R308.4.6

Section R308.4.6 is titled 'Glazing adjacent to stairs and ramps' and covers the requirements for determining when glazing next to stairs and ramps is a hazardous location. Height of glazing above the adjacent walking surface of stairs, landings between flights of stairs, and ramps which is considered a hazardous location is established. The purpose of this section is to prevent severe injury from impact with glazing adjacent to stairs and ramps. This section has 2 exceptions which exempt glazing adjacent to stairs and ramps from being considered a hazardous location when there is a rail installed in front of the glazing, and when the glazing is a minimum horizontal distance away from the walking surface. The purpose of the exceptions is to exempt glazing that has a lower risk of causing severe injury from impact.

The model shows a window adjacent to stairs which has a portion of the pane that is less than 36" above the plane of the stair nosings and is highlighted to designate that this is considered a hazardous location. A rail gets added per the requirements of exception #1 which makes the window a non-hazardous location. Then the stairs are moved away from the wall per exception #2, showing when it reaches 36" away from the window, that the window becomes a non-hazardous location (in accordance with this section).