Standard Railings For General Industry Workplaces: Fact Sheet

Oregon
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Standard railings for general industry workplaces
Standard railings for

general industry workplaces
OAR 437
Division 2/D
Web site:
www.orosha.org
Salem Central Office
350 Winter St. NE, Rm. 430
Salem, OR 97301-3882
Phone: 503-378-3272
Toll-free: 800-922-2689
Fax: 503-947-7461
A standard railing, or guardrail, is a barrier erected along open-sided floors, platforms,

stairway floor openings, and other walking or working surfaces to prevent people from
falling. Oregon OSHA rules require standard railings at 4 feet above a lower level at
general industry workplaces.
A standard railing consists of a top rail, a midrail, and posts and has a height of 42
inches nominal from the upper surface of the top rail to the walking or working surface.
The top rail must have a smooth surface and be capable of withstanding 200 pounds of
force applied in any direction. The midrail must be approximately halfway between the
top rail and lower surface. The anchoring posts must withstand a load of at least 200
pounds applied in any direction.
Open-sided floors, walkways, platforms, or runways above (regardless of height) or
adjacent to dangerous equipment, pickling and galvanizing tanks, and degreasing units
must have a standard railing and a toeboard.
Alternatives to fixed standard railings, such as hinged floor coverings with removable
standard railings, may also be appropriate.
Toeboards
Barriers or netting may
A toeboard is a vertical barrier
top rail
be required to keep
erected along exposed edges
42 inches
material from
of a floor opening, wall opening,
falling
platform, runway, or ramp that
prevents material from falling.
midrail
A toeboard must be in place if
halfway point
there is a danger of material
falling through the openings of
a standard railing between the
floor and midrail.
toeboard
A toeboard must be 4 inches
high from its top edge to the floor,
platform, runway, or ramp. The
toeboard must be must be constructed of substantial material either solid or
with openings of 1 inch or less and must be securely fastened with no more
than 1/4-inch clearance above the floor.
When material is piled higher than the top edge of a toeboard, install barriers of
sufficient height to protect workers below.
Stair railing
A stair railing is a vertical barrier erected along exposed sides of a stairway to
prevent people from falling. Each flight of stairs that has four or more risers or steps
must have railings or handrails.
A stair railing is similar to a standard railing but has a height between 30 and 34
inches from the upper surface of the top rail to the forward edge of the step tread.
OR-OSHA (9/14) FS-04
Standard railings for general industry workplaces continued

Can a parapet wall be used as a standard railing?
In cases where a workers exposure to a fall is minimal and it is infeasible to use a standard railing that
has a vertical height of 42 inches nominal, you can use a barrier, such as a parapet wall, with height
and width dimensions that equal at least 48 inches when they are added together.
OAR 437
Division 2/D
How to measure the height and width dimensions of the barrier:
Example 1
Barrier height is 30 inches.
Barrier width is 18 inches.
Barrier height + barrier width = 48 inches.
30
30
12
Example 2
36
10
Example 3
38
When measurements reveal that a barrier does not meet the height plus width requirement of
48 inches, it must have a standard railing attached to provide appropriate fall protection.
More information
Walking-Working Surfaces, Subdivision 2/D (General Industry)

Guardrail Height in General Industry, Program Directive A-173
The Standards and Technical Resources Section of Oregon OSHA produced this fact sheet to highlight our programs, policies, or standards.
The information is from the field staff, research by the technical resources staff, and published materials. We urge readers to consult the
actual rules as this fact sheet information is not as detailed.
Standard railings for general industry workplaces
First, measure the height of the barrier. The barrier must be at least 30 inches high. Barriers less
than 30 inches high cannot be used. Next, measure the width of the barrier. Add the height and width
together. The barrier height and the barrier width must equal at least 48 inches as shown in the three
examples below:
18
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Oregon

Standard railings for

A standard railing, or guardrail, is a barrier erected along open-sided floors, platforms,

OR-OSHA (9/14) FS-04

Standard railings for general industry workplaces continued

How to measure the height and width dimensions of the barrier:

Walking-Working Surfaces, Subdivision 2/D (General Industry)

Standard railings for general industry workplaces

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