This part applies to all stairways used in construction, alteration,
repair (including painting and decorating), and demolition workplaces
covered under chapter
296-155 WAC, and also sets forth, in specified circumstances,
when stairways are required to be provided.
(1) Equivalent means alternative designs, materials,
or methods that the employer can demonstrate will provide an equal
or greater degree of safety for employees than the method or item
specified in the standard.
(2) Failure means load refusal, breakage, or separation
of component parts. Load refusal is the point where the structural
members lose their ability to carry the loads.
(3) Handrail means a rail used to provide employees with
a handhold for support.
(4) Lower levels means those areas to which an employee
can fall from a stairway or ladder. Such areas include ground
levels, floors, roofs, ramps, runways, excavations, pits, tanks,
material, water, equipment, and similar surfaces. It does not
include the surface from which the employee falls.
(5) Nosing means that portion of a tread projecting beyond
the face of the riser immediately below.
(6) Platform means a walking/working surface for persons,
elevated above the surrounding floor or ground.
(7) Point of access means all areas used by employees
for work-related passage from one area or level to another. Such
open areas include doorways, passageways, stairway openings, studded
walls, and various other permanent or temporary openings used
for such travel.
(8) Riser height means the vertical distance from the
top of a tread to the top of the next higher tread or platform/landing
or the distance from the top of a platform/landing to the top
of the next higher tread or platform/landing.
(9) Spiral stairway means a series of steps attached
to a vertical pole and progressing upward in a winding fashion
within a cylindrical space.
(10) Stairrail system means a vertical barrier erected
along the unprotected sides and edges of a stairway to prevent
employees from falling to lower levels. The top surface of a stairrail
system may also be a “handrail.”
(11) Tread depth means the horizontal distance from front
to back of a tread (excluding nosing, if any).
(12) Unprotected sides and edges means any side or edge
(except at entrances to points of access) of a stairway where
there is no stairrail system or wall 36 inches (.9 m) or more
in height, and any side or edge (except at entrances to points
of access) of a stairway landing, or ladder platform where there
is no wall or guardrail system 39 inches (1 m) or more in height.
(1) A stairway or ladder shall be provided at all personnel points
of access where there is a break in elevation of 19 inches (48
cm) or more, and no ramp, runway, sloped embankment, or personnel
hoist is provided.
(a) Employees shall not use any spiral stairways that will
not be a permanent part of the structure on which construction
work is being performed.
(b) A double-cleated ladder or two or more separate ladders
shall be provided when ladders are the only means of access
or exit from a working area for 25 or more employees, or when
a ladder is to serve simultaneous two-way traffic.
(c) When a building or structure has only one point of access
between levels, that point of access shall be kept clear to
permit free passage of employees. When work must be performed
or equipment must be used such that free passage at that point
of access is restricted, a second point of access shall be provided
and used.
(d) When a building or structure has two or more points of
access between levels, at least one point of access shall be
kept clear to permit free passage of employees.
(2) Employers shall provide and install all stairway and ladder
fall protection systems required by this part and shall comply
with all other pertinent requirements of this part before employees
begin the work that necessitates the installation and use of stairways,
ladders, and their respective fall protection systems.
(1) General. The following requirements apply to all stairways
as indicated:
(a) Stairways that will not be a permanent part of the structure
on which construction work is being performed shall have landings
of not less than 30 inches (76 cm) in the direction of travel
and extend at least 22 inches (56 cm) in width at every 12 feet
(3.7 m) or less of vertical rise.
(b) Stairs shall be installed between 30 deg. and 50 deg. from
horizontal.
(c) In all buildings or structures two or more stories or twenty-four
feet or more in height or depth, suitable permanent or temporary
stairways shall be installed.
(d) Stairways, ramps or ladders shall be provided at all points
where a break in elevation of eighteen inches or more occurs
in a frequently traveled passageway, entry or exit.
(e) A minimum of one stairway shall be provided for access
and exit for buildings and structures to three stories or thirty-six
feet; if more than three stories or thirty-six feet, two or
more stairways shall be provided. Where two stairways are provided
and work is being performed in the stairways, one shall be maintained
clear for access between levels at all times.
(f) Wood frame buildings.
(i) The stairway to a second or higher floor shall be completed
before studs are raised to support the next higher floor.
(ii) Roof and attic work areas of all buildings shall be
provided with a safe means of access and egress, such as stairways,
ramps or ladders.
(iii) Cleats shall not be nailed to studs to provide access
to and egress from roof or other work areas.
(g) Steel frame buildings. Stairways shall extend to the uppermost
floor that has been planked or decked. Ladders may be used above
that point.
(h) Reinforced concrete or composite steel-Concrete buildings.
Stairways shall extend to the lowermost floor upon which a complete
vertical shoring system is in place. A minimum of two ladders
at different locations for each floor may be used above this
floor but not to exceed three floors.
(i) Riser height and tread depth shall be uniform within each
flight of stairs, including any foundation structure used as
one or more treads of the stairs. Variations in riser height
or tread depth shall not be over 1/4-inch (0.6 cm) in any stairway
system.
(j) Where doors or gates open directly on a stairway, a platform
shall be provided, and the swing of the door shall not reduce
the effective width of the platform to less than 20 inches (51
cm).
