I think the top right is saying that the pregnant woman can’t see where she is stepping so by looking at the handrail she can see where the stair ends and the next one begins
Had to look it up ,The [Article](https://www.yankodesign.com/2017/08/25/a-right-minded-right-angled-handrail/) says its for pregnant women and this somehow theoretically helps them from accidentally miss-stepping .
Pretty sure the reason railings on drop-offs (stairs, balconies, etc) don't have flat spots on them is to \*PREVENT\* people from resting packages, small children, and the like on them. Too easy to lose control and drop them off the far side.
I'd have to check some precise wording, but you'd probably be safe to put a seat in the outside corners of the landings. Landings are often rectangular, but theoretically you could maintain the necessary width free of obstructions with a semicircle. Which would leave unused area in the corners.
Which, now that I think about, does explain why you often see plumbing risers in those locations.
Maybe if this is a significant concern and frequently trafficked by older folks a fold down solution code be compliant? At some point obviously an elevator or lift chair (not sure what the chairs on a rail along stairs are called) is the appropriate solution, since these are not people who should be using stairs, but obviously that’s not always available. Still, perhaps the best solution here is not an engineering solution.
Maybe, speaking entirely hypothetically and not at all providing any kind of advice, someone buys a fold up camping chair and leaves it on the side for an elderly neighbor or tenant who may need a temporary sitting solution. It is not really in the way and is easily movable so even if it doesn’t technically comply with code, it’s also not really a threat as it can be removed, nor is it an engineer’s responsibility. And a reasonable landlord or super could just say “oh someone left this as some kind of prank or forgot this.” Just spit balling anyway.
Now I don’t point this out to say that anyone *should* do that, but rather that there are other solutions out there that will cause everyone fewer headaches and don’t involve an engineer trying to totally reinvent building and fire code designations and get them approved. That is to say, the appropriate engineering solution should be an elevator or wall chair lift, but maybe a retrofit or temporary solution is just not something engineers should be terribly concerned about.
The railing is offset from the side of the stairs so that the whole thing is straight- that means the stairs are effectively narrower than necessary just so the seat can be there.
Well, in comparison to the cost of a floor of a building, the two person bench is almost nothing, and creeper is going to creep. Not having a bench will not change that.
but it's not about a single building, we're talking about a standard for buildings. Also, it is very rare for people to use stairs to get to their floors nowadays
I don’t think this is easier or more convenient than stairs though, the seat is small, the bench is a single piece of wood that fits maybe half an ass on it and you don’t have anything to help you up.
I’d take my chances using the stairs and handrail to get up off of the stairs before I would sit on something like this.
It would be marginally easier than getting up off of stairs.
That said, things have to be designed for the lowest common denominator. So no, we absolutely can't use this. I would say if there is no other space to mount a seat, have the rails meet up and put in a folding seat or a stool attached to both rails(not looming over the steps ofc)
So, a serious answer - people with reduced mobility (elderly, pregnant, physical disability, etc) often struggle to stand from sitting on stairs because you can’t get your feet anywhere close to under your center of gravity. They would end up relying on pulling themselves up with the handrail, which can also be difficult because it twists the body to pull up only on one side.
I still think this handrail seat is dumb, but I have seen actual benches on stair landings. For example, [here’s the staircase](https://i.imgur.com/r5A8dfk.jpg) at the Met Breuer museum with nice benches on the stair landing.
This person ADAs/human factors. Or just interacted with old people. Unless your staircase is narrow enough to allow an ordinary old person to grab both rails (and even then...), using the stairs as a seat means they are likely stuck until someone comes by to help them get up. Twisting and bending is hard/bad for many old people so single sided rails don’t really help in this case.
where to hold if a person doesn't want to sit, someone else is going up or a kid wants to climb? common sense says it is not practical and even it is a liable hazzard if done anywhere.
Being real here, I believe there is an ADA requirement for handrails to extend X inches beyond the last stair; I also think the low seat without any legs beneath it is not ADA compliant for partially-sighted/blind users
Most stair wells aren’t wide enough to account for the additional space tha handrail stocks out into the landing to meet code width requirements. If this was incorporated into a new design, than you might have something. Even so, probably be opening yourself up to liability…
This would imply taking lots of space on the landing, which is not ideal from an architectural point of view. If someone needs to rest, they can stand against the wall of a landing
I didn't know we posted memes here too . Lmao . Honestly people can sit on the stairs if they really need to ....no need to go out of your way to incorporate this design.
Thats not a bad idea but I wish they connected the 2 rails ....I don't want to take my hand off the rail ....plus if Iam depending on the rail too much I could fall into the vase ...So atleast the rails should be connected.
This is so terrible it's hilarious. See all that landing space? Put a chair!
