Guarding and steps

Retaining structures and steps shall be adequately guarded and allow safe use.

Guarding should be provided where:

• structures are retaining land more than 600mm high to which people have access
• a retaining structure is more than 600mm high and the dimension from the top of the retaining wall to the higher ground level is less than 300mm, or
• a path is adjacent to a vertical difference in level of more than 600mm (including where ground adjacent to the path falls away at an angle of more than 30° from the horizontal).

The guarding should:

• be a minimum of 1100mm high
• not be readily climbable by children
• not allow a 100mm diameter sphere to pass through
• steps, comprising of three or more risers, a handrail
• (850mm to 1000mm above the pitch line of the flight) should be provided on one side of the flight. The handrail should extend
• 300mm beyond the top and bottom nosings (see figures 1 and 2).
• However, where a landings is provided between each riser or pair of risers

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