Thread: Raised platform -- steps needed?

Hi folks. This apartment has a raised "viewing platform" about 22" high spanning the entire side of the room. Does it require any stairs? It's just about the right height to comfortably perch on the edge of, so stairs would interrupt that function.
The town uses 2006 IBC.
Thanks!

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Hi John,
Welcome to the board.

I don't have the 2006 IBC. It would seem to me from a common sense standpoint that the answer would be no. Just as you would not have a step down from an Oriel window or Bay window, you wouldn't need one from this.

Define "viewing platform" and its intent.

*IF* the intent is to have/allow people "on" that platform, then yes, it needs a full fledged stair up to it.

*IF* the intent is to use this "only as" a display area (like a store window), then no, but that raises the question of 'what to heck is a display area doing in a home (is it in a home, or a business? I should have asked that first, which does get back to what I asked first - define its intent).

Originally Posted by Jeff Eastman

I'd recommend safety glass in the windows. You could easily be sitting on the "raised platform" ...

For that use, yes, stairs would be required.

It is an apartment (converted from a store), and I guess the intent is to have a little dining/sitting area next to the windows. So yes, people would be up there.

I agree about the tempered glass. It's on the first floor, so no big drop, but with the lower panes near foot-level, tempered glass is a good idea for breakage risk (and I think required by code, up to a certain height anyway).

I guess the consensus so far is that steps are required; I suspected they were, but didn't know if there might be some exception for such a quickly "dead-ended" raised elevation.

Thanks!
John

John,
That looks like about 7W x 4D x 5H. Who's going to use it, Lilliputians? Obviously, if it is intended for some form of occupancy, it needs both steps and safety glass. I suspect that if they try to use it, it will soon be converted back to a display area.

Is this in the Chambersburg area? Looks like a neat little town.

The pics might be deceiving -- it's actually about 15-1/2' wide x 5-1/2' deep, and the ceiling is about 7-1/2' above the platform. The place has 9+ feet ceilings, and about 7-1/2' tall windows.

Yup. Deceiving.

Chambersburg, Gettysburg? Am I close?

stairs required,tempered glass not required.