The emergency rooms in the United States treat 3 million falls a year. The National Council on Aging found that an estimated $50 billion worth of falls a year are caused by people aged 65 and over. This is due to falls in either the workplace or in public places. You can save yourself from these expenses by investing in the right set of IBC or OSHA. You will need the following information to decide on your metal stair railing
There are three different types of stairs with different safety codes: residential, commercial, and industrial. Residential stairs are specific to private homes, and they are regulated by state and local building codes. Commercial stairs are for public use and must meet International Building Code standards. In the United States, industrial stairs must meet standard requirements set by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration.
Metal Solutions USA LLC’s ADA Handrail
Why IBC stairs are an effective safety measure?
Commercial stairs are open to the public and must be accessible to a wide range of users. The code regulating them reflects this wide range and is designed to ensure they are safe for all users. The IBC stair code requires the following:
- Every set of stairs must be 36 inches wide or wider.
- There must be a handrail or guard on all staircase steps with a height greater than 12 feet.
- Footsteps have an 11-inch width and there must not be any gaps, or small children can get stuck in them and fall down the stairs.
Landings must match the stairway’s width, be no less than three feet long, and meet other requirements.
Industrial staircase by our engineer
OSHA – The importance of following safety codes
Different safety codes are needed for industrial spaces because the standard IBC stairs code is not appropriate. Safety concerns don’t apply to stairs. Instead, they serve as a tool for more difficult tasks in machinery, tanks, and pits. OSHA has requirements designed to make stairs accessible to all workers. Handrails and guardrails that withstand less than 200 pounds can’t be used to avoid crushing hazards. Stairs should be at least 22 inches with a width of no smaller than 760 millimeters. Steps’ tread can range from 8–20 inches (with a required rise difference), and the rails must withstand 200 pounds of pressure. Since the stairs handle less traffic, they may also be narrower and come with Open Risers for increased safety. Landings for such stairs are not as large as landing requirements for other stairs.
Metal Solutions’s Project: Jeremiah Ice Italian (Grant Rd). View detail
How about the cost?
OSHA staircases cost less than those of the IBC code because they are designed for lower-risk occupations. IBC stairs typically cost more because they include high-priced materials like stone or tile. So, what costs more, OSHA-compliant or IBC-compliant stairs? Stairs are not just access points; they have a role to play in aesthetic design as well. There are many benefits to focusing on aesthetics. When a building looks great, people will feel good coming in and clients will want to use that company more often. Entrepreneur magazine also said, “Looks have an important impact on how customers perceive the brand and how likely they are to stay.”
Clients and investors have a strong impression of your company when they see your external stairways. Structured data is used to generate stairway insights that can impact employee happiness, health, and productivity as well as customer impressions of the business. Be sure to communicate with the other decision-makers at your workplace and look for a professional to help you assess your needs.
Contact us now! Going through the process of getting a quote takes less than five minutes and is free. It can save you years of headaches and millions of dollars.
