Understanding ADA Handrail Requirements

The first thing to know is when you need to have a handrail.  If you have a stair or a ramp, then you need to have a handrail.  You will also need to have a handrail on both sides of the stair or ramp if you serve the public, which will affect how you design the railing.

If you have a walking surface that is less than a 1:20 slope, then you don’t need to have a handrail. However, if you choose to install one, then it needs to comply with the standards that are set in 505.

The handrail height should be between 34 inches and 38 inches above the walking surface. This should be consistent throughout the length of the handrail.

It’s important to note that this considers adults. If children are the primary users of the ramps or stairs, like in an elementary school, then you should provide a second set of handrails to aid in preventing accidents. It is recommended that this should be no higher than 28 inches. Also, make sure that there are at least 9 inches between the upper and lower handrails to ensure no one is entrapped.

The handrail diameter should be 1-1/4 inches to 2 inches. If it is non-circular, then it shouldn’t have a cross-section greater than 2-1/4 inches and its perimeter should be 4 inches to 6-1/4 inches.

The handrail should have at least 1-1/2 inches of clearance to any adjacent surface.

All gripping surfaces on an ADA handrail and any surfaces adjacent to them shall be free of anything sharp or abrasive. They should also have rounded edges. The last thing you want someone worrying about is cutting themselves on something that is supposed to help them gain access to your location.

The gripping surface of the handrail shall be continuous and without obstruction on the top or the side of the railing. It's okay if you have obstructions on the bottom, like the support connections, but that should not exceed 20 percent of the railing.

If you use fittings with your handrail, then you need to make sure that the handrail doesn’t rotate inside of it. This could cause someone to lose balance as they grip onto the railing.

A ramp is anything with a slope greater than or equal to 1:20. Handrails are required if the rise is greater than 6 inches.

ADA wheelchair ramps require that you extend the railing for 12 inches beyond the top and bottom of the ramp. Remember that the handrail height should be continuous throughout the length of the rail, so this will need to level out on both ends.

The handrail should extend in the same direction as the ramp, unless it’s a switchback, the gap is designed to gain access to a sitting area, or the extension would be hazardous.

All extensions should end into a wall, guard, or the landing surface. You may also connect it to another handrail on an adjacent stair, like with a switchback.

Wheelchair ramps have an additional requirement beyond stairs and that is the need to have edge protection. The purpose of this protection is to prevent wheelchairs and crutch tips from slipping off the surface. There are two ways to accomplish.

• You can install the handrail so that the edge of the ramp is 12 inches from the inside face of the handrail.
• You can provide a curb or a barrier that prevents a sphere of 4 inches from passing through anywhere the sphere can touch within 4 inches of the ramp surface. This can often look like adding a bottom rail to the handrail system or building a 4 inch concrete curb.

The railing on a stair should continue for 12 inches beyond the start of the top riser, which is nose of the top stair tread.

The bottom of the railing should extend horizontally the depth of one tread beyond the final stair.

As with ramps, the handrail should extend in the same direction as the stair, unless it’s a switchback or dogleg stair. This exception also applies if the gap is designed to gain access to a sitting area or if the extension would be hazardous.

All extensions should end into a wall, guard, or the landing surface. You may also connect it to another handrail on an adjacent stair, like with a switchback.