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stairs

vr.tr.stairs · thing-stairs

Let an agent explain stair design rules, safety and accessibility, help prevent falls, and route injuries to care.

Thing Registry Physical world and living systems PHY.OBJ
Bundle → Layer → Finding → QuestionsClassifiersWhat it isWhy it existsDistinguishing featuresWhat robots and AI may and may not doMoral aspectsOwnersLinks to other meta-modelsIdentity and identifiersDirect propertiesRecognitionCapabilities and actionsHazards and failure modesStandards and interfacesContext of useSources

Bundle → Layer → Finding → Questions Filled

4 bundles · 8 layers · 8 findings · 16 questions

Design Dimensions.

Dimensions

Rise and going.

Dimensions

Dimensions.

  1. Do the rise, going and headroom meet building rules here? measurement
  2. Which regulation applies? provenance

Handrails

Guarding.

Handrails

Handrails and guarding.

  1. Are handrails and balustrades at the required height and strength? provenance
  2. Are gaps small enough for children? boundary
Safety Falls.

Fall

After a fall.

Fall

Falls.

  1. Has someone fallen down stairs and cannot move, is confused or has hit their head? boundary
  2. Should emergency services be called? action

Prevent

Prevention.

Prevent

Fall prevention.

  1. Which measures reduce stair falls, such as lighting, handrails and non-slip edges? provenance
  2. Are stair gates needed for small children? action
Ladders Ladder safety.

Use

Safe ladder use.

Use

Safe ladder use.

  1. How should a ladder be positioned and secured safely, according to guidance? provenance
  2. When is a different access method needed? boundary

Standard

Ladder standards.

Standard

Ladder standards.

  1. Does the ladder meet the relevant standard and duty rating? provenance
  2. How should it be inspected? action
Access Accessibility.

Alternatives

Ramps and lifts.

Alternatives

Accessible alternatives.

  1. Is there a step-free alternative such as a ramp or lift? provenance
  2. Which rules require it? provenance

Home

Home adaptations.

Home

Home adaptations.

  1. Which home adaptations such as stairlifts or rails are available, and is funding offered? provenance
  2. Who assesses needs? provenance

Classifiers Filled

Family
Thing Registry
Category
Physical world and living systems
Entry kind
noun.artifact
Plane
PHY
Domain
PHY.OBJ
Tags
artifactway
Facets: substance
material
Facets: origin
manufactured
Facets: agency
inert
Facets: mobility
fixed
Facets: scale
built
Facets: affordances
traversable
Other names and narrower kinds
accommodation ladder, aerial ladder, articulated ladder, extension ladder, ladder, monkey ladder, rope ladder, scaling ladder, sea ladder, sea steps, steps, step ladder

What it is Filled

A flight or series of steps allowing people to move between levels, including staircases in buildings, outdoor steps and, by extension, ladders such as extension and accommodation ladders; stairs are governed by building rules on rise, going, handrails and headroom.

Why it exists Filled

Let an agent explain stair design rules, safety and accessibility, help prevent falls, and route injuries to care.

Distinguishing features Filled

  • Stepped vertical access
  • Regulated dimensions
  • Fall hazard
  • Barrier for some users

What robots and AI may and may not do Filled

Must not

  • Leave objects, cables or spills on stairs where people can trip.
  • Block or lock stairs that serve as an escape route.
  • Carry loads or operate machines on stairs in a way that endangers people using them.
  • Remove stair gates or guards that protect young children.

Only with a human decision

  • Closing a staircase that is a fire escape route.
  • Altering stairs in a way that affects compliance with building rules.

May

  • Report damaged treads, loose handrails, poor lighting and obstructions on stairs.
  • Guide people to accessible alternatives such as lifts or ramps.

Moral aspects Filled

  • Falls on stairs are a major cause of injury and death, especially for older people and children.
  • Stairs exclude people who cannot climb them unless alternatives are provided.

Who is affected

  • Older people
  • Young children
  • Wheelchair users and people with limited mobility

Owners Filled

Steward

The owner or occupier of the building; building control authorities set the rules.

Links to other meta-models Filled

parent

  • oewn-04305446-n - registry parent class

related

  • building element - category
  • ramp and lift - accessible alternatives
  • building regulations - rules
  • tower block - building context

What else AI and robots need to interact with it Filled

Identity and identifiers required Filled

  • Vercy registry: vr.tr.stairs
  • Open English WordNet: oewn-04305309-n

Direct properties required Filled

  • Vertical step spacing: millimetres - Measure the vertical distance between successive tread surfaces or successive rung centres, according to the construction.
  • Clear passage width: millimetres - Measure the unobstructed width available between the side boundaries of the stair or ladder.
  • Inclination: degrees - Measure the angle of the flight or ladder relative to a horizontal plane.
  • Clear headroom: millimetres - Measure the vertical clearance above the stair pitch line to the nearest overhead obstruction.

Recognition required Filled

  • Treads, risers and handrails
  • Landings between flights
  • Ramps provide step-free access
  • Series of steps with treads, risers, handrails and landings, or rungs on ladders.

Capabilities and actions required Filled

  • check stair dimensions against building rules
  • improve stair and ladder safety
  • find accessible alternatives such as ramps and lifts
  • childproof stairs

Hazards and failure modes required Filled

  • Falls, especially among older people and children
  • Ladder accidents
  • Inaccessible buildings

Standards and interfaces required Filled

  • National building regulations on stairs
  • Accessibility standards
  • EN 131 ladder standard

Context of use required Filled

  • Vertical movement between levels.
  • straight and turning staircases
  • spiral stairs
  • outdoor steps
  • escape stairs
  • ladders (extended sense)

Sources Filled

  1. Open English WordNet 2024, synset oewn-04305309-n - sense and gloss of the concept
  2. Wiktionary: stairs - word senses and usage

Open questions

  • Should ladders be a separate entry?
  • How should building rules be localised?
  • How should fall prevention guidance be linked?

Machine files

Card as JSON Specification Card backlog vercy.card/1

Provenance

thing registry research (pass 2) · unreviewed

Built from: models/things/publications/thing-stairs/spec.json