Standards & Legislation

Laidlaw technical advisors are able to advise on legislation currently in force, in particular on how to meet Building Regulation requirements throughout the UK and how to design handrails and balustrades to accommodate disabled people and avoid the risk of litigation under the The Equality Act 2010 (formerly The DDA).

Building Regulations

England and Wales - Approved Document M - Access to and use of buildings

The 2004 edition of Approved Document M includes updated sections for non-domestic buildings. The main requirement no longer makes specific reference to disabled people, but requires that reasonable provision is made to ensure that buildings are accessible and usable. The aim is to make buildings more ‘inclusive’ by satisfying the needs of all users, regardless of disability, age or gender.

Part M applies not only to new developments, but also to existing buildings that are subject to alterations, extensions and changes of use.

In respect of handrails (and by implication balustrade top rails), the guidance in Approved Document M relates to:

• The size, profile, spacing and termination of handrails.
• The location and extent of handrails on steps, ramps and landings.
• The surface characteristics of handrails in relation to grip, touch and visual contrast.

In order to reconcile some of the differences between the 2001 edition of BS 8300 and the 2004 version of Approved Document M , a number of key issues that concerned the construction industry were reviewed and incorporated in an amendment to BS 8300 in 2005 (see page 29).

As a result, The ODPM have made available a web page of FAQs, which explains that, in respect of these key issues, the recommendations in the amendment to BS 8300 can be considered an acceptable, and more up-to-date, alternative to the guidance in Approved Document M. The FAQs can be found in the Building Regulations area of the ODPM web site.

England and Wales - Approved Document K (amended 2000) - Protection from falling, collision and impact

Guidance in AD K indicates that the top rail of balustrades should be no lower than 1100mm for the edges of landings and balconies. In addition, measures are included to prevent the head of a child under 5 years of age becoming trapped through the guarding.

For buildings likely to be used by children under 5, a 100mm sphere should not be able to pass through any opening in the guarding and children should not readily be able to climb the guarding.

In addition, another FAQ on the ODPM web site indicates that, subject to approval by Building Control, a triangular opening between the guarding, the tread and the riser is acceptable, provided that the bottom of the guarding is not more than 50mm above the pitch line (measured perpendicular to the pitch line).

Scotland - Non-domestic Technical Handbook - Section 4 - Safety

Guidance on meeting the functional requirements in the Building (Scotland) regulations 2004 is set out in Technical Handbooks, one for domestic and the other for non-domestic buildings. All guidance that was previously in Part S of the Technical Standards isnow distributed throughout the Technical Handbooks, although many of the issues relating to accessibility are in Section 4 of the non-domestic volume.

In relation to handrails and balustrades, Section 4.3 deals with stairs and ramps and Section 4.4, pedestrian protective barriers. The relevant heights of handrails shown in the Technical Handbook are shown in the diagram below, but there is no guidance on the size and profile of any handrail, nor its spacing from an enclosing wall.

Northern Ireland - Part R (2000) - Access and facilities for disabled people

Guidance on meeting the requirements of the Building Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2000 is currently as the 1999 edition of Approved Document M for England and Wales, except that the diameter of the circular handrail is shown as between 38 and 50mm.

However, consultation on an updated version of the Technical Handbook is now concluded and the revised edition is likely to be published later in 2006. This will generally reflect the guidance in the 2004 edition of Approved Document M , but is likely to follow the most recent recommendations of the 2005 amendment of BS 8300.

The Equality Act 2010 (formerly The DDA)

The Equality Act 2010 (formerly The DDA)

The Disability Discrimination Act is human rights legislation, which imposes a duty on employers (under Part ll) and people or organisations that provide a service to the public (under Part lll), not to discriminate on grounds of disability. For education buildings, the Special Educational Needs and Disability Act 2001 (SENDA) imposes a similar duty on establishments providing educational services.

A building, or a design solution, cannot be The Equality Act 2010 (formerly The DDA) compliant. It can only be designed or built in a way that helps people meet their duties in the Act and, therefore, minimise the risk of a legal challenge. For many existing buildings, it will be necessary to make ‘reasonable adjustments’ to certain ‘physical features’, e.g. to widen a doorway or to modify a staircase, where otherwise it would impossible or unreasonably difficult to accommodate a disabled person.