(k) Metal pan landings and metal pan treads, when used, shall
be secured in place before filling with concrete or other material.
(l) All parts of stairways shall be free of hazardous projections,
such as protruding nails.
(m) Slippery conditions on stairways shall be eliminated before
the stairways are used to reach other levels.
(n) Employers are permitted to use alternating tread type stairs
as long as they install, use, and maintain the stairs in accordance
with manufacturer's recommendations and the following:
(i) The stair must be installed at an angle of seventy degrees
or less.
(ii) The stair must be capable of withstanding a minimum
uniform load of one hundred pounds per square foot with a
design factor of 1.7, and the treads must be capable of carrying
a minimum concentrated load of three hundred pounds at the
center of any treadspan or exterior arc with a design factor
of 1.7. If the stair is intended for greater loading, construction
must allow for that loading.
(iii) The stair must be equipped with a handrail on each
side to assist the user in climbing or descending.
(o) Due to space limitations, when a permanent stairway must
be installed at an angle above fifty degrees, such an installation
(commonly called an inclined or ship's ladder) shall have treads,
open risers and handrails on both sides.
(p) Where ladders are permitted for access under subsection
(1) of this section, means shall be provided for employee hoisting
of tools and material, such as a well wheel and hoisting line
or the equivalent, so employees will have both hands free for
ascending and descending ladders.
(2) Temporary service. The following requirements apply to all
stairways as indicated:
(a) Except during stairway construction, foot traffic is prohibited
on stairways with pan stairs where the treads and/or landings
are to be filled in with concrete or other material at a later
date, unless the stairs are temporarily fitted with wood or
other solid material at least to the top edge of each pan. Such
temporary treads and landings shall be replaced when worn below
the level of the top edge of the pan.
(b) Except during stairway construction, foot traffic is prohibited
on skeleton metal stairs where permanent treads and/or landings
are to be installed at a later date, unless the stairs are fitted
with secured temporary treads and landings long enough to cover
the entire tread and/or landing area.
(c) Treads for temporary service shall be made of wood or other
solid material, and shall be installed the full width and depth
of the stair.
(3) Stairrails and handrails. The following requirements apply
to all stairways as indicated:
(a) Stairways having four or more risers or rising more than
30 inches (76 cm), whichever is less, shall be equipped with:
(i) At least one handrail; and
(ii) One stairrail system along each unprotected side or
edge.
Note: When the top edge of a stairrail system
also serves as a handrail, subdivision (g) of this subsection
applies.
(b) Winding and spiral stairways shall be equipped with a handrail
offset sufficiently to prevent walking on those portions of
the stairways where the tread width is less than 6 inches (15
cm).
(c) The height of stairrails shall be as follows:
(i) Stairrails installed after the effective date of this
standard, shall be not less than 36 inches (91.5 cm) from
the upper surface of the stairrail system to the surface of
the tread, in line with the face of the riser at the forward
edge of the tread.
(ii) Stairrails installed before the effective date of this
standard, shall be not less than 30 inches (76 cm) nor more
than 34 inches (86 cm) from the upper surface of the stairrail
system to the surface of the tread, in line with the face
of the riser at the forward edge of the tread.
(d) Midrails, screens, mesh, intermediate vertical members,
or equivalent intermediate structural members, shall be provided
between the top rail of the stairrail system and the stairway
steps.
(i) Midrails, when used, shall be located at a height midway
between the top edge of the stairrail system and the stairway
steps.
(ii) Screens or mesh, when used, shall extend from the top
rail to the stairway step, and along the entire opening between
top rail supports.
(iii) When intermediate vertical members, such as balusters,
are used between posts, they shall be not more than 19 inches
(48 cm) apart.
(iv) Other structural members, when used, shall be installed
such that there are no openings in the stairrail system that
are more than 19 inches (48 cm) wide.
(e) Handrails and the top rails of stairrail systems shall
be capable of withstanding, without failure, a force of at least
200 pounds (890 n) applied within 2 inches (5 cm) of the top
edge, in any downward or outward direction, at any point along
the top edge.
(f) The height of handrails shall be not more than 37 inches
(94 cm) nor less than 30 inches (76 cm) from the upper surface
of the handrail to the surface of the tread, in line with the
face of the riser at the forward edge of the tread.
(g) When the top edge of a stairrail system also serves as
a handrail, the height of the top edge shall be not more than
37 inches (94 cm) nor less than 36 inches (91.5 cm) from the
upper surface of the stairrail system to the surface of the
tread, in line with the face of the riser at the forward edge
of the tread.
(h) Stairrail systems and handrails shall be so surfaced as
to prevent injury to employees from punctures or lacerations,
and to prevent snagging of clothing.
(i) Handrails shall provide an adequate handhold for employees
grasping them to avoid falling.
(j) The ends of stairrail systems and handrails shall be constructed
so as not to constitute a projection hazard.
(k) Handrails that will not be a permanent part of the structure
being built shall have a minimum clearance of 3 inches (8 cm)
between the handrail and walls, stairrail systems, and other
objects.
(l) Unprotected sides and edges of stairway landings shall
be provided with guardrail systems. Guardrail system criteria
are contained in chapter
296-155 WAC, Part K.
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