EN ISO 14122 & OSHA Handrail and Ladder Requirements for FRP Systems
Grating is the deck; handrail and ladders are the specified system around it. Two standards families govern the geometry.
EN ISO 14122 — the European machine-access standard
| Element | Requirement (typical) |
|---|---|
| Handrail height | ≥ 1 100 mm above walking surface |
| Kick plate | ≥ 100 mm, gap to deck ≤ 10 mm |
| Rail loads | 1.5 kN point load at top rail; 0.6 kN/m line load (verify current edition) |
| Fixed ladder rungs | 225–300 mm spacing, ≥ 400 mm clear width |
| Ladder cage | From 2.2 m above grade; rest platform every ≤ 6 m |
| Ladder loads | 1.5 kN single point; 2 × 0.75 kN distributed on rungs |
OSHA 1910.29 / 1910.28 — the US family
Top rail height 42 in (± 3 in), mid-rail at half that, toe boards where falling-object risk exists, 200 lb (0.89 kN) top-rail load capacity; fixed ladders over 24 ft require cage, well or personal fall-arrest per the phased rules. JINGLUE's handrail geometry is adjustable to either family — the profiles are the same, the spacing and heights are set per your project's governing standard.
Why FRP changes nothing and everything
Structurally the loads are identical — pultruded FRP tubes carry 1.5 kN point loads with the same section logic as steel. What changes: no earthing or bonding detail, no paint system on the rails, no rust streaks, and no hot-work for modifications. The compliance conversation becomes purely geometric — which is the easy part.