Raised Patio & Building Control/Safety

[Jimbo37]

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]

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)

[ETC]

Move the drop more than 3.0m away from the house. You shouldn’t need guarding.

[Radian]

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.

[Jimbo37]

I'm too far above 600, to slope back to 590 - Im looking at railings! Nice job, looks good.

[Temp]

Glass?

Oh I see you don't like cleaning glass.

Edited February 20, 2023 by Temp

[Temp]

Presumably only the highest step(s) need fall protection. Perhaps just a single post on that step?

[Jimbo37]

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?

[Jimbo37]

@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]

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.

[Jimbo37]

Sorry to ask you to spell it out to me @ETC- is the reference 3m in 5.2 that is the relevant clause?

[ETC]

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]

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.

[Cutenut]

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]

Technical Booklets – Building Control NI (buildingcontrol-ni.com)

[Cutenut]

thanks for the reply.I guess for England this will not apply as its a NI originating document.

☹️

 

 

[ETC]

Check the base legislation in England and ask your local BCO. Our technical guidance is derived from the English technical guidance.

[JohnMo]

Daft question do you need disability access?

[Jimbo37]

@JohnMo NI or England - Yes in NI