Stairs! Stares! Stirs!

Stairs! As a wheelchair user, stairs are my downfall. Literally, especially if I haven’t spotted them in time.

Stares! As a wheelchair user, stares are pretty much part of my everyday life.

Stirs! As a wheelchair user, I like to stir things up with my able-bodied friends and acquaintances, sometimes in jest but mostly to get a point across because of an issue that hasn’t occurred to them. I like to point things out so they can become aware and to be an ally to help improve things for everyone.

 

In this blog I am looking at the first of the Stairs! Unlike the Daleks, I haven’t developed the talent for climbing stairs but in my mobile days, using crutches and having a visual impairment I discovered the joys of stair nosing! Even better still, anti-slip stair nosing!

Don’t panic if you have never heard of anti-slip stair nosing, you are going to learn something today. If you do know what it is, but not thought anymore about it or why it is important, you are going to learn something today too!

Anti-slip stair nosing is those coloured strips on the edge of stairs, usually in a contrasting colour to the rest of the step.

But why are these important?

I have found a few images with good examples and what makes them so good. With most things and the power of the internet, I have also found some not so good examples, but I have also found some examples of what happens when the carpet designer comes into work still drunk from a weekend of celebrations.

They are not just to make the stairs look pretty, they provide enhanced traction and grip on stair treads, making it easier and safer for people to go up and down them. But they’re also an aide, for visually impaired people, to help them see where the edge of the stairs.

They will typically be in a contrasting colour to the rest of the staircase, so that they can easily be seen.

The good, the bad and the ugly – why have I included these examples?

The good is only good and not fantastic because while the silver provides some contrast it would be nightmarish in the dark, especially if there is little to no light in the area. 

The bad – what can I say about this one without filling the swearjar – I am fairly sure that sighted people will struggle with this one too. I can vaguely tell where every other step is, but that is almost certain ankle breakage territory for my liking. 

That leaves the ugly.  I am struggling to even digest what’s happening here. Firstly, I can see an attempt at nosing, but it needs to be on every single step, not just the top one. Secondly, what is happening with that glass? It looks like Escher built this staircase as a student, while drunk.

High traffic areas in public spaces, mainly hospitality, cinemas, hotels etc, will use highly patterned carpets as a way of disguising general wear and tear. They can reduce the frequency of cleaning areas, unfortunately the same pattern shouldn’t be used on stairs!

How can you help?

Access is an issue we all should be invested in. Basic humanity means we should look after others. How can you help? To be an access ally, it would be great if you see an issue for example, faded anti-slip stair nosing on a staircase in your office, neighbourhood or public space – speak up! Find a manager, maintanence team or just someone with the authority to do something if that person is not you. Ask, that for everyones safety, can we repaint or recarpet the stairs please.  If you find a challenging staircase with no nosing marking on it – request that some is put in place!