Guardrails must withstand a downward and outward force applied near the top edge of

• A. 100 lbs
• B. 300 lbs
• C. 400 lbs
• D. 200 lbs

Answer: (D)

Guardrails are checked against a specific load to ensure they won’t fail under pushing or leaning forces. The requirement is that the top edge must withstand a force of two hundred pounds applied in a downward or outward direction. This tests the guardrail’s ability to stay stable and not bend or break when someone leans on it or pushes against it near the top.

Two hundred pounds is the mandated minimum test load, because a lighter load wouldn’t reliably prevent a fall in real-world situations, while higher numbers aren’t required by the standard. So the best answer is two hundred pounds. The other options are either below the required minimum or above what the standard requires.