Stairs are very common place for accidents. People often tend to slip and fall of the stairs since they are unable to see the stairs properly, especially during power surge. At times, the stair edges get broken due to constant usage and can also lead to these accidents.
The process of stair nosing is mean to prevent these accidents by laying an extra layer of slip resistant materials so that people would not slip of the stairs and get injured. When we walk up or down a set of stairs, we often take it for granted that the surface on which we are walking is safe and secure. As per the figures provided by the health and safety executive, more than a lakh of injuries are informed to be on the stairs, with near about 100 deaths resulting from these accidents. With these figures, it is very vital to ensure that the modern architectures adhere to the building standards and guidelines for installing the accessories such as stair nosing.
The following steps would give you the best guidance for ensuring that you can choose the safest as well as, the best suitable stair nosing.
- Choosing the right nosing for the perfect stairs might sound simple however, the type of stair installed would determine the stair nosing you select. There are four major shapes of stair nosing to choose from and the one selected should be a tight fit to the stairs. The four major shapes are square, rake back, kinked face and bullnose.
- The gauge of the stair nosing must have a flush finish in order to avoid a trip hazard. When used alongside the soft floor coverings, the gauge should achieve a flush finish with the compressed thickness of the flooring covering. The depth of the tread will also have an influence on the type of stair nosing selected. A stair nosing which tends to wrap around the edge of the stairs would reduce the chances of accidents due to slips and falls.
- Selecting the appropriate slip resistance for the conditions is something to be given priority. Just think about where the stairnosing is about be installed and just make sure that the required level of resistance to slip is achieved for reducing the risks of accidents occurring from slips and falls.
- Often these stair-related accidents happen during power failures and also due to the poor visibility. Therefore, it is quite important for achieving a tonal contrast between the floor coverings and the stair nosings; people suffering from visual impairments are unable to see or differentiate between some colors but have the likeliness of perceiving dark and light.
- As per the building rules and regulations, it is mandatory for ensuring that there is sufficient visual contrast at the edge of the steps. It is recommended that there should be at least a 30 point difference between the values of light reflection of the stair nosing and the floor covering. This is for the purpose of achieving a visual contrast.
The most popular material of these stair nosing is fibreglass. This material is highly strong and durable; capable of withstanding high amount of pressure. This material is also lightweight and thus cost effective. In other words, installing the fibreglass stairnosing is the best and cost effective way of reducing accidents from slips and falls.