IBC Stairs: Our IBC compliance
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IBC egress stair types and compliant products

Our standard product designs incorporate interchangeable components that have been pre-engineered to comply with applicable codes and standards.

COMMERCIAL EGRESS STAIRS BOLTED ACCESS STAIRS ALTERNATING TREAD STAIRS LOADING DOCK STAIRS CROSSOVER SYSTEMS
INDUSTRIAL EGRESS

✔

✔

✔

✔

✔
COMMERCIAL EGRESS

✔

✔
ACCESSIBLE COMMERCIAL EGRESS

✔

✔
COMMERCIAL RESIDENTIAL EGRESS

✔

✔
Stairs that comply with IBC standards for commercial egress, accessible commercial egress, and commercial residential egress also comply with ADA standards.

IBC egress stair types and compliant products

Our standard product designs incorporate interchangeable components that have been pre-engineered to comply with applicable codes and standards.

IBC Industrial Egress

✔ Commercial egress stairs
✔ Bolted access stairs
✔ Alternating tread stairs
✔ Crossovers
✔ Loading dock stairs

IBC Commercial Egress

✔ Commercial egress stairs
✔ Bolted access stairs

IBC Accessible Commercial Egress

✔ Commercial egress stairs
✔ Bolted access stairs

IBC Commercial Residential Egress

✔ Commercial egress stairs
✔ Bolted access stairs

 Stairs that comply with IBC standards for commercial egress, accessible commercial egress, and commercial residential egress also comply with ADA standards.

IBC requirements for standard stairs


FIGURE 1
FIGURE 2
FIGURE 3
FIGURE 4
FIGURE 5
FIGURE 6
FIGURE 7
TYPE OF EGRESS STAIR
INDUSTRIAL COMMERCIAL ACCESSIBLE COMMERCIAL COMMERCIAL RESIDENTIAL EXAMPLE IBC STANDARD
Overhead Clearance 80" FIG 1 ❶ §1011.3
Maximum Stair Height 12' FIG 1 ❷ §1011.8
Stair Angle 19.98° — 32.47° 19.98° — 37.78° FIG 1 ❸ Implied
Required Number of Handrails 2 FIG 2 ❶ §1011.11
Stair Width/Tread Length1 Minimum 44"; Calculated based on occupancy load FIG 2 ❷ §1005.3.1; §1009.3.2; §1011.2
Minimum Unobstructed Stair Width2 35" FIG 2 ❸ §1005.3.1; §1009.3.2; §1011.2
Handrail Wall Clearance 1.5" FIG 2 ❹ §1014.7
Handrail Diameter3 1.25" — 2" FIG 2 ❺ §1014.3.1
Vertical Height of Handrail 34" — 38" FIG 3 ❶ §1014.2
Handrail Top Horizontal Extension 12" FIG 3 ❷ §1014.6
Handrail Bottom Horizontal Extension4 Not required FIG 3 ❸ §1014.6
Handrail Bottom Sloped Extension Depth of one tread beyond bottom riser FIG 3 ❹ §1014.6
Minumum Guard Rail Height5 42" 36" FIG 3 ❺ §1015.3(2)
Maximum Guard Rail High Opening 21" sphere 4.375" sphere FIG 3 ❻ §1015.4(1)
Maximum Guard Rail Low Opening 21" sphere 4" sphere FIG 3 ❼ §1015.4
Bottom Guard Rail Gap 6" sphere FIG 3 ❽ §1015.4(2)
Handrail Projection 4.5" FIG 4 ❶ §1003.3; §1014.8
Handrail Rail Clearance 1.5" FIG 4 ❷ §1014.4(3)
Minimum Projected Tread Depth 11" 10" FIG 5 ❶ §1011.5.2
Riser Height 4" — 7" 4" — 7.75" FIG 5 ❷ §1011.5.2
Nosing Overlap 1.25" FIG 5 ❸ §1011.5.5.1
Nosing Radius/Bevel 1/16" — 9/16" FIG 5 ❹ §1011.5.5
Vertical Nosing Angle Relief 0° — 30° FIG 5 ❺ §1011.5.5
Gaps in Riser All open OK 4" sphere N/A 4" sphere FIG 5 ❺ §1011.5.5.3
Riser Type6 All open OK Solid or open Solid Solid or open FIG 6 §1011.5.5.3
Tread Type6,7 Solid or open FIG 6 §1011.7.1
Maximum Tread Gap Diameter 1.125" 0.5" FIG 6 ❶ §1011.7.1
Landing Travel Cross Distance Stair width FIG 7 ❶ §1011.6
Landing Travel Top Distance8 Stair width FIG 7 ❷ §1011.6
Landing Travel Bottom Distance Stair width FIG 7 ❸ §1011.6
Landing Door Swing Clearance Stair Width ÷ 2 FIG 7 ❹ §1011.5.7.1; §1011.6
Landing Door Open Clearance 7" FIG 7 ❺ §1011.5.7.1; §1011.6

