ABSTRACT
People, including children and the elderly, should be able to use stairs safely and be protected from the risk of falling from one floor level to others below. The degree of safety provisions necessary depends on the purpose group of the building, the number of users, their familiarity with the building and the extent of access made available to the building. The guidance contained in Approved Document K reflects its close relationship with Approved Document B, relating to fire safety and means of escape, and Approved Document M, covering access to buildings for the disabled. An example of this is the omission of minimum stair and ramp widths, which are given in Approved Documents B and M.
