Handrail With Kick Plates

To Kick-Plate, Or Not to Kick-Plate?

What is a handrail kick-plate and is it really necessary?  A kick-plate, or toe-board, is placed at the bottom of industrial handrail near your toes, where your feet would “kick it” – hence the name.  Kick-plates, while the common installation method for industrial strength safety rail, are not standard nor automatically included as part of a hand rail system.  So, when are kick-plates necessary for any handrail installation?  Are they a must for your handrail system?

The answer is both yes and no, depending on the industrial hand railing application.
The reason to install a handrail system to begin with is for safety prevention from accidents and hazardous trips and falls. The same is true for kick-plates; they are installed to increase safety, the same purpose as the safety hand railing system itself.  If your handrail is installed near an edge and the potential exists for compromising the safety of employees below, then a kick plate is necessary.  Consider any areas where you have installed industrial handrail.  Is the handrail near an edge?  Could tools or industrial materials fall off this edge and injure someone?  If the answer is yes, then your safety railing demands a kick-plate.
According to OSHA, a kick-plate needs to be at least 4” tall, have no more than a 1/4” gap at the bottom of your hand rail system and able to withstand at least 50 lbs. of pressure.  Kick-plates can be incorporated into a handrail system when it’s purchased, or added at a later date.
The Handrail Company’s full lines of handrail systems are available with kick-plate options as we stock handrail fittings and parts.

For more information on The Handrail Company safety railing systems, visit www.handrailcompany.com.