1, this standard specifies technical requirements and testing rules for residential metal balustrades, and metal, plastic and wooden handrails. This standard applies to residential metal balustrades and metal, plastic and wooden handrails.

2, References standard:

JGJ37 construction design principles (provisional) under GBJ96 residential building design criteria JGJ18 Regulation of welds of steel bar and its inspection under GB19 construction structure load GBJ301 inspection and judgment on Quality standard of construction installation.

3, terms

3.1 Staircase is the combination consists of one or more consecutive stairs and platforms which are used for connecting construction planes of different levels.

3.2  Step is the tread and consists of and horizontal step plates (or without kick plates.)

3.3 Handrail is the fitting of strip shape which is fixed on the wall or balustrade.

3.4 Balustrade is the separation facilities installed at the edge of staircase and platform with some rigidity and security.

3.5 Stair well is the spatial void enclosed by staircase and platform edge.

4, production classification

4.1 Balustrades and handrails are classified by materials into metal, hard wood, and composite materials. 

5, Technical requirement

5.1.1  For the indoor balustrades used in public, the height of staircase handrail should not be lower than 900mm, from the center line of step to the top of handrail.  If the length of horizontal handrail exceeds 500mm, its height should not be lower than 1000mm.

5.1.2 For the outdoor balustrade used in public, it should not be lower than 1050mm and it should not be lower than 1100mm fro high or middle floors in residential buildings.

5.1.3 when the width of the stair well exceeds 200mm, it is nor advisable to use the balustrade with vertical members which are easy for children to climb and the spacing between vertical screen members whould not be larger than 110mm.

5.1.4  Railing and balustrades at corners are preferable to be continuous.

5.2  Materials

5.2.1 The specification and quality of raw materials should be in accordance with design requirement and current nationals standards and regulations.

5.2.2 The raw materials should leave the seller's factory with certificate of quality or test report and be inspected and received as per its batch number, when entering buyer's factory. The raw materials without seller's qualified certificates can only be used after mechanical and technical tests have been completed and be proven as qualified materials according to regulations of related standards. Disqualified materials are forbidden to be used.

5.3  Structural performance

5.3.1 After installing balustrade, handrail and tread, its structural loading capacity should comply with the GBJ9 regulation that horizontal load is 0.5KN/M,  and Maximum allowable deflection should not exceed h/100 where h is the height of handrail.

5.4  Quality of appearance

5.4.1 The joints of balustrade and handrail (weld, bolt jonit) should be neat.  The connection between metal balustrade  and metal,  plastic or hard wooden handrail should be in accordance with design requirements and the regulations of current related standards.

5.4.2  The surface of product should be smooth and bright without appearance defects such as spur, welding slag, obvious hammer's trace, etc.

5.4.3  The cutting position of accessory should be filed away and its edge should be tidy without cutting trace.

5.4.4 Straight line should be straight and its bending part should be smooth with uniform shade.

5.4.5  Rust and oil stain on metal balustrade and handrail should be removed before painting anti-corrosion primer.  Wooden handrail should be covered with lacquer for anti-corrosion and the lacquer layer should be even and solid without deflects, such as excess lacquer or empty spots.

6 Test method 

The test method or structural performance should follow the requirements of cantilever in GBJ10.

7, Test rules

7.1  Various tests should be conducted on the parts of balustrade and handrail by manufacturer before shipping out of factory.

7.2 Test items and method should follow the requirement of appendix A: Test items and method of residential balustrade and handrail.

7.3  Batch and sampling

7.3.1 One batch refers to same kinds of parts produced for the same project and with the same technology.

7.3.2  On the basis of visual inspection of each for appearance quality, inspection should be inspected to random samples of 5% for appearance quality ans such sample should not be less than 3 pieces.  When the quantity of whole batch is more than 300 pieces, inspection should be done to a random sample of 2% and the total number of test samples should not be less than 10 pieces.

7.3.3 The sample for testing structural performance should be one taken at random in normal production every half year.

7.4 Principles for judging quality

Judgment is done piece by piece, quality items must be assured in accordance with requirements, and main items must be fully complied with their requirements.  In General, excellent products should comply with at least 6 requirements, the first grade products should be comply with at least 5 requirements.  And then qualified produces should comply with at least 4 requirements.

7.5  The Principle for checking and accepting in the inspection of balustrade and handrail samples, if excellent products rate less than 90%, this batch of produce should be accepted as qualified products.  If qualified products rate less than 90%, this batch of products should be checked twice the sample size.  If the qualified products rate is still less than 92%, all the products should be repaired.  For the repaired products, if they reach the requirements after checking, they can be accepted as qualified products.  And their repairing method and checking result should be recorded for reference.

8.  Mark, package, stowage, transportation

8.1 Factory name (factory logo), products code, production date (day/month/year) and name of the production team should be marked on an obvious location with "checked and accepted" zeal or card according to the result.

8.2 "certificate of approval" should be given to buyer with products by the manufacturer.  The certificate of Approval should not which standard, number of certificate of approval, project name, components number, weight, dates of production and leaving manufacturer, quantity, structural properties, quality, etc.

8.3  staircase balustrades and handrails should be packed to small package according to its quality and grade, and each package should weight less than 80KG.  The package should be solid and sound preventing it from distortion or damage in transportation.

8.4  Balustrades and handrails should be stacked according to produce type and transported in a way preventing it from distortion or damage in transportation. 

Remark: The above content is excerpted from JG3002.3-92 << Residence staircase, handrail, balustrade>>.