Part D3 Construction of exits

(1) A stairway must have—

1. not more than 18 and not less than 2 risers in each flight; and
2. going (G), riser (R) and quantity (2R + G) in accordance with Table D3D14, except as permitted by (2) and (3); and
3. constant goings and risers throughout each flight, except as permitted by (2) and (3), and the dimensions of goings (G) and risers (R) in accordance with (1)(b) are considered constant if the variation between—
   1. adjacent risers, or between adjacent goings, is no greater than 5 mm; and
   2. the largest and smallest riser within a flight, or the largest and smallest going within a flight, does not exceed 10 mm; and
4. risers which do not have any openings that would allow a 125 mm sphere to pass through between the treads; and
5. treads which have—
   1. a surface with a slip-resistance classification not less than that listed in Table D3D15 when tested in accordance with AS 4586; or
   2. a nosing strip with a slip-resistance classification not less than that listed in Table D3D15 when tested in accordance with AS 4586; and
6. treads of solid construction (not mesh or other perforated material) if the stairway is more than 10 m high or connects more than 3 storeys; and
7. in a Class 9b building, not more than 36 risers in consecutive flights without a change in direction of at least 30°; and
8. in the case of a required stairway, no winders in lieu of a landing; and
9. conspicuous edges to the treads of steps in a Class 9b building used as an entertainment venue; and
10. in a Class 9b building used as an entertainment venue, not more than one helical stairway serving as a required exit and that stairway must—
    1. have a width of not less than 1500 mm; and
    2. be of constant radius; and
    3. be constructed so that each tread, when measured 500 mm in from its narrow end, has a width of at least 280 mm; and
11. in a Class 9b building used as an entertainment venue, in a curved stairway serving as a required exit — an internal radius of not less than twice the width of the stair.

(1) The height of a barrier required by D3D17 must be not less than the following:

1. For stairways or ramps with a gradient of 1:20 or steeper — 865 mm.
2. For landings to a stair or ramp where the barrier is provided along the inside edge of the landing and does not exceed 500 mm in length — 865 mm.
3. In front of fixed seating on a mezzanine or balcony within an auditorium in a Class 9b building—
   1. 1 m; or
   2. 700 mm where the horizontal projection extends not less than 1 m outwards from the top of the barrier; or
   3. in a Class 9b building used as an entertainment venue, the height prescribed for guardrails in NSW I4D41 or NSW I5D9.
4. In a Class 9b building used as an entertainment venue, for stairways and ramps and the floor of any access path, balcony, landing or the like—
   1. 1 m when provided inside the building; and
   2. 1200 mm when provided externally to the building.
5. For all other locations — 1 m.

(2) A doorway serving as a required exit or forming part of a required exit, or a doorway in a patient care area of a Class 9a health-care building—

1. must not be fitted with a revolving door; and
2. must not be fitted with a roller shutter or tilt-up door unless—
   1. it serves a Class 6, 7 or 8 building or part with a floor area not more than 200 m²; and
   2. the doorway is the only required exit from the building or part; and
   3. it is held in the open position while the building or part is lawfully occupied; and
3. must not be fitted with a sliding door unless—
   1. it leads directly to a road or open space; and
   2. the door is able to be opened manually under a force of not more than 110 N; and
4. if fitted with a door which is power-operated—
   1. it must be able to be opened manually under a force of not more than 110 N if there is a malfunction or failure of the power source; and
   2. if it leads directly to a road or open space it must open automatically if there is a power failure to the door or on the activation of a fire or smoke alarm anywhere in the fire compartment served by the door; and
5. in a Class 9b building used as an entertainment venue—
   1. must not be fitted with a collapsible gate, accordion door, turnstile or rigid barrier; and
   2. if fitted with a door, must be—
      1. a swing door which opens in the direction of egress; and
      2. doors hung in two folds where the unobstructed width of the doorway is more than 1 m; and
   3. a doorway or opening within sight of the audience but not intended for egress must have a notice displayed clearly indicating its purpose and such a notice must not be internally illuminated; and
   4. notwithstanding (2)(c), a sliding door may be fitted where—
      1. it leads directly to a road or open space and forms a main entrance; and
      2. it is capable of swinging in the direction of egress when pressure is applied to the inside face of the door; and
      3. the door is provided with signage that clearly indicates to persons seeking egress, the potential for swinging the door open in an emergency.

(5) The requirements of (1) and (2) do not apply in a Class 9b building (other than a school, an early childhood centre or a building used for religious purposes) to a door in a required exit, forming part of a required exit or in the path of travel to a required exit serving a storey or room accommodating more than 100 persons, determined in accordance with D2D18, in which case it must be readily openable—

1. without a key from the side that faces a person seeking egress; and
2. by a single hand pushing action on a single device such as a panic bar located between 900 mm and 1.2 m from the floor; and
3. where a two-leaf door is fitted, the provisions of (a) and (b) need only apply to one door leaf if the appropriate requirements of D2D9 are satisfied by the opening of that one leaf; and
4. where the door is a door in a path of travel providing re-entry to the building from a balcony, terrace or the like, it may be fitted with key-operated fastenings only, the tongues of which must be locked in the retracted position whenever the building is occupied by the public, so the door can yield to pressure.

(6) The requirements of (1), (2) and (5) do not apply to a door serving a Class 9b building used as an entertainment venue where the following provisions apply to a door or gate used by the public—

1. on a door, the single device operating the latch or bolts must be a panic bar if those doors are to be secured; or
2. an exit door or gate used by the public as the main entrance may be fitted with key-operated fastenings only, the tongues of which must be locked in the retracted position whenever the building is occupied by the public so the door or gate can yield to pressure from within; or
3. a door from a balcony, terrace or the like, being a door in a path of travel providing re-entry to the building, may comply with the locking provision of (b) above.