Since any alterations to a building need to comply with building regulations, the guidance in Approved Document M , Section 4 of the Scottish Technical Handbook and Part R of the Northern Ireland regulations will be the first reference point for suitable design solutions. However, for issues that are not covered in the regulations, the recommendations in the most recent edition of BS 8300 should be followed.

British Standards

BS 8300: 2001 (incorporating Amendment 1 June 2005) - Design of buildings and their approaches to meet the needs of disabled people - Code of Practice

BS 8300 provides good practice recommendations on the design of buildings so that they are convenient for use by disabled people. It is widely used as a reference document for guidance on issues not specifically covered in building regulations.

Although the standard is due for a full 5-year review, it was decided in 2005 to review the latest research and feedback from industry on a number of topics that were causing concern within the industry and issue an amended version of the standard in advance of the full review. The issues for handrails and balustrades were:

• The dimensions for circular handrails and their spacing from an enclosing wall.
• The definition of ‘visual contrast’ in relation to ‘light reflectance values’ (LRVs).
• The application of ‘not cold to the touch’.

Circular handrails

Having reviewed the latest research evidence, the BSI committee decided not to change the dimensions in the 2001 edition of BS 8300, even though they differed from those in AD M (2004) (see diagram on page 28). As far as England and Wales is concerned, the BS 8300 dimensions represent a suitable alternative to those in AD M.

Visual contrast

A person’s perception of visual contrast between two surfaces appears to be strongly correlated with the difference in the amount of light reflected from their surfaces, i.e. their light reflectance values (LRVs). In theory, a perfect white has an LRV of 100 and jet black, 0, but these values are never achieved in practice. Whereas AD M (2004) gives a rigid definition of visual contrast (where there is a 30 point difference in LRV), the 2005  amendment to BS 8300 recognises that visual perception is affected by the relative area of surfaces and whether they are textured, curved, metallic or glossy.

The latest guidance is that, although a difference in LRV of 30 points is a reliable indicator of visual contrast, there is anecdotal evidence that a difference of about 20 points may still be acceptable. Differences in LRV are most important between small and large areas, e.g. a lever handle and a door, than between large areas, such as walls and floors. High gloss should be avoided for doors and elements with a larger surface area.

Not cold to the touch

A note added to clause 5.10.1 in the 2005 edition of BS 8300 puts the recommendation that handrails should not be ‘cold to the touch’ in context. It indicates that in parts of the country, which have extremely harsh winter weather conditions, external metal handrails can become extremely cold. In these circumstances, some people may be reluctant to use the handrail (or involuntary let go of the handrail) if it is uncomfortably cold. This represents a safety hazard.

In extreme cases, a person’s skin can adhere to a very cold handrail and the shock can, in some people, trigger an attack of Raynaud’s disease. To minimise the effects of cold, handrails manufactured from wood, or metal coated with materials with a low thermal conductivity, such as plastics, are preferred. BS 6399 Loadings for buildings - Part 1: Code of practice for dead and imposed loads

This is the standard referred to in Approved Document K for details of the horizontal forces that barriers should be capable of resisting. In the standard, Table 4 gives the ‘characteristic’ design loads on parapets, barriers and balustrades (see simplified table below, based on Table 4).

BS 6180 - Barriers in and about buildings - Code of practice

This British Standard reiterates the minimum barrier height for guarding of 1100mm in Approved Document K. It also gives specific recommendations for barriers of concrete, glass, metals, plastics and timber, as well as generic site fixing details.

Horizontal 'characteristic' design loads on balustrades

Orbis Timber Doorsets Performance

The practice of fitting door leaves to frames sourced elsewhere is not in itself in contravention of any relevant building regulations. However, it should be borne in mind that this may result in the non-achievement of required performance, particularly for fire/smoke resistance and sound insulation. The project architect or contractor will automatically assume responsibility for performance and statutory compliance in such circumstances. Single sourcing of doors, frames and ironmongery from Laidlaw’s Orbis Timber Doorset Range ensures total regulatory compliance and resultant peace of mind for clients, specifiers and contractors.

