards or standards.
Open risers are not permitted.
They are required on both sides of stairs and ramps.
4 9 2 treads and risers.
If you choose to place a handrail in another area such as a corridor it must meet the handrail.
This guide explains requirements in the ada standards for stairways.
Ada stair design specifications ada stair specifications for stair handrailing compliance with the americans with disabilities act.
A handrail is required on stairs with two or more risers and ada ramps with a rise of 6 inches.
Minimum 36 inch clear width for stairway.
Stair and ramp handrail requirements for children ada ramp and handrails requirements are different for children or when children are the principle users in a building or facility such as an elementary school requiring all of the ada handrail specifications for adults and a second set of handrails at a lower height for children.
Therefore let us recap on the residential stair code requirements.
Summary of code requirements for residential stairs.
Maximum 4 1 2 inch handrail projection into stairway width on either side.
When children are the principal users in a building or facility e g elementary schools a second set of handrails at an appropriate height can assist them and aid in preventing accidents.
The requirements for stair and ramp handrails in this document are for adults.
The department of justice published revised regulations for titles ii and iii of the americans with disabilities act of 1990 ada in the federal register on september 15 2010.
Section 4 26 4 of the 1991 standards requires handrail gripping surfaces to have edges with a minimum radius of 1 8 inch.
The 2010 standards provide more flexibility than the 1991 standards as follows.
On any given flight of stairs all steps shall have uniform riser heights and uniform tread widths.
In the united states stair specifications for accessible stairways and safe climbable steps and handrailings are discussed by the americans with disabilities act section 4 9 stairs provided and illustrated here.
Handrails are not required on walking surfaces with running slopes less than 1 20.
Stair treads shall be no less than 11 in 280 mm wide measured from riser to riser.
While the finer details will ultimately be influenced by your local government s building regulations the international building code the international residential code and the standards set by the americans with disabilities act of 1990 maintain that exterior stairs that are a required point of egress in other words stairs that must be crossed on your way in and out of the building.
