How to Add a Safety Rail to a Ramp

Handrails make ramps safer.

Adhere to Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) requirements by adding a railing to any ramp with a rise of at least 6 inches, or with a horizontal extension of more than 72 inches. Handrails are not required on curb ramps or ramps within seating areas.

Things You'll Need

• Measuring tape
• Screwdriver
• Railing support hardware
• Hand drill with appropriate-size bit (optional)

Instructions

1. Measure so that the top of the handrail gripping surface falls between 34 and 38 inches from the ramp surface. On ramps used primarily by children, a railing height of 28 inches is recommended. Both adult and child railings may be mounted concurrently, but enough vertical clearance (a minimum of 9 inches) between them is necessary to prevent entanglement. When mounted, the railing should be parallel to the ramp surface.

2. Use railing bracket hardware with a clearance of 1 1/2 inches from the wall. If the ramp is outdoors, make sure the hardware is rated for all-weather use. If desired, use a drill with a bit appropriate to the size of screw to start screw holes.

3. Provide handrails on both sides of the ramp. Gripping surfaces must be continuous. Use a continuous rail on the inside of a switchback or L-shaped ramp. Handrails that are not continuous must extend 12 inches beyond the top and bottom of the ramp, and the end of the gripping surface must either be rounded or returned to the floor, wall or post.

Tips & Warnings

• Use materials suited to the weight they must bear, as well as to the environment in which they must exist. If added to an outdoor ramp, railing material should be rot-resistant.

• Handrails must not rotate in their fittings.

References

• Americans with Disabilities Act Railings Specifications
• Mobility Advisor
• Adaptive Access