Stairs

Stairs are so common that people do not recognize them as a hazard. Most people do not think about safety when they are using stairs, and that inattention can contribute to accidents.

The most common causes of stairway accidents include:

• Slippery steps
• Poor lighting or glare
• Dangerously high stairways
• Poor housekeeping

Key Terms

In order to understand stairway safety requirements, you must first be familiar with the terminology regarding stairway components.

Stairway: a series of steps and landings that has four or more risers.

Riser: the vertical portion between each tread; can be open or closed.

Tread: the horizontal portion of a step; the part of the step that a person walks on.

Rise: the vertical distance from the top of a tread to the top of the next higher tread.

Stair railing: a vertical barrier erected along exposed sides of a stairway to prevent falls.

Handrail: a single bar or pipe supported on brackets from a wall to provide a continuous handhold for persons using a stairway.

Platform: an extended step of landing that breaks a continuous run of stairs.

To learn more about Slips, Trips, & Falls visit our Construction Slips, Trips & Falls Online Training web page.