Building stairs in the right way is important as the difference in height, depth, or width may cause an imbalance of climbers, which consequently can lead to falls or injuries. Making safe stairways is necessary to ensure people using them will not encounter any expected incidents. A small mistake can lead to serious injuries. A good and safe staircase offers an easy and quick link between the two floors of the building. One of the recognized interior contractors in Pune, India strictly follows guidelines dictated by the building code to construct stairs.
Following are some requirements for good stairs:
Location:
Stairs should be located with an aim to offer proper sufficient light and ventilation. Preferably, they are located centrally. In residential complexes, it should be located at the main entrance, while, it should be constructed centrally in public buildings.
Width:
The width of stairs should be 36 inches or 3 feet maximum. This should not include handrails. Narrow stairs make it difficult for people to carry items with them. Moreover, awkward positioning could lead to falls. In the case of public buildings, it should be 1.8 m, while for residential buildings, it must be 0.9 m.
Length:
The flight of stairs should maximum of 12 or a minimum 3.
Pitch:
The pitch of long stairs needs to be shortened through the introduction of landing. For domestic buildings, the maximum pitch should be 42°. While, for a public building, it should be a maximum of 33°.
Headroom:
Headroom means the vertical distance between the stair tread and the ceiling. It should be a minimum 6 feet 8 inches. This ensures that any tall person can climb up and down without a need to duck down.
Materials:
Materials used for the construction of stairs should be fire-resisting materials. Moreover, they should have enough strength to withstand any impact to ensure safety.
Balustrade:
Open-well stairs need balustrades in order to prevent accidents. However, in the case of wide stairs, handrails should be built on both sides.
Riser:
The riser should not be higher than 7.75 inches. This ensures comfort for people when they lift a foot from one stair to another. This length ensures stairs are not too high while climbing up and not too low while climbing down. The riser measurement of each tread should be as identical as possible. If there is a huge variety, it becomes a safety hazard.
Tread:
Tread means the horizontal distance from the edge to the rear part of the stairs. It should be a minimum of 10 inches long. This allows users to have enough part of the foot on the stair. Tread length is essential while descending than ascending. The 10-inch long tread offers safety while descending.
Along with fulfilling these requirements, it is necessary for all top construction companies in India to follow the guidelines given in the building code. These rules are provided to make stairs as safe as possible, so they should not be ignored.