Roof Parapet Height Requirements

Code compliant buildings from 70 100 years are subject to updates when there is a requirement for replacement.

Roof parapet height requirements.

Parapets at least 24 inches high. If you didn t get it right you concentrated the stresses at roof edges and you could suck in a parapet or tear or rip a membrane at the parapet photographs 3 and 4. Low slope roof 4 12 slope or less 29 cfr 1926 501 b 10. The minimum height of a parapet wall above the roof surface is 30 inches.

In order for a roof parapet to provide adequate fall protection a roof parapet railing should be at least 42 in height. If a reinforced concrete beam is provided at the top of the wall the minimum height above the wall anchor may be 6 inches 152 mm. Courtesy of max baker and the national research council of canada. Parapet corrective work must be performed in conjunction with the installation of tension roof anchors.

On behalf of the building owner the rules of the city of new york section 103 04 requires a qualified exterior wall inspector qewi to verify that the building is compliant with nyc administrative code. Steep roof above 4 12 slope 29 cfr 1926 501 b 11. The minimum height of a parapet above any wall anchor shall be 12 inches 305 mm. However when a roof slopes down toward an exterior wall and parapet with a slope greater than 2 12 further analysis is required to determine if a taller parapet is necessary.

Roof membrane temperatures ottawa canada summer day. Under the current code parapet walls at main roofs must maintain a minimum height of 42 above the finished roof membrane system or pedestrian surface. Roof tie backs are not required on buildings constructed up to 4 stories or 48 feet in height when building maintenance can be accomplished using extension tools ladders approved ground equipment such as scaffolds or aerial devices designed and used for positioning personnel. Except that at those job sites where felt laying machines or other equipment that is pulled by an operator who walks backwards or motorized equipment on which the operator rides is being used the provisions of this subsection shall not apply provided that the parapet is 36 inches or more in height at those roof edges which are perpendicular or nearly so to the direction in which the equipment is moving.

Unfortunately many buildings get close to this height without quite meeting the height required by osha to provide fall protection. The most common parapet wall construction in the city is brick masonry. How high does a roof parapet need to be.