BS476 Pt22 will be superseded by the new European Standard BS EN 1634 Pt1 which is a far more onerous test. The primary differences between BS476 Pt22 and BS EN 1634 Pt1 test standards are:

Temperature control method. Furnace temperature control under BS476 Pt22 uses 1.5mm thermocouples, whereas BS EN1634 Pt1 uses plate thermocouples. Therefore to achieve the correct time/temperature curve the furnace is running between 10% and 34% hotter relative to the same test run to BS476 Pt22 in the first 10 minutes.

Pressure Regime. BS476 Pt22 requires a neutral pressure axis at 1000mm from floor level. BS EN 1634 Pt1 requires a neutral pressure axis at 500mm from floor level. Lowering the neutral axis increases the pressure by more than 35%, creating additional pressure at hinge and latch positions.

Cyclic Testing. There is no requirement for cyclic testing under BS476 Pt22, but BS EN 1634 Pt1 requires a minimum of 500 cycles. "Direct Field of Application" is included within the new standard so that in the test report certain changes to the assembly may be allowed subject to the test assembly exceeding the required time to failure by a given amount. A transition period will apply during which both the BS476 Pt22 and BS EN 1634 Pt1 can be used for testing. This is likely to be between 5 and 10 years.

Regulations and Standards Relating to Doorsets

A critical selection criteria in the selection of the appropriate doorset for a given application is its ability to comply with the standards in force at the time. In this section is a summary of how the key parts of these regulations relate to doorsets.

The Building Regulations 2000 Document M - Access to and Use of Buildings

Doc M requires that reasonable provision is made to ensure that buildings are accessible and usable. It applies to existing buildings as well as new developments, alterations, extensions and changes of use. Doc M provides guidance on achieving inclusive environments, where the overall requirements for access satisfy all users of a building, regardless of disability, age or gender.

Technical Standards - Scottish Regulations

Technical standards are mandatory provisions for disabled people and cover new buildings, conversions, extensions and parts of buildings that are subject to a change of use. The most relevant topics (and associated parts of the standards) are aids to communication – Part N, toilet accommodation – Part M and access and movement around buildings – Part S.

BS 8300

BS 8300 Design of Buildings and their approaches to meet the needs of disabled people – Code of Practice is now the statutory standard that provides guidance on good practice in the design of buildings so that they are convenient for use by disabled people.

HTM 58 and 59

Hospital Technical Memoranda represent technical guidance to be applied in health buildings. The guidance provided by HTM 58 (doorsets) and HTM 59 (ironmongery), particularly in relation to access by disabled people, is not up-to date. It is recommended that Document M and BS8300 are followed.

The Disability Discrimination Act 1995

The Equality Act 2010 (formerly The DDA) introduces new laws and measures aimed at ending the discrimination that many disabled people face. Over time, the Act gives disabled people new rights in the areas of employment and access to goods, facilities and services.

Whilst specifying in accordance with the building regulations does not, in itself, guarantee that a disabled person is not discriminated against, it does indicate that the provider has followed best practice in the building construction.

Building Regulations Approved Document M

Laidlaw comment
For single leaf, single swing doors, the 800 and 825mm clear opening widths can be safely achieved using 1100mm doorsets

Scottish Standards Part S
Opening Width

Laidlaw comment
The 800mm clear opening can be achieved using a 1000mm doorset, and the 750mm clear opening using the 900mm doorset.

Building Regulations Approved Doc M

Vision Panels in Doors

Entrance doors
Door leaves and side panels wider than 450mm have viewing panels giving a zone of visibility between 500mm and 1500mm (in one glazed panel), if necessary interrupted between 800 and 1150mm to accomodate a horizontal rail.

Internal doors
The same guidance as above, but vision panels to be provided only where appropriate.

BS 8300: 2001

Location of Ironmongery.
BS 8300 provides this diagram in order to ensure the correct location of door furniture.

Note: where a full width mid-rail plate or lock are required the recommended pull handle size and or position will need to be altered to avoid clashing with the plate or lock.