Handrails and balustrades

Design

Good design

See the following corporate documents to identify relevant project design requirements:

Sunshine Coast Planning Scheme

Sunshine Coast Design

Open Space Landscape Infrastructure Manual (LIM)

Embellishment requirements

Warranty and asset life

Handrail and balustrades

Once the location of the handrail and balustrades has been decided, based on the Environment and Liveability Strategy (ELS) and Recreation Parks Plan (RPP) guidance, consider the appropriate embellishment level to suit the selected site.

Overarching design considerations:

• All open spaces should include universal access (e.g. heights appropriate to provide a safe barrier for all users).
• A balustrade is typically a top rail and a row of balusters (posts) to support it. A balustrade can incorporate a handrail or be configured to act as a handrail.
• Handrails provide guidance and support. Balustrades are barrier devices used to protect people from the risk of falls from a height
• Handrails should be installed to both edges of walkways, boardwalks, ramps and stairs.
• Handrail and balustrade also provides security for an area by directing or excluding people to protect flora, fauna and their habitat.
• This document provides general guidelines only and does not cover comprehensive specific technical detail about the construction of handrails and balustrades.

Design for pedestrians 

Handrails, leaning rails, barriers, and kerb rails must be designed and installed to meet accessibility, safety, and structural standards, ensuring user comfort, fall protection, and compliance with relevant Australian Standards.

Handrail

For handrail and balustrade associated with a building refer to Disability (Access to premises – buildings) Standards 2010.

• Recommended handrail height is 1.0 m desirable, 865 mm minimum.
• Install a handrail to both sides of ramps and stairs.
• Handrail terminations must not protrude into a traverse path of travel.
• Cross section of handrails is to be circular or elliptical between 30 mm and 50 mm (50 mm is preferred).
• Handrails are to be firmly fixed and rigid and the ends turned through 180°, or to the ground, or returned fully to end post or wall face
• Clearance (hand space) between a handrail and an adjacent surface (such as a wall) is to be minimum 50 mm. This clearance must extend above the top of the handrail a minimum 600 mm.
• Handrails are to have no obstruction to the passage of a hand along the rail for the top 270 degrees of movement along the rail.
• The inside rail at landings must always be continuous.
• Design bolted handrail connections to allow for ease of replacement of worn components.

See Table 1: Handrail and barrier elements.

Leaning rail

Install leaning rails to the top of posts at locations such as viewing platforms or where people may wish to stop for a short term rest or to enjoy a view.

• Angle the lean rail at 5 to 10 degrees back towards the person using the rail, to allow a comfortably resting position.
• Select a smooth finished surface for the lean rail.
• Flat top rail also may be used for a top rail however a minimal angle is required to facilitate shedding of water.

Barrier

Barrier is to comply with AS 2156.2:2001 Walking Tracks infrastructure design (to be read in conjunction with AS 2156.1:2001 Walking tracks classification and signage).

• Install barrier where there is a risk of falls.
• Install barrier to reduce the risk of falling from a height, or onto adverse material such as rock or water.
• Risk assessment for each site as per WH&S Risk Calculator (see AS/NZ ISO31000). See LIM Walls for further guidance about risk of falls.
• Balustrade must be able to resist 70 Nm minimum allowable force in all directions.

Kerb rail (integrated)

Kerb rail is to comply with AS 1428.1:2009 Design for access and mobility.

Install kerb rails to both sides of a pathway to delineate the edges for white cane users and to prevent wheeled mobility devices, children's bikes and scooters from travelling off the edges.

• Recommended maximum height is 150 mm to the top of the kerb rail.
• See Figure 1: Examples - leaning rail and pedestrian handrail with barrier.

Figure 1: Examples – leaning rail and pedestrian handrail with barrier

Design for cyclists 

For cyclist safety, handrail and balustrade design requires appropriate rail and barrier design, clear offsets from hazards, and compliance with Austroads and Australian Standards to minimise injury risks.

Rail

Consider the full spectrum of cyclists skills resulting from age, experience, physical ability, cognitive skill and vision.

• Install cyclist rail where there is a hazard adjacent a pathway that has the potential to cause injury to cyclists.
• Austroads absolute min. offset to a smooth fence beside a path is 300 mm.
• Austroads absolute min. offset to an obstacle beside a path (which could injure a cyclist) is 500 mm, preferred offset 1.0 m. On high speed paths an offset greater than 1.0 m is desirable. Consider the risk to cyclists. Fences can also be hazards.
• Where barrier fence termination points flare away from the path, the bar ends must not create a spearing hazard.

Barrier

Cyclist barrier in parks or open spaces is to comply with AS 2156.2:2001 Walking tracks infrastructure design and Austroads guide to road design Part 6A: Paths for walking and cycling. Cyclist barrier is required where injury might be expected if a cyclist were to ride off the path (based on risk assessment).

• Full or partial barrier fence is required where there is a batter or vertical drop.
• Recommended height is 1.4 m desirable, 1.2 m minimum.
• Consider a higher barrier such as 1.6 m where there is a severe hazard such as a vertical fall to rock.
• Install cyclist rail and protective barrier to pedestrian bridges.

See the following for further guidance: 

• Figure 2: Typical cyclist rail
• Figure 3: Cyclist rail with barrier
• Table 1: Handrail and barrier elements.

Figure 2: Typical cyclist rail

Figure 3: Cyclist rail with barrier

Design for both pedestrian and cyclist 

Table 1: Handrail and barrier elements

Embellishment	Rail design/height/Ø	Handrail extension	Kerb or kerb rail	Barrier	Attributes
Pedestrian handrail  AS 1428.1-2009 Design for access and mobility Part 1: General requirements for access - New building work	50 mm min clearance handrail to a wall or obstacle  handrail extension min 300 mm beyond last handrail post  handrail 865- 1000 mm high max  30-50 mm. Ø 50 mm preferred  70 Nm min. allowable force in all directions.	900 mm set back from a traverse path. Handrail must not protrude into a traverse continuous accessible path of travel (CAPT).	65 mm max gap surface level to kerb  150 mm max height  In line with handrail.	Options:  no barrier  partial barrier  full barrier.  Depends on calculated fall height. Refer to AS 2156.2 2001  Bolt on sections for ease of replacement Child safe vertical barrier required  No footholds horizontal barrier (to discourage climbing).	Smooth hand rail both sides of ramp, path or stairs No obstruction to the movement of a hand along the hand rail for the upper 270° of the handrail
Cyclist rails  Cycling Aspects of Austroads Guides (2017)	Height options:  1200 mm min  1400 mm desirable 1600 mm (fall to a severe hazard)  30-50 mm Ø  Rub rail 150 mm min offset (pedal clearance).	N/A	150 mm horizontal pedal clearance from post to cyclist rail 50 mm height from ground level to top of a kerb rail.	Options:  no barrier  partial barrier  full barrier Depends on calculated fall height. Refer to AS 2156.2 2001  Where there is a steep slope or large vertical drop close to the path At a bridge or culvert on the path  Where a hazard exists  Bolt on sections for ease of replacement	Smooth rail  Install in gardens where possible  Austroads  300mm absolute minimum offset edge of cycle path to a smooth fence  500mm absolute minimum path edge offset to an obstacle beside a pathway  1.0m or greater desirable offset to any obstacle beside a pathway

Note:   Refer to LIM Play spaces for handrail and balustrade design Standards associated with playground equipment.