Safety Standards

The Building Code of Australia (BCA), the National Construction Code and other building guidelines have regulations to ensure safety. The following extracts for Tactile Indicators and Stair Nosings and Stair Treads have been taken from the National Construction Code. If you have any queries about these regulations and the best safety products for your project, please feel free to contact us for advice.

Safety Standards for Tactile Ground Surface Indicators (TGSI’s)

Extracts from the National Construction Code

D3.8 Tactile Indicators

1. For a building required to be accessible, tactile ground surface indicators must be provided to warn people with a vision impairment that they are approaching –
   1. if used by the public-
      1. a stairway; and
      2. an escalator; and
      3. a travelator; and
      4. a ramp other than a step ramp and kerb ramp; and
   2. in the absence of a suitable barrier-
      1. an overhear obstruction less than 2 m above floor level, other than a doorway; and
      2. a path of travel meeting a vehicular way adjacent to a principal public entrance to a building, if there is no kerb or kerb ramp at that point.
2. Tactile ground surface indicators required by (1) must be Type B indicators in accordance with AS 1428.4.
3. A hostel for the aged, nursing home for the aged, a residential aged care building or a Class 9c aged care building, need not comply with (1.1) if handrails incorporating a raised dome button in accordance with AS 1428.1 are provided to warn people with impaired vision that they are approaching a stairway or ramp.

BCA 2008 | From the Australian Building Codes Board | www.abcb.gov.au

Safety Standards for Stair Nosings and Stair Treads

Extracts from the National Construction Code

D2.13 Goings and Risers

A stairway must have –

1. not more than 18 nor less than 2 rises in each flight and;
2. except as permitted by (b) and (c), goings (G), riser (R) and quantity (2R + G) in accordance with Table D2.13; and
3. except as permitted by (b) and (c), goings and risers that are constant throughout in one flight; and
4. risers which do not have any openings that would allow a 125mm sphere to pass through between the treads; and
5. treads which have a non slip finish or an adequate non-skid strip near the edge of the nosings; and
6. treads of solid construction (not mesh or other perforated material) if the stairways is more that 10 m high or connects more than 3 storeys; and
7. in a Class 9b building, not more than 36 risers in consecutive flights without a change in direction of at least 30; and
8. in the cast of a required stairway, no winders in lieu of a landing.

BCA 2008 | From the Australian Building Codes Board | www.abcb.gov.au