Stair Safety
Why is Safety
Important in Architecture
- Building
regulations - protection of public health, safety and
welfare
- Buildings can
cause accidents - slips, falls, burns, etc.
- Fires, natural
disasters and crime create stressful conditions
- Protection of
vulnerable occupants - children, older people, people
with disabilities
Key Safety Goals
- Design to
facilitate error-free use
- Creating
awareness of hazardous conditions and events
- Design to enable
emergency use
Design Principles
- Eliminate
surprise hazards, e.g. door opening out into traffic,
irregular riser height
- Warnings for
hazardous conditions, e.g. drop offs, danger on opposite
side of door, auto door labels
- Eliminate
distractions, e.g. environment of stairway
- Perception of
emergency use devices and procedures, e.g. location of
fire stairway, visibility of stair edge, focus attention
by contrast, extend the range of senses
- Awareness of
support provided in the environment , e.g. location of
handrails, refuge areas
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