Design Considerations- Making Stairs Attractive and Safe

One of the number one reasons people give for not taking the stairs is that they are unattractive, unpleasant or unsafe. The following outlines some of the possible re-design options to encourage stair use.

• Decorating- Paint, Artwork, posters, signage (encouragement messages, health benefit information, etc.), white board or chalk board paint to communicate messages (eg. tip of the week, monthly theme, stairway use statistics, etc.)
• Signage- point of decision signage (e.g. 'Take the Stairs' signs beside the elevator /buttons) and directional signage that points people to where the stairs are located- these could be permanent or temporary
• Music (pumped into the stairwell)
• Air Quality- allow air to circulate to reduce stagnant, musty odours
• Renovations - widen, decorate and add more natural light to encourage flow
• Lighting- increase and improve lighting- for attractiveness and safety- all areas including entrances and exits should be well lit
• Cameras and Mirrors- add cameras/mirrors to increase safety aspects
• Accessibility- make stairwells accessible to encourage use- keep them unlocked, avoid card only access areas and ensure that exits and entrances lead to common areas
• Injury Prevention- to keep stairways safe - limit carpeting and ensure it is well-secured, ensure stair treads are well secured and made of non-slip material, provide edge markers to allow people to see where stairs start and end (essential for the visually impaired), regularly maintain stairways to ensure hazards are removed (eg. garbage, water, food, etc.)
• Universal Design- when designing or renovating a stairwell, take a universal design approach that makes stairwells more accessible to all age groups and abilities- easy to use handles, easy swing/shut doors, wider stairs and stair treads, reduced stair height and larger landing areas are just some of the ways you can ensure everyone will be comfortable taking the stairs
• Fire and Building codes- abide by national, provincial/territorial and local stairway fire and building codes to determine any design limitations or opportunities

Developed in partnership by:


Canadian Council for Health
and Active Living at Work