Roof fence/guardrail question

Hi Everyone, I live in a 6 unit, walkup “brownstone” building.  We used to have a white picket fence on our roof set a few feet in from one of the edges that doesn’t sit against another building.  The other edge has a built in railing. The fence was destroyed during Hurricane Sandy.  Beyond the obviously safety advantage, am I required by law to have a fence/railing on both sides of the building that aren’t adjoining other buildings?  From my rooftop I can’t see any other buildings with similar guardrails or fences. Thanks in advance.

rassnd2

in Architecture 12 years and 7 months ago

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dazednconfused2 | 12 years and 7 months ago

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It’s not so black and white as that.  The building code states that every flat roof must have a parapet or railing: §[C26-503.4] 27-334 Protective guards. – Buildings that are more than twenty-two feet in height and have roofs that are flatter than twenty degrees to the horizontal shall be provided with a parapet not less than three feet six inches high, or be provided with a three foot six inch high railing or fence.
The Multiple Dwelling Law states that In any multiple dwelling where a bulkhead door or scuttle cover opens within four feet of the edge of the roof, that part of the roof which is immediately adjacent to such door or cover shall be adequately protected. Such protection shall consist of guard rails or parapet walls extending at least three feet six inches above the level of the roof, and shall be arranged and placed in a manner approved by the department, but shall not be required for such bulkhead door or scuttle cover when the bulkhead or scuttle on such dwelling is immediately adjacent to, and also on the same level as or on a lower level than, the roof of a contiguous building.

All that said, however, it is often interpreted to mean that an existing building need only have a guardrail if it is made usable for anything other than a means of egress for a fire. In other words, if it’s used as a deck, then it needs a guardrail. It it is only used for a place of refuge during a fire, then no guardrail.

rassnd2 | 12 years and 7 months ago

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Thanks.  Can you provide a link to the regulation/law?  I received another opinion that said as long as the roof isn’t used as a deck/livable space, then a guardrail isn’t required.

dazednconfused2 | 12 years and 7 months ago

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If you have a bulkhead with stairs, or some other way of making the rooftop easily accessible, then the area that is accessible needs to have a guardrail.  It does not need to encompass the whole roof, but it does need to prevent people from getting to and falling off the edge.