Description
Stairs are where accessibility duties bite hardest. This range brings together the products that address them: high-contrast stair nosings, anti-slip inserts and GRP tread covers, tactile indicators, and access ramps for transitions a stair cannot handle.
What actually applies
It is worth being precise, because "DDA compliant" is used loosely across the industry — including in our own product titles.
-
The Equality Act 2010 creates a duty to make reasonable adjustments so disabled people are not put at a substantial disadvantage. It replaced the Disability Discrimination Act, so DDA compliance is a market convention rather than a current legal test. The duty is real; the label is shorthand.
-
Approved Document M is the source of the 55mm × 55mm contrasting band across tread and riser, for buildings other than dwellings. More on Part M.
-
BS 8300-2:2018, referenced by Part M rather than being law itself, recommends at least 30 points of Light Reflectance Value difference between nosing and tread. More on LRV contrast.
-
Regulation 12 of the Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1992 is law, and requires that floors are not slippery so as to expose anyone to risk.
Contrast is measured, not chosen by eye
This is where accessible stair specifications most often fail. Guidance asks for a meaningful difference in light reflectance, not simply a different colour — and two colours that look clearly different to a sighted person in good light can measure within a few LRV points of each other.
High-contrast inserts in yellow, white, red and light grey give the largest available difference against typical treads. Against a pale floor, a black or dark insert is the right direction. Check the figures with our LRV contrast calculator before ordering.
Grip as well as visibility
Contrast tells someone where the edge is. Slip resistance keeps their foot on it, and the two are specified separately.
In the UK, slip resistance is measured by the pendulum test to BS 7976, now BS EN 16165. The HSE benchmark is 36 PTV or above in the wet. R ratings from DIN 51130 are also quoted but do not convert — ask for both. More on slip testing.
Beyond the stair
Tactile indicators warn of a level change before it is reached, at the head of a flight or a dropped kerb. Access ramps and reducers handle transitions that a step cannot. Both are part of the same accessibility picture and are included in this range.
Frequently asked questions
Is a DDA compliant stair nosing legally required?
"DDA compliant" is industry shorthand, not a legal standard — the Disability Discrimination Act was replaced by the Equality Act 2010. What applies is Approved Document M for non-domestic buildings, plus the Equality Act duty to make reasonable adjustments.
What size does an accessible stair nosing need to be?
55mm on the tread and 55mm on the riser, per Approved Document M, for buildings other than dwellings.
How much contrast is needed?
At least 30 points of Light Reflectance Value between the nosing and the tread, per BS 8300-2:2018. Measure it rather than judging by eye.
Which colour should I choose?
Whichever clears 30 LRV points against your actual tread. Yellow and white give the largest difference on dark floors; black or dark grey is the right answer on pale floors. Contrast works in both directions.
Do these apply to my house?
Approved Document M's contrasting band applies to buildings other than dwellings. Communal areas of flats are treated separately from the dwellings themselves.
Do I need tactile paving as well as nosings?
They solve different problems. Tactile indicators warn of an approaching level change; nosings mark and protect the edge itself. Larger public buildings commonly need both.
Suitable for schools, hospitals, care homes, offices, retail and any managed premises. UK stock with fast delivery. See the full compliance guide, or call 01282 270 010 for specification advice.
