The new Design Guide 2: Common Timber Stairs was launched at the Stair Flair with Due Care CPD seminar in London in April.

It is estimated that there is a fall on stairs every 90 seconds in the UK, and a further estimated 250,000 non-fatal accidents which are serious enough to merit a trip to A&E. An understanding of tiny details and dimensional limitations within the design of the stair is critical to ensuring that it is safe for all users and compliant to relevant regulations.

The launch event at the Building Centre, London, featured BWF Stair Scheme manager Hannah Mansell and structural engineer Dr Luke Whale, managing director of C4Ci, presenting on the key findings of the new guide, covering regulatory compliance and the design of safe timber stairs for communal settings such as blocks of flats or non-domestic buildings.

Design Guide 2: Common Timber Stairs is available to download on the BWF Stair Scheme website at http://www.bwfstairscheme.org.uk/stair-design/