[TheForge] Gate question

[RIES NIEMI]

Its interesting how many different answers we got to this question.
It really pays to talk to the actual building inspector, as they all seem to
interpret the code differently.

I am working on 550 linear feet of fencing right now, that has to meet the
4" sphere requirement, and it sure is driving me crazy. I have a little
circle of 1/8" plate about 3 7/8" diameter, which we use to check with. We
call it a baby head. We have been jokingly considering making a few cutout
baby heads from 1/8" plate, and if the inspector calls us on any openings,
we will just weld one of those baby heads in.

Supposedly all this 4" sphere mania is the result of one guy- a safety
fanatic engineer, Elliot Stephenson, a rail safety advocate from Ariz who is
singlehandedly getting laws changed.
Nomma is trying to counteract his efforts with the UBC, with mixed results.
He recently tried to require all railings to have only vertical elements-
thus pretty much wiping out the entire tradition of ornamental ironwork.
Luckily they beat him back on that one, but he is a constant force against
creative ironwork.