WALLS ACTING AS GUARDS - ARTICLE 4.1.10.2

BRANCH OPINION

WALLS ACTING AS GUARDS - ARTICLE 4.1.10.2

The intent of article 3.3.1.17 of the OBC is to require guards around raised floor areas higher than 600 mm above adjacent floors to prevent persons from falling off a higher level to a lower level.

Subsection 4.1.10 of the OBC contains the loading provisions for guards.

Article 4.1.10.2 has been clarified in the 1995 National Building Code (NBC). The provisions of this article have been moved to article 4.1.10.3 and now have the title: "Loads on Walls Acting As Guards". The intent of this article is that walls are expected to act as guards where the floor elevation on one side of a wall is more than 600 mm above the floor or ground on the other side.

Article 4.1.10.2 of the OBC specifies that:

"Where the floor elevation on one side of a wall, including a wall around a shaft, is not less than 600 mm greater than the elevation of the floor or ground on the other side, the wall shall be designed to resist the appropriate lateral design loads prescribed elsewhere in this Section or 0.5 kPa, whichever produces the greatest effect."

Therefore, where a wall is provided at the edge of a raised floor area higher than 600 mm, the lower portion of the wall up to a height of 1070 mm shall be designed to resist the lateral loads specified for guards in article 4.1.10.1. The entire wall shall also comply with the requirements of articles 4.1.10.1 and 4.1.10.2 as well as the live loads specified elsewhere in part 4 of the OBC. This requirement is applicable to interior and exterior walls. It is applicable regardless of the construction of the wall; ie. gypsum board, glass, masonry, precast concrete.

February 27, 1996

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