When facing skylights on a larger scale, a bit of common sense will go a long way – especially when it comes to providing barriers and handrails for the best safety. This is because large skylights are considered ‘open edges’, and therefore under similar rules as any drop of over a metre. Larger skylights, such...

Given the NZBC F4 3.1 (Safety from Falling section) spells out the ‘1 metre’ rule, it’s often treated as law; if someone could fall 1 metre or more from an opening or floor, a barrier is needed. Barriers in this instance need to be continuous, rigid and strong – think aluminium railings. Any drop of...

For the same reason that slopes need to become steps if they have a gradient of greater than 7°, when a walkway is running perpendicular to the roof pitch and that roof pitch exceeds 7°, the walkway must be levelled. This is another situation where minimising the difficulty for people also increases the safety. Given...

0° covers your level access walkway, while anything up to a 7° incline (i.e. a rise of 1 in 8) is a ramp with relatively easy access for those using it to manage, whether they be walking or have limited mobility. If you design a slope between 7° and 20° (i.e. 1 in 2.7 or...

Nowadays there is a wide range of vibration isolators to choose from, including pads of cork or rubber, spring mounts, air mounts, isolation hangers and even seismic mounts. From the smallest pipes, even up to the ‘base isolators’ supporting the Museum of New Zealand – Te Papa Tongarewa in shaky Wellington, they’re all designed with...