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Table 4 - Minimum horizontal imposed loads for parapets, barriers and balustrades, etc.
Based on Page 9, Table 2 of the BS 6180:2011 publication Fourth edition March 2011
We cannot be held liable for the compliance of our components to Building Regulations and it remains the
responsibility of the customer to ensure all current regulations are met.
Type of
Application
Examples of specific use
Horizontal
uniformly
line load
(kN/m²)
Infill
Panel
PanelGrip or PanelWedge
10mm
Monolithic
15mm
Monolithic
19mm
Monolithic
17.5mm
Laminated
21.5mm
Laminated
Domestic and
residential
activities
(i) All areas within or serving exclusively one
single family dwelling including stairs,
landings, etc. but excluding external
balconies and edges of roofs
0.36
(ii) Other residential, i.e. houses of mulitple
occupancy and balconies, including Juliette
balconies and edges of roofs in single family
dwellings
0.74
n/a
Offices and
work areas
not included
elsewhere
including
storage areas
(iii) Light access stairs and gangways not
more than 600mm wide
0.22
(iv) Light pedestrian traffic routes in industrial
and storage buildings except designated
escape routes
0.36
(v) Areas not susceptible to overcrowding in
office and institutional buildings, also
industrial and storage buildings except as
given above
0.74
n/a
Areas where
people may
congregate
Areas with tables
or fixed seating
(vi) Areas having fixed seating within 530mm
of the barrier, balustrade or parapet
1.5
n/a
n/a
n/a
(vii) Restaurants and bars
1.5
n/a
n/a
n/a
Areas without
obstacles
for moving
people and
not susceptible
to overcrowding
(viii) Stairs, landings, corridors, ramps
0.74
n/a
(ix) External balconies and edges of roofs.
Footways and pavements within building
curtilage adjacent to basement or sunken
areas
0.74
n/a
Areas susceptible
to overcrowding
(x) Footways or pavements less than 3m
wide adjacent to sunken areas
1.5
n/a
n/a
n/a
(xi) Theatres, cinemas, discotheques, bars,
auditoria, shopping malls, assembly areas,
studio. Footways or pavements greater than
3m wide adjacent to sunken areas
3.0
Specialist glass design required
(xii) Grandstands and stadia
See requirements of the appropriate certifying authority
Retail areas
(xiii) All retail areas including public areas of
banks/building societies or betting shops. For
areas where overcrowding may occur, see
“Areas suspectable to overcrowding”
1.5
n/a
n/a
n/a
F/G Vehicular
(xiv) Pedestrian areas in car parks including
stairs, landings, ramps, edges or internal
floors, footways, edges of roofs
1.5
n/a
n/a
n/a
(xv) Horizontal loads imposed by vehicles
Refer to BS 6180:2011 standard 6.3.2 & Annex A (page 39)
MINIMUM HORIZONTAL LOADS FOR BALUSTRADES
