Stairway Encroachment into Corridors

Noted in NZS 4121:2001 Section 8.3.4, the top or bottom step of any flight of stairs shall not encroach into corridors so that the effective minimum width of the corridor on accessible routes or means of escape in fire, is compromised. Where stairs do encroach, they shall be protected by a barrier or a return wall indicated by a change in surface texture of the floor.

Section 8.6.5.2 notes that handrails shall not project into any other path of travel, except when a centre handrail projects into a landing by the distance of the stair going. With this knowledge, Figure 22 (as shown below) depicts how an encroachment of the handrails should be handled, with the return wall covering the projection of the handrail at the start of the stair flight.

How far the handrails will encroach all depends on the rise, tread length & angle of the stair flight. Usually, the higher the angle of the stair the less the handrail will encroach.

To save time, resource and ease of installation when specifying Moddex guardrails or balustrades please consult the Compliance Tip or contact us on 1800 663 339 (Australia) or 0800 663 339 (New Zealand)