9.8.8. Guards

9.8.8. Guards
9.8.8.1. Required Guards
(See Note A-9.8.8.1.)
  1. Except as provided in Sentence (2), every surface to which access is provided, including but not limited to flights of steps and ramps, exterior landings, porches, balconies, mezzanines, galleries and raised walkways, shall be protected by a guard on each side that is not protected by a wall for the length where
    1. there is a difference in elevation of more than 600 mm between the walking surface and the adjacent surface, or
    2. the adjacent surface within 1.2 m of the walking surface has a slope of more than 1 in 2.
  2. Guards are not required
    1. at loading docks,
    2. at floor pits in repair garages, or
    3. where access is provided for maintenance purposes only.
  3. Doors in buildings of residential occupancy, where the finished floor on one side of the door is more than 600 mm above the floor or other constructed surface or ground level on the other side of the door, shall be protected by
    1. a guard, or
    2. a mechanism capable of controlling the free swinging or sliding of the door so as to limit any clear unobstructed opening to not more than 100 mm.
  4. Except as provided in Sentence (5), openable windows in buildings of residential occupancy shall be protected by
    1. a guard, or
    2. a mechanism capable of controlling the free swinging or sliding of the openable part of the window so as to limit any clear unobstructed opening to not more than 100 mm measured either vertically or horizontally where the other dimension is greater than 380 mm. (See Note A-9.8.8.1.(4).)
  5. Windows need not be protected in accordance with Sentence (4), where
    1. the window serves a dwelling unit that is not located above another suite,
    2. the window serves a house with a secondary suite,
    3. the only opening greater than 100 mm by 380 mm is a horizontal opening at the top of the window,
    4. the window sill is located more than 450 mm above the finished floor on one side of the window, or
    5. the window is located in a room or space with the finished floor described in Clause (d) located less than 1 800 mm above the floor or ground on the other side of the window. (See Note A-9.8.8.1.(4).)
  6. Except as provided in Sentence (7), glazing installed over stairs, ramps and landings that extends to less than 1 070 mm above the surface of the treads, ramp or landing shall be
    1. protected by guards, in accordance with this Subsection, or
    2. non-openable and designed to withstand the specified lateral loads for balcony guards as provided in Article 4.1.5.14.
  7. In dwelling units, glazing installed over stairs, ramps and landings that extends to less than 900 mm above the surface of the treads, ramp or landing shall be
    1. protected by guards, in accordance with this Subsection, or
    2. non-openable and designed to withstand the specified lateral loads for balcony guards as provided in Article 4.1.5.14.
  8. Glazing installed in public areas that extends to less than 1 m from the floor and is located above the second storey in buildings of residential occupancy shall be
    1. protected by guards in accordance with this Subsection, or
    2. non-openable and designed to withstand the specified lateral loads for balcony guards as provided in Article 4.1.5.14.
9.8.8.2. Loads on Guards (See Note A-9.8.8.2.)
  1. Except as provided in Sentences (2) and (4), guards shall be designed to resist the specified loads prescribed in Table 9.8.8.2.

    Table 9.8.8.2.
    Specified Loads for Guards
    Forming Part of Sentence 9.8.8.2.(1)

    Table 9.8.8.2.

    Notes to Table 9.8.8.2.:
    (1) The load that creates the most critical condition shall apply.
    (2) See Sentence (2).

  2. For guards within dwelling units and within houses with a secondary suite including their common spaces and for exterior guards serving not more than 2 dwelling units, where the width and spacing of balusters are such that 3 balusters can be engaged by a load imposed over a 300 mm width, the load shall be imposed so as to engage 3 balusters.
  3. None of the loads specified in Table 9.8.8.2. need be considered to act simultaneously.
  4. For guards within dwelling units and within houses with a secondary suite including their common spaces and for exterior guards serving not more than 2 dwelling units, Table 9.8.8.2. need not apply where the guard construction used has been demonstrated to provide effective performance.
9.8.8.3. Height of Guards
(See Note A-9.8.8.3.)
  1. Except as provided in Sentences (2) to (4), all guards shall be not less than 1 070 mm high.
  2. All guards within dwelling units or within houses with a secondary suite including their common spaces shall be not less than 900 mm high.
  3. Exterior guards serving not more than one dwelling unit or a house with a secondary suite including their common spaces shall be not less than 900 mm high where the walking surface served by the guard is not more than 1 800 mm above the finished ground level.
  4. Guards for flights of steps, except in required exit stairs, shall be not less than 900 mm high.
  5. The height of guards for flights of steps shall be measured vertically from the top of the guard to a line drawn through the tread nosing served by the guard.
9.8.8.4. Guards for Floors and Ramps in Garages
  1. Except for floors of garages referred to in Section 9.35., where garage floors or ramps are 600 mm or more above the adjacent ground or floor level, every opening through a garage floor and the perimeter of floors and ramps that have no exterior walls shall be provided with
    1. a continuous curb not less than 140 mm in height, and
    2. a guard not less than 1 070 mm above the floor level.
  2. Vehicle guardrails shall be designed and constructed to withstand the loading values stipulated in Sentence 4.1.5.15.(1). (See Note A-4.1.5.14. and 4.1.5.15.(1).)
9.8.8.5. Openings in Guards
  1. Except as permitted in Sentences (2) and (3), openings through guards shall be of a size that prevents the passage of a spherical object having a diameter of 100 mm. (See Note A-9.8.8.5.(1) and (2).)
  2. Except where they serve storage garages, guards in industrial occupancies are permitted to consist of
    1. a top railing, and
    2. one or more horizontal intermediate rails spaced such that the size of the openings through the guard prevents the passage of a spherical object having a diameter of 535 mm. (See Note A-9.8.8.5.(1) and (2).)
  3. Openings through any guard that is not required by Article 9.8.8.1. and that serves an occupancy other than an industrial occupancy shall be of a size that
    1. prevents the passage of a spherical object having a diameter of 100 mm, or
    2. permits the passage of a spherical object having a diameter of 200 mm. (See Note A-9.8.8.5.(3).)
9.8.8.6. Design of Guards to Not Facilitate Climbing
  1. Except for guards in industrial occupancies, guards required by Article 9.8.8.1. that protect a level located more than 4.2 m above the adjacent level shall be designed so that no member, attachment or opening located between 140 mm and 900 mm above the level protected by the guard facilitates climbing. (See Note A-9.8.8.6.(1).)
9.8.8.7. Glass in Guards
  1. Glass in guards shall be
    1. safety glass of the laminated or tempered type conforming to CAN/CGSB-12.1-M, "Tempered or Laminated Safety Glass," or
    2. wired glass conforming to CAN/CGSB-12.11-M, "Wired Safety Glass."

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