Open staircase - problem with building regulations?

A

annebrodie

Guest
Hi all. I am modernising my house which was built in 1975, and which has a rather hideous baluster. I was thinking about just getting rid of it altogether, which would visually widen my hallway considerably, and fixing a simple handrail to the wall instead.

Would I be in violation of any kind of building regulation if I were to do this?

Thanks for your advice.
 
the regs here have the typical irish approach....

they say that the gap between the open threads should not be more than 100mm if the dwelling is going to be used by children... now obviously only leaving a 100mm gap looks stupid if you want an open thread stair....

the reason for the reg is the fear of a child getting his head stuck between the treads....
 
The treads are not open treads - they're just normal stairs which I'm planning on carpeting. There would be nowhere for a child to get his head stuck! Now, he would probably be able to fall off the stairs, as there would be no baluster...
 
oops, i must have read your question incorrectly....

but generally the same reg applies.....

this is the pertinent paragraph from the regs....


1.1.19
Guarding should be designed and built in
such a way that it does not present unacceptable
risks of accidents in service. Where guarding
contains glazing, it should be in accordance with the
recommendations of BS 6262-4 : 1994. In addition,
unless the stairs are unlikely to be used by children
under five years of age, guarding should be so
constructed that a 100 mm diameter sphere cannot
pass through any openings in the guarding and that it
will not be readily climbable. Where a cut string is
used, the triangular space formed by tread and riser
is allowable, provided the bottom edge of the
balustrade is not more than 50 mm above the nosing​
line.

http://www.environ.ie/en/Publications/DevelopmentandHousing/BuildingStandards/FileDownLoad,1651,en.pdf

 
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