5.12 A handrail should be provided on each side of the steps. A central double handrail is desirable on wide staircases. The handrails should be extended horizontally 300mm beyond the top and bottom steps. The underside of the staircase should be enclosed or protected to prevent people walking underneath the staircase and sustaining head injuries. 5.15 Stairs should have closed risers.
Open risers can become trip hazards and disorientate people.
5.16 Lighting should be provided specifically to illuminate the staircase to at least 100 lux. It is not acceptable to assume that adequate lighting will spill over from other areas. 5.17 Wherever possible, curved or spiral staircases should be avoided. Handrails should always be continuous across or around half landings. Corduroy surfacing is not required on half landings.