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NI-wide·Technical Booklet H Stairs Ramps Guarding and Protection from Impact

This Technical Booklet, which takes effect on 31st October 2012, is one of a series that has been prepared by the Department of Finance and Personnel (the Department) for the purpose of providing prac

NI-wide·Technical Booklet H Stairs Ramps Guarding and Protection from Impact

The guidance contained in this Technical Booklet relates only to the requirements of regulations 56, 57, 58, 59 and 60. The work will also have to comply with all other relevant requirements of the Bu

NI-wide·Technical Booklet H Stairs Ramps Guarding and Protection from Impact

Any building work which is subject to requirements imposed by Part A of the Building Regulations should be carried out in accordance with regulation 23 of those regulations. Guidance on meeting these

NI-wide·Technical Booklet H Stairs Ramps Guarding and Protection from Impact

The Building Regulations are made for specific purposes, primarily securing the health, safety, welfare and convenience of people and for the conservation of fuel and power. Standards and technical ap

NI-wide·Technical Booklet H Stairs Ramps Guarding and Protection from Impact

Where this Technical Booklet makes reference to a named standard, the relevant version of the standard is the one listed in the Appendix. However, if this version has been replaced or updated by the i

NI-wide·Technical Booklet H Stairs Ramps Guarding and Protection from Impact

The diagrams in this Technical Booklet supplement the text. They do not show all the details of construction and are not intended to illustrate compliance with any other requirement of the Building Re

NI-wide·Technical Booklet H Stairs Ramps Guarding and Protection from Impact

District councils have a duty to take account of the desirability to preserve the character of protected buildings when carrying out their functions under Building Regulations. Therefore, where work i

NI-wide·Technical Booklet H Stairs Ramps Guarding and Protection from Impact

The provisions of this Technical Booklet relate to the requirements of Building Regulations and do not include measures which may be necessary to meet the requirements of other legislation. Such other

NI-wide·Technical Booklet H Stairs Ramps Guarding and Protection from Impact

The Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1993 (the Workplace Regulations) contain some requirements which affect building design. The main requirements are now covered

NI-wide·Technical Booklet H Stairs Ramps Guarding and Protection from Impact

The Workplace Regulations apply to the common parts of flats and similar buildings if people such as cleaners, wardens and caretakers are employed to work in these common parts. Where the requirements

NI-wide·Technical Booklet H Stairs Ramps Guarding and Protection from Impact

Subject to paragraphs (2) to (6), this Part shall apply to any building or part of a building.

NI-wide·Technical Booklet H Stairs Ramps Guarding and Protection from Impact

The requirements of regulation 56 shall only apply where a stair, ladder or a ramp and landings— (a) forms part of the building; (b) that does not form part of the building, is provided to comply with

NI-wide·Technical Booklet H Stairs Ramps Guarding and Protection from Impact

The requirements of regulation 57(1) shall not apply— (a) to the extent that compliance therewith would unreasonably obstruct normal movement to, into, out of or within any building; (b) in relation t

NI-wide·Technical Booklet H Stairs Ramps Guarding and Protection from Impact

The requirements of regulation 57(2) shall not apply in relation to a car showroom, a garage within the boundary of a dwelling, or a single storey building comprising two or more garages each of which

NI-wide·Technical Booklet H Stairs Ramps Guarding and Protection from Impact

The requirements of regulation 59 shall not apply to— (a) a dwelling; and (b) a door or gate which is part of a lift.

NI-wide·Technical Booklet H Stairs Ramps Guarding and Protection from Impact

Insofar as they relate to a dwelling, the requirements of regulation 60 shall only apply to a window, skylight or ventilator which opens over a public route of travel.

NI-wide·Technical Booklet H Stairs Ramps Guarding and Protection from Impact

For the purposes of this Part access to any place is infrequent if it takes place on average on less than one occasion a month during the course of a year.

