Jimbo37 Posted February 17, 2023 Posted February 17, 2023 (edited) Eh up all, I'm building a house above flood level, which takes me to a ffl (and patio level) of about 1150mm above my rear garden. In an ideal world, I'd like full width steps, for view and simplicity, but I dont think this is acceptable to BC. My reading suggests a railing of 1100mm and handrails on the steps etc. Are there other less obtrusive ways of meeting the regulations, eg keeping people back from the edge, maybe with a planter or other creative ideas? Im really not a fan of cleaning glass! Any tips or pointers, please? Edited February 20, 2023 by Nickfromwales Title typo
markc Posted February 17, 2023 Posted February 17, 2023 I’m afraid it’s railings, wall or balustrade.. or earth bank/slope to reduce drop to less than 300mm (pretty sure it’s 300) 1
ETC Posted February 18, 2023 Posted February 18, 2023 Move the drop more than 3.0m away from the house. You shouldn’t need guarding.
Radian Posted February 18, 2023 Posted February 18, 2023 21 hours ago, markc said: I’m afraid it’s railings, wall or balustrade.. or earth bank/slope to reduce drop to less than 300mm (pretty sure it’s 300) Approved Document K a. in dwellings: provide pedestrian guarding that is capable of preventing people from being injured by falling from a height of more than 600mm That's why I built my lawn retaining wall to be 590mm high. 1
Jimbo37 Posted February 20, 2023 Author Posted February 20, 2023 I'm too far above 600, to slope back to 590 - Im looking at railings! Nice job, looks good.
Temp Posted February 20, 2023 Posted February 20, 2023 (edited) Glass? Oh I see you don't like cleaning glass. Edited February 20, 2023 by Temp 1
Temp Posted February 20, 2023 Posted February 20, 2023 Presumably only the highest step(s) need fall protection. Perhaps just a single post on that step?
Jimbo37 Posted March 29, 2023 Author Posted March 29, 2023 On 18/02/2023 at 17:38, ETC said: Move the drop more than 3.0m away from the house. You shouldn’t need guarding. My deck is 4m deep (back wall of house to edge of deck) - does that excuse me from railing? 1
Jimbo37 Posted March 29, 2023 Author Posted March 29, 2023 @Radian looking at your 590mm idea. If I have 590mm drop to another level of X meters wide, and then another 590mm drop - do you know how wide X needs to be?
ETC Posted March 29, 2023 Posted March 29, 2023 16 minutes ago, Jimbo37 said: My deck is 4m deep (back wall of house to edge of deck) - does that excuse me from railing? Yep. 1
Jimbo37 Posted March 31, 2023 Author Posted March 31, 2023 Sorry to ask you to spell it out to me @ETC- is the reference 3m in 5.2 that is the relevant clause?
ETC Posted March 31, 2023 Posted March 31, 2023 It is yes. Basically it says that guarding should be provided to a sunken area within 3m of the building ie to a drop within 3m of the building. By extension if it’s beyond 3m guarding is not needed. It’s not what it says but what it doesn’t say. TBH paragraph 5.2.
Radian Posted March 31, 2023 Posted March 31, 2023 2 hours ago, ETC said: It is yes. Basically it says that guarding should be provided to a sunken area within 3m of the building ie to a drop within 3m of the building. By extension if it’s beyond 3m guarding is not needed. It’s not what it says but what it doesn’t say. TBH paragraph 5.2. I can't recall where I read it but I gathered that the thinking behind the 3m rule was that people coming out of a building would have an expectation of there being no unsafe drops in the near vicinity. It's a consequence of there being prescriptive safety regulations for the inside of buildings. That's the paradox of safety regulations. A human behaviour called risk compensation means that sometimes the safest feature might be one that's clearly dangerous. Like having a big sharp spike coming out the middle of your steering wheel might make you drive more safely than having an air bag there. 1
Cutenut Posted May 11, 2023 Posted May 11, 2023 On 29/03/2023 at 20:47, ETC said: Yep. ETC can you tell me from what document you are quoting and is it a UK released one? Can you provide a link to it? I could not find this reference in Part M or K and no mention of it on the NHBC website. (I have a similar situation where we are extending a bungalow with a sloping/falling garden and the finished floor is some 70cm above. To put a zero threshold leading onto a patio stepped to the garden we are being told conflicting information. ie, take the drop measurement from the original build line which is 30cm and proceed without guarding, or step each following patio area by 220mm risers until the base of the slope is reached, each terraced area being at least 60cm across.)
ETC Posted May 11, 2023 Posted May 11, 2023 Technical Booklets – Building Control NI (buildingcontrol-ni.com)
Cutenut Posted May 11, 2023 Posted May 11, 2023 thanks for the reply.I guess for England this will not apply as its a NI originating document. ☹️
ETC Posted May 11, 2023 Posted May 11, 2023 Check the base legislation in England and ask your local BCO. Our technical guidance is derived from the English technical guidance.
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