"Christian McArdle" wrote
| As i have just removed a stud wall separating our stairs from
| another room and now it is an open gap (which we would like
| to keep this way).
| The other wall still exists and has a hand rail.
| There are two issues here, handrails and guarding.

Third issue - protection of the staircase in the event of fire?

Guarding might be met with a glass bannister.

As an aside, I have come across an increasing number of staircases and
walkways which are not (visually) 'solid'. In one building, the walkways are
metal grille and the sides are a mix of tensioned wires and glass. The lift
is also glass. In another (actually a bridge) the sides are of clear glass
with no top rail.

I wonder whether there is any consideration given under Part M (as it is in
E&W) and the Disability Discrimination Act towards vertigo sufferers? I have
a friend who suffers from vertigo and she finds this type of building
extremely difficult to use. In one case she has to have a porter accompany
here from one side of a library to another because of the walkway
construction. These are all recent public buildings so should comply with
any regs going.

Owain