Australian Standards: the NCC and BCA - Floor Safety Requirements
The 2015 National Construction Code
The NCC is an initiative of the Council of Australian Governments (COAG) developed to incorporate all on-site building and plumbing requirements into a single code. The NCC sets the minimum requirements for the design, construction and performance of buildings throughout Australia.
The 2015 National Construction Code (NCC) introduced new slip resistance requirements for stair in Class One (residential) buildings. Previously, these regulations only applied to commercial structures.
NCC2015 Anti-Slip Performance Requirements
The NCC defines the following mandatory performance requirements for residential stairs, from 1 May 2015:
Class 2-9 (Commercial Buildings) - NCC Volume One
Section D: Access and Egress: DP2: So that people can move safely to and within a building, it must have...(c) stairways and ramps with...(i)slip resistance walking surfaces on...(A)ramps; and (B) stairway treads or near the edge of the nosings.
Class 1 (Residential) - NCC Volume Two
Part 2.5: Safe Movement and Access
Part 2.5.1 Stairways and ramps: So that people can move safely to and within a building...(b) any stairway or ramp must...(iv) have slip resistant walking surfaces on ramps, and on stairway t reads or near the edge of the nosing.
The NCC requires a slip resistance classification as defined in AS4586:2013 - Slip Resistance Classification of new pedestrian surfaces. These slip resistance requirements are prescribed as:
Application Surface Condition - Dry Surface Condition - Wet
Tread Surface P3 P4
Nosing Strip P3 P4
Grip Guard has a range of floor and stair safety treatments to assist architects, builders and floor care professionals to ensure that their projects comply with the NCC.