Bleachers are widely used in the United States for viewing sporting events, parades, graduations, and many other activities.  Therefore it is imperative that they have Bleacher Handrails and Bleacher Guardrails installed to prevent falls and injuries.  Unfortunately every year in this country thousands of people, many of them young children, are injured in falls from bleachers.

The Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) has taken the lead in creating guidelines for Bleacher Handrails and Bleacher Guardrails.  These guidelines can be used by all interested parties including manufacturers, designers, inspectors, regulatory officials, facility owners and managers, school officials, and parks and recreation personnel.  Existing bleachers can be retrofitted to eliminate those aspects that present a danger or fall hazard.

These guidelines for Bleacher Handrails and Bleacher Guardrails were first developed in December 1999 in response to several tragedies the year before.  In 1998 two children were fatally injured and five children were seriously injured from falls from bleachers.  It was noted that a total of ten deaths were recorded from falls from bleachers from 1980 through 1999.

It was also noted that deaths occurred from children falling through the opening between the footboard and seatboard and from opening in the guardrail.  And finally, it was noted that between 1991 and 1999 there was an annual average of 19,100 bleacher-associated injuries.

Unfortunately, many of the bleachers and grandstands in use today were built when building codes did not require Bleacher Handrails and Bleacher Guardrails.  In addition the building codes did not address the danger of openings that were big enough to permit a child to fall through.  And when a jurisdiction adopts a new building code there often is no requirement for existing bleachers to be retrofitted to comply with the new standards.

Therefore, the CPSC has made a number of recommendations for Bleacher Handrails and Bleacher Guardrails. The primary purpose of a guardrail is to prevent falls from the structure (bleacher).  Generally they are barriers that surround elevated surfaces such as bleachers and grandstands. 

To prevent falls from these structures, a child should not be able to pass through or under any opening in the guardrail system. In addition, handrails and guardrails should be designed so that they discourage the climbing adventures of young children. 

And it is recommended that Bleacher Guardrails and Bleacher Handrails be mandatory on any bleacher structure with a top row 30 inches or more above the ground.  It is also recommended that the top of a guardrail be at least 42 inches above the leading edge of the footboard, seatboard or aisle. 

Another recommendation is that all openings in guardrails or components of the guardrail should be small enough to prevent passage of a 4 inch diameter sphere, which is smaller than the diameter of a child’s head of four months of age.  And finally, guardrails and handrails should be designed with vertical slats or other design to discourage climbing by children. Openings in vertical slats should be 1.75 inches or less to prevent a young child from gaining a foothold.

Our modern bleachers and grandstands utilize the latest design guidelines and safety and engineering requirements for Bleacher Guardrails and Bleacher Handrails.  Please review our designs for fully-closed bleacher aisles and decking systems.  We are fully committed to your safety and enjoyment when using our products.