NI-wide·Technical Booklet H Stairs Ramps Guarding and Protection from Impact

In this Part— "Balcony" includes a gallery; "Barrier" includes a wall or screen; "Flight" means that part of a stair or ladder between landings that has a step or a continuous series of steps; "Ladder

NI-wide·Technical Booklet H Stairs Ramps Guarding and Protection from Impact

Within every dwelling of more than one storey there shall be provided between such storeys access by means of a stair complying with the relevant provisions in this Part: Provided that nothing in this

NI-wide·Technical Booklet H Stairs Ramps Guarding and Protection from Impact

In a building or within the boundary of a building a stair, ladder and a ramp and its landings, shall offer reasonable safety to people using them.

NI-wide·Technical Booklet H Stairs Ramps Guarding and Protection from Impact

A stair, ladder, ramp, floor, balcony, landing, platform and any roof or other place to which people normally have access (including access for the purpose of maintenance) and a sunken area next to a

NI-wide·Technical Booklet H Stairs Ramps Guarding and Protection from Impact

Any part of a building which is a vehicle ramp, floor or roof to which vehicles have access shall, where it is necessary to protect people, be adequately guarded with a barrier which does not present

NI-wide·Technical Booklet H Stairs Ramps Guarding and Protection from Impact

A vehicle loading bay shall be designed and constructed to minimise the risk of people in it from being struck by a vehicle.

NI-wide·Technical Booklet H Stairs Ramps Guarding and Protection from Impact

59.—(1) In any building a door or gate which— (a) is across a main route of travel; or (b) can be pushed open from either side, shall have a means to ensure that people approaching it have a clear vie

NI-wide·Technical Booklet H Stairs Ramps Guarding and Protection from Impact

60. Reasonable provision shall be made to minimise the risk of people colliding with an open window, skylight or ventilator when moving in or about a building.

NI-wide·Technical Booklet H Stairs Ramps Guarding and Protection from Impact

Provisions for accessibility to and within a building are given in Part R. Provisions for fire safety are given in Part E. A stair or a ramp and its landings provided – (a) so that people may move to,

NI-wide·Technical Booklet H Stairs Ramps Guarding and Protection from Impact

It is the view of the Department that the requirements of regulation 56 in Part H will be met when a stair, ladder, ramp and its landings afford reasonable safety to people who use them. As there is a

NI-wide·Technical Booklet H Stairs Ramps Guarding and Protection from Impact

This Section of the guidance deals specifically with various aspects of the geometry and safety features for – (a) ramps and complementary steps on access routes to buildings other than dwellings; and

NI-wide·Technical Booklet H Stairs Ramps Guarding and Protection from Impact

The guidance in Section 3 is concerned with various aspects of the geometry and safety of stairs and certain ladders. This includes common provisions for all stairs and additional provisions for – (a)

NI-wide·Technical Booklet H Stairs Ramps Guarding and Protection from Impact

Provisions are also given for spiral and helical stairs in a dwelling and stairs and ladders used solely for the purpose of providing access for maintenance in buildings other than dwellings. The guid

NI-wide·Technical Booklet H Stairs Ramps Guarding and Protection from Impact

It is the view of the Department that the requirements of regulation 57 in Part H will be met if, in order to reduce the risk to the safety of people in or about buildings – (a) pedestrian guarding is

NI-wide·Technical Booklet H Stairs Ramps Guarding and Protection from Impact

The guidance in Section 5 is concerned with reducing the risk of people falling from a height. This includes provisions for guarding flights, ramps, landings and raised floors. This Section also conta

NI-wide·Technical Booklet H Stairs Ramps Guarding and Protection from Impact

It is the view of the Department that the requirements of regulation 58 in Part H will be met if, in order to reduce the risk to the safety of people in or about buildings, loading bays are provided w

NI-wide·Technical Booklet H Stairs Ramps Guarding and Protection from Impact

The guidance in Section 6 deals specifically with reducing the risk to the safety of people in loading bays. This includes the provision of suitable exits or refuges which enable people to avoid being

NI-wide·Technical Booklet H Stairs Ramps Guarding and Protection from Impact

It is the view of the Department that the requirements of regulation 59 in Part H will be met if, measures are taken to prevent doors and gates presenting a safety hazard whenever they are opening or

NI-wide·Technical Booklet H Stairs Ramps Guarding and Protection from Impact

The guidance in Section 7 deals with reducing the risk of people being struck by, or trapped by, doors or gates when they are opening or closing.