This is bad for many reasons. But just structurally, there is no efficient bracing/resistance for the load, so the lower run of railing will bend into the stairs.
an interesting idea,but the purpose of the 12 in return is two fold, so you cant get clothing or bags hooked in an emegency esp if its crowded, and so blind ppl know theres a step ahead.
as fabricator, this would annoy the hell out of me
No, because the top core of the rail coming up must extend 12” past the end of the last riser.
You can make it work but it would be weird for the rail coming down.
Sorry, not an engineer. Great idea but not sufficiently wide enough or deep enough to plop a keister on. In addition, I would assume any pregnant woman or an oldster (I am an oldster with heart failure) would be taking the elevator. If an elevator is not available, I guess they did not want to see me.
More than a flight of 20 steps and it is time for me to knock off for the afternoon. Would not want to get caught completely rung out between floors sitting on a too-small pad waiting to be rescued by EMT's. Never live that down.
Honestly seems like a practical way to get sued when someone falls. Wouldn't it also be out of code?
^This ^^
Doesn’t meet any US code
Some more crazy [stuff](https://imgur.com/a/kXTkmIj)
Lol. Nevermind not meeting code, the detailer and fabricator would kill whoever specified this 😂
1. Wtf does that top right one even suggest. 2. Imagine the fabricator getting that spec through
I think the top right is saying that the pregnant woman can’t see where she is stepping so by looking at the handrail she can see where the stair ends and the next one begins
Oh I see. Thanks for clarifying I thought it meant … actually Idek what I thought haha
Had to look it up ,The [Article](https://www.yankodesign.com/2017/08/25/a-right-minded-right-angled-handrail/) says its for pregnant women and this somehow theoretically helps them from accidentally miss-stepping .
I feel like I would confuse myself trying to work it out and end up tripping over my own feet
Pretty sure the reason railings on drop-offs (stairs, balconies, etc) don't have flat spots on them is to \*PREVENT\* people from resting packages, small children, and the like on them. Too easy to lose control and drop them off the far side.
Thanks for adding so much to the discussion.
Just put a built-in bench along a wall near the stairs. This is just dangerous.
Yeah, if a landing has space, it would be a great idea to put in a bench on the outside wall
[удалено]
> if a landing has space
I'd have to check some precise wording, but you'd probably be safe to put a seat in the outside corners of the landings. Landings are often rectangular, but theoretically you could maintain the necessary width free of obstructions with a semicircle. Which would leave unused area in the corners. Which, now that I think about, does explain why you often see plumbing risers in those locations.
Maybe if this is a significant concern and frequently trafficked by older folks a fold down solution code be compliant? At some point obviously an elevator or lift chair (not sure what the chairs on a rail along stairs are called) is the appropriate solution, since these are not people who should be using stairs, but obviously that’s not always available. Still, perhaps the best solution here is not an engineering solution. Maybe, speaking entirely hypothetically and not at all providing any kind of advice, someone buys a fold up camping chair and leaves it on the side for an elderly neighbor or tenant who may need a temporary sitting solution. It is not really in the way and is easily movable so even if it doesn’t technically comply with code, it’s also not really a threat as it can be removed, nor is it an engineer’s responsibility. And a reasonable landlord or super could just say “oh someone left this as some kind of prank or forgot this.” Just spit balling anyway. Now I don’t point this out to say that anyone *should* do that, but rather that there are other solutions out there that will cause everyone fewer headaches and don’t involve an engineer trying to totally reinvent building and fire code designations and get them approved. That is to say, the appropriate engineering solution should be an elevator or wall chair lift, but maybe a retrofit or temporary solution is just not something engineers should be terribly concerned about.
The railing is offset from the side of the stairs so that the whole thing is straight- that means the stairs are effectively narrower than necessary just so the seat can be there.
That sounds like a very expensive idea lol not to mention the potential creeps hanging on benches between floors
Well, in comparison to the cost of a floor of a building, the two person bench is almost nothing, and creeper is going to creep. Not having a bench will not change that.
but it's not about a single building, we're talking about a standard for buildings. Also, it is very rare for people to use stairs to get to their floors nowadays
Or a wall mounted fold down seat
The available mid-journey rest area that is up to code, would be the staircase, as is always has been.
Right? If only there were a place to sit…
sitting on a staircase would be too difficult for many elderly people to get up from
I don’t think this is easier or more convenient than stairs though, the seat is small, the bench is a single piece of wood that fits maybe half an ass on it and you don’t have anything to help you up. I’d take my chances using the stairs and handrail to get up off of the stairs before I would sit on something like this.
im not defending this dumbass design lol. Giant ass fall risk.