1 Minimum of 36" for occupacy of less than 50. §1011.2
2 Accessible commercial egress minimum is 48" for unsprinklered buildings. §1007.3; 1007.2.12.2.3
3 Applies to circular handrails; requirements differ for non-circular handrails. §1014.3.1
4 Intermediate handrails are required as necessary to ensure handrails are located within 30" of stairs at all times. §1014.9(3)
5 Minimum of 34" for some R-2 and R-3 types. §1015.3(3)
6 Tread/riser tolerance is 0.375". §1011.5.7
7 Maximum surface slope for tread way and cross tread is 1/48" (+/- 2%). §1011.7.1
8 Not required to exceed 48" in direction of travel. §1011.6

IBC requirements for alternating tread stairs §1011.14

IBC-compliant applications for alternating tread stairs include:
✔ Access to unoccupied roofs
✔ Egress from mezzanines under 250 square feet with five or less occupants1
✔ Egress from guard towers, observation towers and control rooms under 250 square feet2

ROOFS MEZZANINES TOWERS
❶ Maximum Stair Height §1011.14.1 20'
❷ Stair Angle §1011.14.2 50° — 70°
❸ Handrail Requirement §1011.14.1 Both sides of the stair
❹ Handrail Height §1014.2 30" — 34"
❺ Minimum Projected Tread Depth §10.11.14.2 8.5" 10.5" 8.5"
❻ Minimum Tread Width §1011.14.2 7"
❼ Maximum Riser Height §1011.14.2 9.5" 8" 9.5"

1 In buildings of Groups F, H, and S. §1011.14
2 In buildings of Group I-3. §1011.14

IBC requirements for standard stairs

FIGURE 1
FIGURE 2
FIGURE 3
FIGURE 4
FIGURE 5
FIGURE 6
FIGURE 7

TYPE OF EGRESS STAIR
IND. COMM. ACC. COMM. COMM. RES.
Overhead Clearance

§1011.3
FIG 1 ❶		 80"
Maximum Stair Height

§1011.8

FIG 1 ❷		 12'
Stair Angle

Implied

FIG 1 ❸		 19.98° — 32.47° 19.98° — 37.78°
Required Number of Handrails

§1011.11

FIG 2 ❶		 2
Stair Width / Tread Length1

§1005.3.1; §1009.3.2; §1011.2

FIG 2 ❷		 Minimum 44"; Calculated based on occupancy load
Minimum Unobstructed Stair Width2

§1005.3.1; §1009.3.2; §1011.2
FIG 2 ❸		 35"
Handrail Wall Clearance

§1014.7

FIG 2 ❹		 1.5"
Handrail Diameter3

§1014.3.1

FIG 2 ❺		 1.25" — 2"
Vertical Height of Handrail

§1014.2

FIG 3 ❶		 34" — 38"
Handrail Top Horizontal Extension

§1014.6

FIG 3 ❷		 12"
Handrail Bottom Horizontal Extension4

§1014.6

FIG 3 ❸		 Not required
Handrail Bottom Sloped Extension

§1014.6

FIG 3 ❹		 Depth of one tread beyond bottom riser
Minumum Guard Rail Height5

§1015.3(2)

