• Hand rails must follow building codes to make them ADA compliant.stairs image by rikkidegraz from Fotolia.com
  
  Florida building codes for handrails do not vary much from those required by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). The codes maintain accessibility standards for all people and are required for all public buildings as well as private buildings used for business. Other items affected by ADA-type laws include ramps, stairs, and entry/exit doors.
  
  

Where Handrails are Required

• Handrails should be placed on both sides of the passage.Stairs to Heaven image by C.Y.Ronnie.W from Fotolia.com
  
  Handrails are required in any public building or conveyance that rises more than 6 inches, or that is used as the primary entry for people with special needs. Private homes are exempt from handrail requirements inside the home but must provide the necessary hand rails around outside decks, steps or other areas with a pronounced difference from one level to the next.
  
  

Rail Height Requirements

• Handrails should be around 3 feet high.stairs image by Svetlana Tikhonova from Fotolia.com
  
  For accessibility purposes, the top of a handrail should be between 34 and 38 inches from the riser or floor height directly beneath the rail. In areas that are not not designed to be ADA accessible, handrails may be placed as high as 42 inches. Stairway handrails are required in private homes having four or more risers. Handrails that serve as guard rails or dividers may extend up to 42 inches in height.
  
  

Handrail Graspability

• Handrails need to be convenient to grip, called graspability by the ADA.stairs image by StephenD from Fotolia.com
  
  Code compliant rounded handrails have a diameter ranging between 1-1/4 inches to 2 inches. Handrails of other shapes must have an outside circumference of 4 inches to 6-1/4 inches. The maximum diameter of a cross section of the rail cannot be larger than 2-1/4 inches. Edge corners must be rounded to at least 1/100 of an inch radius.
  
  

Handrail Continuity

• The rail should smoothly transition from stairs to landing and back to stairs again.stairs down #1 image by Curtis Sorrentino from Fotolia.com
  
  Handrails should be continuous. No interruptions are allowed, including structural supports. handrails in a dwelling may be interrupted by a newel post at stair landings. Brackets and balusters must be placed so that they do not interfere with the continuity of the handrail. There are several exceptions where balusters are concerned, but they may never extend beyond a vertical line between the handrail and the supporting riser.
  
  

Handrail Extensions

• Handrails must extend a short distance beyond the bottom and top step or along any landings.Metal Stairs image by TekinT from Fotolia.com
  
  By code, handrails should extend a minimum of 12 inches beyond the top tread. If the walking surface is used as a landing, the handrail should be continuous across it and to the next riser. At the bottom tread, the handrail must extend at the same slope to a depth of one riser. Extensions should follow ADA rules of continuity and provide a smooth transition from stair to level surface.
  
  

Clearance

• The wall surface adjacent to a handrail should be free of obstacles. This includes nails, tacks, outlets, power switches, and other fixtures. Provide a minimum gap of 1-1/2 inches between the handrail and the wall. For ADA compliance it is important to maintain a minimum width of 36 inches between the handrails.