Please note: To view the design of this web site, you need a browser that supports web standards. The content of this site is accessable (with no formatting) to any browser. Upgrade to a Web standards compliant browser.
Accesskeys: home=1, skip over navigation=2, search=3

Stairs
 Printer Friendly

This is an example of a poorly positioned handrail as it extends beyond the bottom of the stairs without going down to ground level and blocks the path of people moving across the pathway. This is an example of a poorly positioned handrail as it extends beyond the bottom of the stairs without going down to ground level and blocks the path of people moving across the pathway.

This is an example of a spiral stair case being difficult to locate visually. This is an example of a spiral stair case being difficult to locate visually.

This is an example of a good under-stair treatment as the hazardous area is enclosed by a fence. This is an example of a good under-stair treatment as the hazardous area is enclosed by a fence.

This is an example of where contrasting nosings on the front edge of each step would assist people with vision impairment as the edges of these brick steps are difficult to identify visually. This is an example of where contrasting nosings on the front edge of each step would assist people with vision impairment as the edges of these brick steps are difficult to identify visually.

First hand perspective….
There is something not very funny about picking yourself up of the ground having just fallen down a previously unknown set of stairs. Although you may use a white cane, it helps to have some sort of stripe of contrasting colour on the top of the stairs so that you can have a warning that you are about to go down them.

For most people with a vision impairment, going down steps is the worst because most of us have no depth perception and most steps appear as a ramp if you are walking down them. So it is a shock when you find yourself sitting at the bottom of them, on your back side, like I have more than once before. Steps are a good example of where the Tactile Ground Surface Indicators or TGSI come in handy. Well placed TGSI can literally save a life. Hopefully mine!”

Unexpected “drop offs” are one of the biggest fears of people with vision impairment. An unexpected drop off can be a step, stair or platform edge at a railway station. Effective design and construction will assist people to negotiate stairs and other drop offs safely and independently.

When designing and maintaining stairs, important considerations include:

  • Regularity of stair construction.
  • All steps and stairs should have their nosing (the front edge of the tread) marked with an appropriate contrasting strip as per Australian Standard 1428.1
  • Correct placement of Tactile Ground Surface Indicators (TGSI) when required to indicate the beginning of stairs. You can find out more about Tactile Ground Surface Indicators here.
  • Sufficient lighting or illumination. You can find out more about Lighting here.
  • Appropriately positioned handrails (refer to Australian Standard 1428.1) Guide Dogs NSW/ACT highly recommended that the handrail contrasts with the wall surface, to improve visibility according to Australian Standard 1428.2. It should also extend horizontally beyond the end of the stairs and should also curve under on the ends to avoid collision. Handrails that are intended to be continuous should have no gaps.
  • Stairs should not be positioned immediately inside or outside doorways as people with vision impairment may not have enough time to detect them when walking through the doorway.
  • Stairs should not be open. Australian Standard 1428.1 says that stairs required an opaque riser
  • The underneath of stair cases should be enclosed to prevent a head height hazard for people with vision impairment.

For more detailed information on specifics of stair and step construction, please refer to Australian Standard 1428.1