Wednesday, September 26, 2007

Stair Landings?

Q: What is the minimum required size of a Stair Landing for an Egress/Exit Stair? Where are Stair Landings required? What is the maximum vertical rise of a Stair before Intermediate Landings are required?

A: Below are some paraphrased Code Sections answering these questions:

1. Stair Landings and Platforms shall be provided at the head and foot of each flight of stairs, except at the head of a basement stair in one- and two-family dwellings.

2. The minimum width of stair landings and platforms perpendicular to the direction of egress shall be equal to at least the width of the stair.

3. Intermediate landings need not be more than 44" wide.

4. The maximum vertical rise of a single flight of stairs shall not exceed:

  • 8' in Occupancy Group F (Place of Assembly) and H (Hospital, Nursing Home, Mental Institution, Jail)

  • 12' in all other Occupancy Groups.


Provide an Intermediate Landing where the vertical rise exceeds these distances.

4. The swing of stair doors shall not block stairs or stair landings.

5. The swing of a Stair Door shall not reduce the clear width of the Stair landing to be less than seventy-five percent of the required width of the landing or stair.

6. The swing of a Stair Door shall not reduce the clear width of the Stair landing to be less than the width of the door opening on them.

See BC Section 27-375(d) and 27-375(g) for the exact wording/additional details

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