NI-wide·Technical Booklet H Stairs Ramps Guarding and Protection from Impact

It is the view of the Department that the requirements of regulation 60 in Part H will be met if windows, skylights or ventilators can be left open without the danger of people colliding with them. Th

NI-wide·Technical Booklet H Stairs Ramps Guarding and Protection from Impact

The guidance in Section 8 is specifically concerned with reducing the risk of people colliding with open windows, skylights or ventilators.

NI-wide·Technical Booklet H Stairs Ramps Guarding and Protection from Impact

In this Technical Booklet the following definitions apply – Dwelling – has the meaning assigned to it by regulation 2 in Part A of the Building Regulations. Entrance storey – means the storey which

NI-wide·Technical Booklet H Stairs Ramps Guarding and Protection from Impact

Surface width – the width of a stair or ramp, measured at the tread of a step or the surface of a ramp, between any enclosing walls, strings, upstands, kerbs or guarding.

NI-wide·Technical Booklet H Stairs Ramps Guarding and Protection from Impact

Tapered tread – a tread which has a greater width at one side than at the other and a going which changes at a constant rate throughout its length.

NI-wide·Technical Booklet H Stairs Ramps Guarding and Protection from Impact

Visual contrast is the perception of a difference visually between one element of a building and another by reference to their light reflectance values. Light reflectance value (LRV) is the total qua

NI-wide·Technical Booklet H Stairs Ramps Guarding and Protection from Impact

Diagram 1.1 Measuring rise and going - showing going measured from nosing to nosing, with details of treads, risers, nosings, and open/closed rise configurations. See paragraphs 1.1, 3.4 and 3.14.

NI-wide·Technical Booklet H Stairs Ramps Guarding and Protection from Impact

Section 2 gives guidance on appropriate levels of safety and convenience for all users where a ramp or a ramp and complementary steps are to be provided as an access route or part of an access route t

NI-wide·Technical Booklet H Stairs Ramps Guarding and Protection from Impact

This Section is presented as follows – Ramps and complementary steps on access routes to buildings other than dwellings; and Ramps and steps on access routes to dwellings.

NI-wide·Technical Booklet H Stairs Ramps Guarding and Protection from Impact

Ramps on access routes should comply with the provisions given in paragraphs 4.14 to 4.25. See Diagram 2.1. However, where an external ramp has a crossfall, that crossfall should have a maximum gradie

NI-wide·Technical Booklet H Stairs Ramps Guarding and Protection from Impact

Visually impaired people risk tripping or losing their balance if there is no warning that there is a change in level. Tripping is most hazardous at the head of a flight of steps when a person is desc

NI-wide·Technical Booklet H Stairs Ramps Guarding and Protection from Impact

People who wear callipers or who have stiffness in hip or knee joints are particularly at risk of tripping or catching their feet beneath nosings. People with a weakness on one side or with a sight im

NI-wide·Technical Booklet H Stairs Ramps Guarding and Protection from Impact

Where complementary steps and a ramp share a surface containing their respective notional landings, it is preferred that the tactile warning surface be located clear of the ramp landing.

NI-wide·Technical Booklet H Stairs Ramps Guarding and Protection from Impact

Steps should have a uniform – (a) rise of not less than 150 mm and not more than 170 mm; and (b) going of not less than 280 mm and not more than 425 mm.