Flexible Pitch Escape Stairs

mightymel

Member
Has anyone built these before?

I found plans on the Technical Solutions Vol 2 book but they are made out of metal. Unfortunately, I don't have access to metal working equipment. I saw a blog post on the internet of someone making a wooden set. So now I'm intrigued. The escape stairs are for an 8' tall platform.

 
I've never quite been a fan of folding or flexible stairs from the concern of safety, but I appreciate the convenience. While you might not have metal working access, depending on where you are in Texas can you reach out to a metal shop or another scene shop to help you out? That might let you invest in a metal solution that will give you a longer return on your investment while improving safety and durability.
 
I appreciate the concern for convenience and storage, but it does compromise safety. Without very good reason, treads no less than 11" and risers no more than 7" are recommended and probably required. A safer geometry is 13 to 13 1/2"treads and maximum 6 1/2"risers, proven by research. Also, handrails should be graspable and 2 X 4 s are not very graspable. Here's what the building code says and safer solutions:

Handrails with a circular cross section shall have an outside diameter of not less than 1 1/4 inches and not greater than 2 inches. Where the handrail is not circular, it shall have a perimeter dimension of not less than 4 inches and not greater than 61/4 inches with a maximum cross-sectional dimension of 21/4 inches and minimum cross-sectional dimension of 1 inch . Edges shall have a minimum radius of 0.01 inch.

1" x 1" square steel tubing is actually a very good hand rail and more common in other countries than the US.
 
While I agree the 7-11 rule should always be exceeded for safety, theatrical sets often have the need for escape stairs from awkward places. When I've been involved in shows where this was necessary, the decision was usually made based on how many people used the stairs (usually it ended up being one). If an entire chorus needed to enter in hoop skirts multiple times, that necessitated a better design for entrance and lots of that came down to the direction.

Love the idea of these because anything you can build well and keep prevents a shotty rush job from happening in the future.
Rush jobs should never happen but in all kinds of school and community theatre, the literal last thing built is the escape stairs, usually onstage after a long loadin or in the loading dock during first tech when they realize that landing wasn't supposed to have a railing, but a staircase.
 
anything you can build well and keep prevents a shotty rush job from happening in the future.

Sometimes true, but the flip side is people will often assume rather than verify that the stock unit is in safe condition and appropriate design and strength for the latest application. I see this a lot with the types of groups you mention - platforms and stair stringers cracked or drilled like swiss cheese. Along with efficiency, the stock mindset lends itself awfully well to laziness and bias that puts scary things under foot.
 
This is a standard design for Stage Right decks and United Staging and Riggings Unideck. Works well, but be ware of fingers getting pinched.
 
I was looking for a flexible pitch solution this summer and found several companies that make an adjustable aluminum stair designed for floating boat docks. We ended up doing something different, but if your budget allows, it might be something to look into.
 

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