CONTRIBUTORS | RAILINGS
When Is It Time to Replace Your Guardrails?
ABEL LIBISCH
Technology has improved railings, but they can still fail
G
uardrails play a critical role in a building’s life safety. They can be seen all over town on walkways and lanais of multi-story buildings, in place to prevent accidental falls, where there is a fall hazard greater than 30 feet. It is typically building management and AOAO responsibility to perform regular inspections of the railing.
What to look for Most hotels and condominiums in Hawaii were built in the 1960s, ’70s and ’80s. Many of their railing systems are now coming due for replacement. Structural and code compliance issues are the key to determining whether or not railings can be considered safe when inspecting
Certified: SERVPRO Cleaned is a defensive cleaning program that goes way beyond janitorial or carpet cleaning. This is proactive viral pathogen cleaning. As the #1 choice in cleanup and restoration, we stand on over 50 years of experience and expertise so you can rest assured that you’ve selected a higher standard of clean for all Americans – you are Certified: SERVPRO Cleaned.
SERVPRO® of Kailua
808-235-5015 SERVPRO® of Central Honolulu
808-744-2730 Independently Owned and Operated
44 BUILDING MANAGEMENT HAWAII | JULY 2020
railings. For building managers and AOAOs to determine if their railings are due for replacement, it is helpful to understand the materials that the railings are made of and what elements to look for in regards to code compliance. Steel railings Structural issues are quite common with old railings after spending decades exposed to the Hawaiian climate. With steel railings, the most common issues seen are corrosion of the metal itself. Steel railings from the ’60s and ’70s were factory welded, painted and embedded into concrete walkways and decks. The applied paint helps to isolate the steel from the salty rainwater, but once the paint gets damaged or water penetrates through the coating, corrosion of the steel begins immediately. As the corroding steel expands, cracks form on the paint and in the concrete where the railing posts are embedded, eventually making the posts loose and unsafe. Railing corrosion also causes serious issues in the concrete walkways and decks, as water sneaks into the cracks caused by the expanding steel, causing corrosion of the rebar in the concrete (spalling). Aluminum railings The majority of railings installed in the 1970s and ’80s were anodized aluminum. Anodizing is an electrochemical process that converts the metal surface into a durable, corrosion-resistant anodic oxide finish. Anodized aluminum has excellent corrosion resistance—it can be exposed to rain for decades with almost no effect on the integrity of the material. However, anodized aluminum railings from ’70s and ’80s are also showing signs of corrosion, despite the premium metal. The reason for this is anodized aluminum railings have mechanical connections—instead of being welded, they are assembled with fasteners. The fasteners used in the past were typically made of poor-quality steel, which can corrode, especially in the Hawaiian climate. Corroded steel fasteners can break without warning, making the whole railing system unsafe. Nowadays, aluminum railing systems are fastened with stainless steel screws. The fasteners are coated with torque-resistive nickel primer and zinc-rich aluminum topcoat at the factory. The combination of high-quality steel and additional coating provides excellent corrosion resistance. Aluminum also reacts with the alkalis found in Portland cement concrete. Old aluminum railings commonly show significant corrosion at their post base, resulting in the expansion of the metal, causing cracks and spalling in the concrete just like with steel railings. With new aluminum