FIG 3 ❺		 42" 36"
Maximum Guard Rail High Opening

§1015.4(1)

FIG 3 ❻		 21" sphere 4.375" sphere
Maximum Guard Rail Low Opening

§1015.4

FIG 3 ❼		 21" sphere 4" sphere
Bottom Guard Rail Gap

§1015.4(2)

FIG 3 ❽		 6" sphere
Handrail Projection

§1003.3; §1014.8

FIG 4 ❶		 4.5"
Handrail Rail Clearance

§1014.4(3)

FIG 4 ❷		 1.5"
Minimum Projected Tread Depth

§1011.5.2

FIG 5 ❶		 11" 10"
Riser Height

§1011.5.2

FIG 5 ❷		 4" — 7" 4" — 7.75"
Nosing Overlap

§1011.5.5.1

FIG 5 ❸		 1.25"
Nosing Radius/Bevel

§1011.5.5

FIG 5 ❹		 1/16" — 9/16"
Vertical Nosing Angle Relief

§1011.5.5

FIG 5 ❺		 0° — 30°
Gaps in Riser

§1011.5.5.3

FIG 5 ❺		 All open OK 4" sphere N/A 4" sphere
Riser Type6

§1011.5.5.3

FIG 6		 All open OK Solid or open Solid Solid or open
Tread Type6,7

§1011.7.1

FIG 6		 Solid or open
Maximum Tread Gap Diameter

§1011.7.1

FIG 6 ❶		 1.125" 0.5"
Landing Travel Cross Distance

§1011.6

FIG 7 ❶		 Stair width
Landing Travel Top Distance8

§1011.6

FIG 7 ❷		 Stair width
Landing Travel Bottom Distance

§1011.6

FIG 7 ❸		 Stair width
Landing Door Swing Clearance

§1011.5.7.1; §1011.6

FIG 7 ❹		 Stair Width ÷ 2
Landing Door Open Clearance

§1011.5.7.1; §1011.6

FIG 7 ❺		 7"

1 Minimum of 36" for occupacy of less than 50. §1011.2
2 Accessible commercial egress minimum is 48" for unsprinklered buildings. §1007.3; 1007.2.12.2.3
3 Applies to circular handrails; requirements differ for non-circular handrails. §1014.3.1
4 Intermediate handrails are required as necessary to ensure handrails are located within 30" of stairs at all times. §1014.9(3)
5 Minimum of 34" for some R-2 and R-3 types. §1015.3(3)
6 Tread/riser tolerance is 0.375". §1011.5.7
7 Maximum surface slope for tread way and cross tread is 1/48" (+/- 2%). §1011.7.1
8 Not required to exceed 48" in direction of travel. §1011.6

IBC requirements for alternating tread stairs §1011.14

IBC-compliant applications for alternating tread stairs include:

  • Access to unoccupied roofs
  • Egress from mezzanines under 250 square feet with five or less occupants1
  • Egress from guard towers, observation towers and control rooms under 250 square feet2
ALTERNATING TREAD STAIRS

ROOFS MEZZANINES TOWERS
❶ Maximum Stair Height §1011.14.1 20'
❷ Stair Angle §1011.14.2 50° — 70°
❸ Handrail Requirement §1011.14.1 Both sides of the stair
❹ Handrail Height §1014.2 30" — 34"
❺ Minimum Projected Tread Depth §10.11.14.2 8.5" 10.5" 8.5"
❻ Minimum Tread Width §1011.14.2 7"
❼ Maximum Riser Height §1011.14.2 9.5" 8" 9.5"

1 In buildings of Groups F, H, and S. §1011.14
2 In buildings of Group I-3. §1011.14
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