Browse Forums Building A New House 1 Sep 30, 2013 8:59 am Hi, I'm after any advice and experience on the the issue of safety around voids and children. We're designing our house, and for a number of reasons- architectural mainly - we're looking at having a floor to ceiling void in a section of the house(not relating to the staircase void). Obviously it's a two storey house and the void would be from the ground level all the way to the ceiling at the top of the 2nd storey. It's adjoins bedrooms and living areas on the upper level, and it's probably about 2 wide x 3.5 long, with glass balustrading. Concern is that the kids can easily push up a chair to the edge, and it's a long way down onto timber flooring. However I don't know if it's a valid concern though. Any thoughts and experience on the issue? Re: Floor to ceiling voids and children safety 2Sep 30, 2013 1:27 pm I think it's a valid concern ... but in such a minor way that you're probably worrying too much. I guess the main question is why they'd want to be pushing a chair up to it & trying to climb over; and I guess also whether the child that decides to do this would be just as likely to do the same near the stairs if they were going to do it elsewhere. Re: Floor to ceiling voids and children safety 3Sep 30, 2013 1:33 pm I'm a single storey fan all the way and staircases give me heart attacks in general (have a 3 year old and 1 year old). In fact just came home from a friend's house where I had to be constantly vigilant and I wouldn't want to live like that! So I would also be worried about that kind of drop. But obviously that's just me as staircases scare the heck out of me with little kids too. Build thread: viewtopic.php?f=31&t=65085 Re: Floor to ceiling voids and children safety 4Sep 30, 2013 3:42 pm Probably a concern but there are so many ways a child can hurt themselves in the best designed house. We are currently living a two storey terrace with steep staircase and were a bit worried at first but our 3 and 2 yo boys handle them fine. Depending on the design you may able to section off the area or even keep them downstairs by putting a temp gate on the stairs to avoid it. Essentially the possibility is there to hurt themselves but don't know that you have to leave it out entirely on a what if scenario, it's likely you can find a way to manage it if they turn out to be the next budding daredevil. http://camdenbuild.blogspot.com.au/ by invite only please pm me Re: Floor to ceiling voids and children safety 5Sep 30, 2013 8:11 pm I'm a nurse in a major children's hospital and have worked in the trauma ward for way to long. (30years)I have never looked after a patient who climbed up and over a balustrade but have had many a child fall down the stairs and out windows. I would be more concerned about falling out of second floor window than over a balustrade void. Re: Floor to ceiling voids and children safety 6Sep 30, 2013 8:45 pm gogo65 I'm a nurse in a major children's hospital and have worked in the trauma ward for way to long. (30years)I have never looked after a patient who climbed up and over a balustrade but have had many a child fall down the stairs and out windows. I would be more concerned about falling out of second floor window than over a balustrade void. +1. My partner is an ICU nurse and says the same. She says just don't let grandma or grandpa carry an infant down the stairs. She has unfortunately looked after a few children who were being held when grandma or grandpa tripped/fell down the stairs. I trust the building codes when it comes to safety. Balustrade heights and types of railings etc is fairly well specified. Common sense prevails as well of course. I know it isn't a laughing matter, but anyway, you could always do something like this: Re: Floor to ceiling voids and children safety 7Oct 01, 2013 7:44 am EmyN I'm a single storey fan all the way and staircases give me heart attacks in general (have a 3 year old and 1 year old). In fact just came home from a friend's house where I had to be constantly vigilant and I wouldn't want to live like that! So I would also be worried about that kind of drop. But obviously that's just me as staircases scare the heck out of me with little kids too. Anyone with kids & a staircase is going to have one of those barrier doohickey-things at the top of the stairs, until the kids are old enough to open that themselves. I guess you'd only have these concerns when visiting others (although it's probably no different to visiting people with a pool, going to the park, going shopping etc?). Mind you, my wife would probably tell you that she's probably got more concerns about me around staircases & other such drops than any children ... gogo65 I would be more concerned about falling out of second floor window than over a balustrade void. In NSW at least, that's not really possible with a new house ... even if you never intend to have children in a particular room, you now pretty-much have to put bars across upstairs windows in case someone falls out. We've gone with the other alternative, our fly screens would stop a US drone attack ... Re: Floor to ceiling voids and children safety 8Oct 01, 2013 8:24 am Forg In NSW at least, that's not really possible with a new house ... even if you never intend to have children in a particular room, you now pretty-much have to put bars across upstairs windows in case someone falls out. We've gone with the other alternative, our fly screens would stop a US drone attack ... There is currently a consultation paper that has been written, regarding new safety laws that if passed will be implemented over a five year period, but currently there is no legislation regarding flyscreens/bars and window locks. We finished building last year, and have normal windows and fly screens, it is currently up to the individual to implement safety measures. Unless it is a individual council requirement? Re: Floor to ceiling voids and children safety 9Oct 01, 2013 9:22 am gogo65 There is currently a consultation paper that has been written, regarding new safety laws that if passed will be implemented over a five year period, but currently there is no legislation regarding flyscreens/bars and window locks. We finished building last year, and have normal windows and fly screens, it is currently up to the individual to implement safety measures. Unless it is a individual council requirement? No, we built under CDC; we were told by the compliancer that the new rules took effect as of the start of this year. Maybe that's just their interpretation? Re: Floor to ceiling voids and children safety 10Oct 01, 2013 9:53 am Forg Anyone with kids & a staircase is going to have one of those barrier doohickey-things at the top of the stairs, until the kids are old enough to open that themselves. I guess you'd only have these concerns when visiting others (although it's probably no different to visiting people with a pool, going to the park, going shopping etc?). Mind you, my wife would probably tell you that she's probably got more concerns about me around staircases & other such drops than any children ... . My son is 3.5. He is too big for baby gates and every time he and his cousin raced upstairs to the bedroom and back down to the play area my heart stopped. And it's not just me because we're not used to it - his cousin's Mum kept calling at her son to stop running and jumping up and down the stairs and they live there!! So not as easily solved as you think. Re: Floor to ceiling voids and children safety 12Oct 07, 2013 8:01 am In our new house we will have the same issue as you. I have been thinking of ways to avoid this but haven't come up with any clear solutions. In the house we are in now, we have the void over the stair well that my husband didn't like due tot he fall factor, even though the balustrade is legal height etc. We used the stainless steel wire so our kids wouldn't climb and fall. It looks very nice IMO. I hope the person who buys this place likes it as much as we do. The pictures are mainly of the newly polished floorboards so they aren't the best. Sandra Re: Floor to ceiling voids and children safety 13Oct 07, 2013 8:34 am My kids are 13 and 10 and have lived in two story houses since they were born. As long as you teach them and have an eye on them it should be fine. We never had any issues what so ever. Not to ignite debate but its like the pool fence topic, there are no pool fences in Singapore (where I live) and you rarely, if ever hear of drownings because parents watch their kids. I think same goes with voids and stairs etc. We did use the child gates when they were little but found that after a short while they would be used to climb on. Still they keep the dog out...... Cheers Mark Hi everyone. I am a single mother with little daughter, living in a small tourist town in WA Australia. I am thinking to install security screens to all the doors and… 0 22743 They make the room much easier to clean for one, reflect more light (if light colour tiles are used), and you dont end up with dust on the top edge of tiles (cause most… 3 9578 CDC Housing Code 3 When to apply Floor Area external face of wall vs Gross Floor Area internal face of wall. 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