Oregon

OSHA
Web site:
www.orosha.org
Salem Central Ofce
350 Winter St. NE, Rm. 430
Salem, OR 97301-3882
Phone: 503-378-3272
Toll-free: 800-922-2689
Fax: 503-947-7461
FACT SHEET
FACT SHEET
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Standard Railings
OAR 437
Division 2/D
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General-Industry Requirements
Oregon OSHA requires guardrails to prevent falls from open-sided foors, platforms, stairway foor
openings, and walking or working surfaces that are more than four feet above the ground. Regard-
less of height, open-sided foors, walkways, platforms, or runways above or adjacent to dangerous
equipment, pickling or galvanizing tanks, degreasing units, etc., must have a standard railing and
toeboard. Alternatives to fxed standard railings, such as hinged foor coverings with removable
standard railings, may also be appropriate.
When material is piled higher than the top edge of the
toeboard, install barriers of suffcient height to protect
employees below.
Stair Railing
A stair railing is a vertical barrier erected along exposed
sides of a stairway to prevent people from falling.
Each fight of stairs having four or more risers must
be equipped with standard stair railings or standard
handrails. Each fight of stairs with four or more steps
must have standard stair railings or standard handrails.
A standard stair railing is similar to a standard railing but
has a vertical height between 30-34 inches from the top
rail upper surface to the forward edge of the step tread.
Resources/Resource Links
For the full text of General Industry railing rules adopted
by OR-OSHA, refer to OAR 437, D2/D, Walking/
Working Surfaces. Guardrails are also required
in Construction, 3/M and 3/X, Agriculture, 4/D, and
Forestry, 7/H. Refer to these standards for industry-
specifc guardrail requirements.
Contact the Building Codes Division for applicable railing
requirements. Phone numbers are listed on the Web site,
www.cbs.state.or.us/external/bcd.
Program Directive A-173:
www.cbs.state.or.us/external/osha/pdf/pds/
pd-173.pdf
Standard Railing
A standard railing is a barrier erected along exposed
edges of a foor opening, wall opening, ramp, platform,
or runway to prevent people from falling. A standard
railing consists of a top rail, intermediate rail, and posts
and has a vertical height of 42 inches nominal from
the upper surface of the top rail to the foor, platform,
runway, or ramp level. Toeboards maybe required.
The top rail must be smooth-surfaced throughout the
length of the railing and be capable of withstanding 200
pounds of force applied in any direction at any point.
Install the intermediate rail (midrail) approximately
halfway between the top rail and lower surface. The
anchoring posts for all types of construction material
(wood, steel, etc.), must withstand a load of at least 200
pounds applied in any direction.
Toeboard
A toeboard is a vertical barrier at foor level erected
along exposed edges of a foor opening, wall opening,
platform, runway, or ramp to prevent falls of material. A
toeboard must be present if there is a danger of items
falling through the openings between the foor and
midrail under the following conditions:
Material that could strike a person below.
Moving machinery.
Equipment whose falling material could present a haz-
ard.
A standard toeboard must be four inches in vertical
height from its top edge to the level of the foor, platform,
runway, or ramp. The toeboard must be securely
fastened with no more than a 1/4 -inch clearance above
the foor level. It must be constructed of substantial
material either solid or with openings
of 1 inch or less.
OR-OSHA (2/08) FS-04
toeboard
midrail

halfway point
top rail
42 inches
Barriers or netting may
be required to keep
material from
falling