Building Code Glossary
Guarded: Building Code Definition
How the IRC 2009 define guarded, where the wording differs, and which chapters depend on the term.
On this page
Last updated September 7, 2026 · Definitions quoted from the 2009 International Codes as transcribed in this site's building-codes collection, with the source chapter linked for each quotation. Usage counts are computed over the chapters hosted here, one copy per code. The [ICC code library](https://codes.iccsafe.org/codes) publishes the current model text and the [ICC adoption maps](https://www.iccsafe.org/advocacy/code-adoption-maps/) show which edition a jurisdiction has adopted; those sources control.
Direct answer
Guarded is a defined term in the International Residential Code (IRC) 2009, in Electrical Definitions. The code's own words are: “Covered, shielded, fenced, enclosed or otherwise protected by means of suitable covers, casings, barriers, rails, screens, mats or platforms to remove the likelihood of approach or contact by persons or objects to a point of danger.” No other I-Code in this corpus defines it, so the IRC 2009 definition is the one to work from. The term is used in 17 chapters of this corpus, most often in Flammable and Combustible Liquids (IFC 2009), Building Services and Systems (IFC 2009), Swimming Pools (IRC 2009). These pages transcribe the 2009 model text; verify the definition against the edition and amendments your authority having jurisdiction has adopted.
Content and cited inputs reviewed by Scott Barrington, Harth founder and architectural technology specialist · Published 2026-09-07 · Updated 2026-09-07.
What does this term mean?
Guarded — IRC 2009, Electrical Definitions:
Covered, shielded, fenced, enclosed or otherwise protected by means of suitable covers, casings, barriers, rails, screens, mats or platforms to remove the likelihood of approach or contact by persons or objects to a point of danger.
What must be verified before using this guidance?
Guarded is defined once in this corpus, in the Electrical Definitions chapter of the International Residential Code (IRC) 2009:
Covered, shielded, fenced, enclosed or otherwise protected by means of suitable covers, casings, barriers, rails, screens, mats or platforms to remove the likelihood of approach or contact by persons or objects to a point of danger.
Where guarded is used in the code
The term appears in 17 chapters of the 2009 I-Codes hosted here. The chapters that lean on it hardest are the ones to read next.
| Chapter | Code | Mentions |
|---|---|---|
| Flammable and Combustible Liquids | IFC 2009 | 20 |
| Building Services and Systems | IFC 2009 | 6 |
| Swimming Pools | IRC 2009 | 6 |
| Hazardous Materials-general Provisions | IFC 2009 | 5 |
| Explosives and Fireworks | IFC 2009 | 3 |
| Electrical Definitions | IRC 2009 | 3 |
| Encroachments Into the Public Right-of-way | IBC 2009 | 2 |
| Compressed Gases | IFC 2009 | 2 |
| Cryogenic Fluids | IFC 2009 | 2 |
| General Requirements | IFC 2009 | 2 |
| Chimneys and Vents | IRC 2009 | 2 |
| Fuel Gas | IRC 2009 | 2 |
5 further chapters mention the term.
The term in use
How the code actually writes about guarded, quoted from the 2009 text hosted here:
The heating element or combustion chamber of portable outdoor gas-fired heating appliances shall be permanently guarded so as to prevent accidental contact by persons or material.
A luminaire facing upward shall have the lens adequately guarded to prevent contact by any person or shall be listed for use without a guard.
Explosive materials removed from a magazine under repair shall either be placed in another magazine or placed a safe distance from the magazine, where they shall be properly guarded and protected until repairs have been completed.
The terms guarded is built out of
The definition above leans on 1 other defined term. Each carries its own code definition, and a local amendment to any of them changes what guarded covers:
- Enclosed — IRC 2009: Surrounded by a case, housing, fence or walls that will prevent persons from accidentally contacting energized parts.
Guarded: what to open, and in what order
Every row is a document this term depends on. The ICC code library and the ICC adoption maps cover the middle rows.
| Check | Where | Confirmed |
|---|---|---|
| Read the definition in the adopted IRC | Electrical Definitions | |
| Re-check the requirement that uses it | Flammable and Combustible Liquids (IFC 2009) | |
| Re-check the requirement that uses it | Building Services and Systems (IFC 2009) | |
| Re-check the requirement that uses it | Swimming Pools (IRC 2009) | |
| Re-check the requirement that uses it | Hazardous Materials-general Provisions (IFC 2009) | |
| Confirm the dependent definition | Enclosed | |
| Local amendment to any of the above | Jurisdiction's amendment list |
A research aid, not a code determination. The authority having jurisdiction decides which edition and which amendments apply.
Where can you explore related guidance?
- Explore all glossary guidance
- Enclosed: Building Code Definition
- Appliance: Building Code Definition
- Plenum: Building Code Definition
- Outlet: Building Code Definition
Sources and method
Definitions quoted from the 2009 International Codes as transcribed in this site's building-codes collection, with the source chapter linked for each quotation. Usage counts are computed over the chapters hosted here, one copy per code. The ICC code library publishes the current model text and the ICC adoption maps show which edition a jurisdiction has adopted; those sources control.
Source links
Frequently asked questions
What is the code definition of guarded?
The International Residential Code (IRC) 2009 defines it in Electrical Definitions as: “Covered, shielded, fenced, enclosed or otherwise protected by means of suitable covers, casings, barriers, rails, screens, mats or platforms to remove the likelihood of approach or contact by persons or objects to a point of danger.” The 2009 model text is reproduced here; the definition that binds your project is the one in the edition your jurisdiction has adopted, as amended locally.
Which parts of the code depend on guarded?
In this corpus the term is used across 17 chapters, led by Flammable and Combustible Liquids in the IFC 2009. Those are the sections whose scope moves if the definition is amended locally, so read them together with Chapter 2 rather than on their own.
What is the definition of a building code?
Building is a separate defined term. The IBC 2009 defines it as: “Any structure used or intended for supporting or sheltering any use or occupancy.” That is not the same as guarded, which the IRC 2009 defines as “Covered, shielded, fenced, enclosed or otherwise protected by means of suitable covers, casings, barriers, rails, screens, mats or platforms to remove the likelihood of approach or contact by persons or objects to a point of danger.” — read both before applying either, and confirm the wording in the edition your jurisdiction has adopted.
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