Stairs

Stairs are the main method used for vertical access in buildings. Very dangerous, 5000+ deaths per year in US, 1,000,000 hospital-treatment injuries per year.

Types of stairs:
1. Straight Run 2. Scissors (U-shaped) 3. L-shaped 4. Spiral Usually ornamental, NOT to be used as main access 5. Circular & curved 6. Winder Similar to circular, but square patterns

Stair Terms & IBC Code requirements:

1. Stair width at least 44 wide clear
Tread Stair width Total Run

2. Tread the horizontal step depth must be 11 minimum 3. Riser The vertical distance between treads shall be no at least 4 and no greater than 7
Tread Nosing Riser

4. Total Run Sum of horizontal treads 5. Total Rise Sum of vertical risers, shall be no greater than 12-0 between landings 6. Nosing overhanging portion of tread extending beyond the vertical plane of riser, not more than 1

7. Landing width shall no less than width of stairway, length in direction of travel at least 48
48 min. Landing

8. Stringer the structural member supporting the treads 9. Handrail a horizontal or sloping rail intended for grasping by the hand for guidance and support, height must at least 34, no more than 38 above tread. Circular handrail must be at least 1 diameter and no more than 2 diameter and at least 1 clear distance from face of wall.

34 min.

10. Guardrail barrier at top of stairs, at least 42 high. 11. Dimensional uniformity maximum tolerance between maximum and minimum tread depth or riser height shall be less than 3/8 within a flight of stairs. 12. Headroom minimum vertical headroom shall be 6-8 as measured vertically from edge of nosing

Headroom

Other Stairway Criteria:

1. Structural stairs shall be deigned structurally to accommodate the following: a. Vertical loading shall be no less than 100 PSF, with minimum concentrated load of 300 lbs. b. Handrails & guardrails shall be able to support 50 PLF along top of rail or 200 lbs. at top of rail from any direction. 2. Lighting illumination shall be at least 10 foot-candles as measured from edge of nosing at all times. Emergency lighting in case of power outage must be provided. 3. Fire Separation stairway enclosures shall have a fire separation of 2 hours if 4 stories or more, 1 hour if up to 3 stories. This includes doors.

Metal-Framed Stairs:

Handrail Not to exceed 12-0 Channel steel stringer Not to exceed 12-0