2017 NCC Seminars: Can a handrail have a break at a landing?

Staying in Volume Two, we'll come to our next part.

Can a handrail have a break at a landing?

Now, note that we're talking about the handrail, the thing that you hold to help you up.

Not the balustrade or the barrier, the thing which stops you from falling over the edge.

Can the handrail break when you come to the landing in Volume Two?

Sorry, I've circled them up there.

So they've got these little breaks.

This is actually a copy from an actual photograph that came to us.

I couldn't use the photo because I couldn't get the permission, but you can see the construction we're talking about.

Is that ok in Volume Two?

Yes or no?

I've got some yes, I've got a no.

Is it ok?

Surely, we have to be continuous to get up through that.

Let's have a look.

So we go to 3.9.2 again, and the intent of handrails is to provide assistance and aid stability.

That's straight to performance requirement P2.5.1 (b)(1)

And we go to Deemed-to-Satisfy provision 3.9.2.4 and the first thing to note is that handrails are required along the full length of the flight or the ramp.

Where does the flight end?

At the top riser or at the bottom?

It doesn't extend into the landing.

What's more.

The requirements of (a) do not apply to a landing.

So this design's ok.

You can have that break in the handrail for Volume Two.

Keep in mind for Volume One, it could be that your stair needs to be accessible in accordance with D3.1 and therefore, you get to 1428.1 which requires the continuity around the landing.

But Volume Two, that's ugly.

I wouldn't accept that, but you can do it.