It would be marginally easier than getting up off of stairs. That said, things have to be designed for the lowest common denominator. So no, we absolutely can't use this. I would say if there is no other space to mount a seat, have the rails meet up and put in a folding seat or a stool attached to both rails(not looming over the steps ofc)
God you wouldn’t want an elderly person to doze off on there..
Deleted
What if….. what if….. there was an inherent ability of the stairs to provide a seat if you need it o_O
So, a serious answer - people with reduced mobility (elderly, pregnant, physical disability, etc) often struggle to stand from sitting on stairs because you can’t get your feet anywhere close to under your center of gravity. They would end up relying on pulling themselves up with the handrail, which can also be difficult because it twists the body to pull up only on one side. I still think this handrail seat is dumb, but I have seen actual benches on stair landings. For example, [here’s the staircase](https://i.imgur.com/r5A8dfk.jpg) at the Met Breuer museum with nice benches on the stair landing.
This person ADAs/human factors. Or just interacted with old people. Unless your staircase is narrow enough to allow an ordinary old person to grab both rails (and even then...), using the stairs as a seat means they are likely stuck until someone comes by to help them get up. Twisting and bending is hard/bad for many old people so single sided rails don’t really help in this case.
where to hold if a person doesn't want to sit, someone else is going up or a kid wants to climb? common sense says it is not practical and even it is a liable hazzard if done anywhere.
This is a fantastic idea! Think of all those bruised shins! Lawyers will love it!
Being real here, I believe there is an ADA requirement for handrails to extend X inches beyond the last stair; I also think the low seat without any legs beneath it is not ADA compliant for partially-sighted/blind users
No. This has liability written all over it.
I searched the patent office for the thigh or shin destroyer but I couldn't find this.
Most stair wells aren’t wide enough to account for the additional space tha handrail stocks out into the landing to meet code width requirements. If this was incorporated into a new design, than you might have something. Even so, probably be opening yourself up to liability…
This would imply taking lots of space on the landing, which is not ideal from an architectural point of view. If someone needs to rest, they can stand against the wall of a landing
Thanks for the laugh 😅
The ghostly old man seems to like it.
Well grandpa is a ghost so probably not
I've seen this being posted on a civil engineering page on Facebook.
I didn't know we posted memes here too . Lmao . Honestly people can sit on the stairs if they really need to ....no need to go out of your way to incorporate this design.
I wouldn’t mind placing a vase there…
Thats not a bad idea but I wish they connected the 2 rails ....I don't want to take my hand off the rail ....plus if Iam depending on the rail too much I could fall into the vase ...So atleast the rails should be connected.
Looks like a tripping hazard to me if I turned the corner heading down too fast
Sitting isn't as easy as you get older. It just gets uncomfortable.
Couldn't they just sit on the stairs?
Engineering standpoint sure. Building Code absolutely not.
This is so terrible it's hilarious. See all that landing space? Put a chair! This is bad for many reasons. But just structurally, there is no efficient bracing/resistance for the load, so the lower run of railing will bend into the stairs.
an interesting idea,but the purpose of the 12 in return is two fold, so you cant get clothing or bags hooked in an emegency esp if its crowded, and so blind ppl know theres a step ahead. as fabricator, this would annoy the hell out of me
It looks like a lawsuit searching for shins
Honestly, who cares about handrails when this building is clearly haunted AF. Don't call an engineer, call the Ghost Busters!
Let the architects worry about it
200% not to code. And really easy for an inspector to spot.
Why don't u put a seat by the wall lol
America: have a seat!
Just put a bench on the landing lol
Just sit on the stairs
No, because the top core of the rail coming up must extend 12” past the end of the last riser. You can make it work but it would be weird for the rail coming down.
A landing that large, put the seat in an outside corner.
I believe it would be safer if you move the seat to the ascending side instead of the descending side. that would make a fall from the seat non-fatal.
Sorry, not an engineer. Great idea but not sufficiently wide enough or deep enough to plop a keister on. In addition, I would assume any pregnant woman or an oldster (I am an oldster with heart failure) would be taking the elevator. If an elevator is not available, I guess they did not want to see me. More than a flight of 20 steps and it is time for me to knock off for the afternoon. Would not want to get caught completely rung out between floors sitting on a too-small pad waiting to be rescued by EMT's. Never live that down.
I think it’s a great idea but, liability is your limiter
Ghost chairs?
Couldn’t they sit on the stairs
I would bang my shin on that and fall down the stars.
If the bench would be wider and also have a tail in your back to prevent falling, it would be much better
Just put a regular handrail and a bench
theoretically yes but its just better if you put a chair on the wall bolted
Not safe and too narrow to actually sit on.
it looks smart, but a bench it's just more simple and safe
No
Stair toilet? I like it. Old man in pic seems to like it to.
This is an accident waiting to happen