The Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA) is delighted to confirm that the campaign to make stairs safer has achieved a major breakthrough.
The Government is now proceeding with a consultation on updating the Building Regulations to include British Standard 5395-1 on stair design, pledging to complete the review “as expeditiously as possible, and certainly within the year”.
The change to the Building Regulations would significantly improve the safety of all new-build homes, with the updated stair design associated with a staggering 60 per cent reduction in the risk of falls.
With early support in the House of Commons from Paul Maynard MP, (Blackpool North and Cleveleys), RoSPA’s nine-month journey has involved considerable engagement with Government ministers and officials. RoSPA has now secured Government backing to have the existing British Standard 5395-1 enshrined into Building Regulations, provided the results of the industry consultation are positive.
RoSPA, who identified stair safety as a significant threat to the UK population, has called falls on the stairs “a hidden killer” which claims the lives of over 700 people in England every year, and hospitalises 43,000 more.
Errol Taylor, RoSPA’s Chief Executive Officer, said: “We have been persistent and focused in the pursuit of our aim to have every new home built with stairs meeting the British Standard. And we have pursued all avenues to make this a reality. It is a credit to our resolve, and the resolve of our supporters, that so many politicians and peers have backed us by making impassioned speeches in both houses.
“However, even though we have reached this momentous position, we are not being complacent. Our work will continue until the consultation is complete, and the standard is a legal requirement fully reflected in the Building Regulations. And in this regard, I would like to commend our partners who have stood with us, and provided their backing all the way. This is as much an achievement for these enlightened house builders as it is for RoSPA – ultimately it is our incredibly important coalitions with the industry that have placed us in this position. Together these actions will save many, many lives and unnecessary injuries for thousands of people.”
RoSPA, with its partners from the building industry, has argued that changes to incorporate the British Standard into building regulations are simple to deliver and cost-effective if baked-in at the design stage of new homes. The law will only apply to new-build properties and therefore would not require costly retrofitting in existing houses. Consulting widely, RoSPA has engaged with trade associations and housing groups throughout, including the Home Builders Federation (HBF), Local Government Authority (LGA), National Fire Chiefs Council (NFCC) and the National Home Builders Council (NHBC).
