Building Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2000

Application and interpretation

H1—(1) Subject to paragraphs (2), (3), (4) and (5) this Part shall apply to any building or part of a building.

(2) The requirements of regulation H4(1) shall not apply—

(a) to the extent that compliance therewith would unreasonably obstruct normal movement into, out of or within any building;

(b) in relation to the two steps at the bottom of a stair where the landing from which the stair rises does not require guarding in accordance with that paragraph;

(c) in relation to a flight within a stair with a total rise of less than 600 mm;

(d) in relation to a sunken area less than 600 mm in depth; and

(e) in relation to a roof or other place to which access is solely for maintenance purposes provided that either—

(i) access is infrequent; or

(ii) any fall would be—

(A) less than 2000 mm; or

(B) to an area which does not present a hazard.

(3) The requirements of regulation H4(2) shall not apply in relation to a car showroom, a garage within the boundary of a dwelling, or a single storey building comprising two or more garages each of which has an area not exceeding 40 m².

(4) The requirements of regulation H6 shall not apply to—

(a) a dwelling; and

(b) a door or gate which is part of a lift.

(5) Insofar as they relate to a dwelling, the requirements of regulation H7 shall only apply to a window, skylight or ventilator which opens over a public route of travel.

(6) For the purposes of this Part access to any place is infrequent if it takes place on average on less than one occasion a month during the course of a year.

(7) In this Part—

balcony includes a gallery;

barrier includes a wall or screen;

flight means that part of a stair or ladder between landings that has a step or a continuous series of steps;

ladder means a fixed ladder having a flight with a pitch greater than 55°;

landing means a platform situated—

(a)

at the top or bottom of a stair, ladder or ramp; and

(b)

between consecutive flights of stairs;

ramp means an inclined surface which provides a route of travel; and

stair means a flight or flights (other than a ladder) and landings that make it possible to pass on foot to another level or levels.