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 products 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 occu-
pancy 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
susceptable 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 37)
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MINIMUM HORIZONTAL LOADS FOR BALUSTRADES
