Stairs and steps are a common feature of many homes and buildings in Orange County, which is why anyone who owns a property should take great care that their stairs are as safe as possible for kids and adults to use, as taking a fall on stairs can seriously injure or possibly even kill someone. Fortunately, you can decrease the risk of catastrophic injury on your stairs by making some crucial improvements on your California property.
An article on Inlinedesign suggests making stair risers more visible. This will especially help individuals with poor vision. Take care that your steps do not blend in to the surroundings too much and that the edges are distinct enough that a person can judge the edges of the step accurately when they put a foot down. Placing contrasting substances on the nosings of the risers, like yellow colors, can help with visibility. If your steps do not have nosings, place the contrast on the leading edges of the treads.
Do not forget to install handrails if you can. A strong handrail will sharply minimize the possibility someone will take a spill on the stairs. Make sure that rails are available on both sides of the steps and that they are anchored to posts or the nearby walls. Adults should be able to place their whole weight on a rail without risking damage to it or to whatever the rail is attached to. Also, the handrails should reach the elbow height of an adult person.
If your stairs are susceptible to low levels of light, you may have to install some nearby lights to compensate. Fortunately, Gardenista points out the many types of lighting that are available. For one thing, you can install lights on the stair risers. You can also put in lights underneath the overhangs on the stair treads. These lights will shine down onto the steps below. You can also situate pathway lights around the stairs, or you may put lights on walls if they run right alongside the stairs.
If you have steps in a public place, you might want to assume that some pedestrians will not automatically spot a set of stairs as they approach them. In particular, stairs that slope downward from an upper floor will be harder to see than if you approach an ascending staircase. To diminish the chance that someone might trip and fall, place signs that alert people to the presence of the stairs. Make sure that a sign is up that rises to about the level of an adult person’s waist.
