Welcome Guest! The IOSH forums are a free resource to both members and non-members. Login or register to use them

Postings made by forum users are personal opinions. IOSH is not responsible for the content or accuracy of any of the information contained in forum postings. Please carefully consider any advice you receive.

Notification

Icon
Error

Options
Go to last post Go to first unread
Mark1969  
#1 Posted : 09 July 2018 11:29:33(UTC)
Rank: Forum user
Mark1969

In search of guidance - 

I am looking for any specfic details on the installation of external metal stairs - these go up to a portacabin on top of another portacabin, see this quite regularly and have considered loading etc and maxium numbers for evacuation purposes.

My head scratcher is, the feet of these stairs are not bolted to the floor - as I see many others are.

A search of google doesn't bring me a definitive answer.... so my question is do the feet of the external stairs need to be bolted to the floor, is this specified or detailed anywhere?

They are bolted to the portacabins and are not in danger of collapse etc, they are in good condition and inspected regularly.

Over to you for the last bit of information please.

Hsquared14  
#2 Posted : 09 July 2018 11:43:00(UTC)
Rank: Super forum user
Hsquared14

I don't think there is a hard and fast rule on this and I can see situations where you wouldn't want them permanently fixed at the base.  I was in a three stack of temporary offices in North Wales, the weather was foul and very windy, if the stairs had been rigidly fixed at the base then they would have pulled away from the building due to the wind forcing the buildings to move.  I'm dealing with Portacabin engineers at the moment for a temporary installation on our site and basically what they don't know about the ins and outs of these buildings could go on a grain of rice so my first question would be to their engineers.

thanks 1 user thanked Hsquared14 for this useful post.
Mark1969 on 09/07/2018(UTC)
Mark-W  
#3 Posted : 09 July 2018 12:13:54(UTC)
Rank: Super forum user
Mark-W

I have a site I look after, the site office is a cabin on top of the welfare cabin. The feet aren't fixed to the floor. As the school would become very upset with us drilling and bolting into the surface of the carpark. But they are set up so there is a bit of pressure bearing onto the feet. So no free movement at all.

I visit fortnightly and one of the first checks I make is to look at the feet to see if they have moved, sunk or raised. In 2 months, no movement so I'm fairly happy that we have a good solution

Woolf13  
#4 Posted : 09 July 2018 12:40:17(UTC)
Rank: Forum user
Woolf13

Hi,

The design of steps, temporary or permanent should be constructed and the materials selected, so that they withstand the forseeable conditions of use and satisfactorily resist the forseeable imposed loads.

HSG150 states: "Make sure that steps leading to site cabins are properly constructed."

The Building Regulations and British Standards BS EN ISO 14122-3 2016 series are useful legal and good practice standards to follow.

In short if you are adopting the above when designing, constructing and installing access steps etc. then you should be okay.

Users browsing this topic
You cannot post new topics in this forum.
You cannot reply to topics in this forum.
You cannot delete your posts in this forum.
You cannot edit your posts in this forum.
You cannot create polls in this forum.
You cannot vote in polls in this forum.