The British Woodworking Federation (BWF) Stair Scheme has launched a new guide to assist stair designers, manufacturers and building professionals involved in the design and specification of common timber stairs for the UK market.
The new ‘Design Guide 2: Common Timber Stairs’ was launched at the ‘Stair Flair with Due Care’ seminar on 3 May at the Building Centre, London.
It is estimated that there is a fall on stairs every 90 seconds in the UK, and a further estimated 250,000 non-fatal accidents which are serious enough to merit a trip to A&E.
The Design Guide 2 provides industry guidance and the minimum requirements for the manufacture of safe and well-designed common timber stairs for the UK construction market.
Critically, the rules and regulations for the manufacture and installation of common stairs are different from stairs for private dwellings and take into account other factors such as fire safety, increased loadings and accessibility for all users.
Tiny details and dimensional limitations within the design are critical to ensuring that the stair is safe for all users and compliant to relevant regulations.
The Building Centre launch event featured BWF Stair Scheme Manager Hannah Mansell and structural engineer Dr Luke Whale, managing director of C4Ci (both pictured), presenting on the key findings of the new guide, covering regulatory compliance and the design of safe timber stairs for communal settings such as blocks of flats or non-domestic buildings.
‘Design Guide 2: Common Timber Stairs’ is available to download from the BWF Stair Scheme Website at: www.bwfstairscheme.org.uk/stair-design
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