13-196-570 Residential buildings – Stairways and porches – Maintenance.

   Every stairway, inside or outside of the dwelling and every porch, shall be kept in safe condition and sound repair and:

   (a)   Every flight of stairs and every porch floor shall be free of holes, grooves, and cracks, which are large enough to constitute possible accidents hazards.

   (b)   Every stairwell and every flight of stairs, which is more than two risers high, shall have rails not less than two and one-half feet high, measured vertically from the nose of the tread to the top of the rail; and every porch which is more than two risers high shall have rails not less than three and one-half feet above the floor of the porch.

   (c)   Every rail and balustrade is firmly fastened and is maintained in good condition.

   (d)   No flight of stairs shall have settled more than one inch out of its intended position or have pulled away from supporting or adjacent structures.

   (e)   No flight of stairs shall have rotting, loose or deteriorating supports.

   (f)   The riser height and the tread width of each flight of stairs shall be uniform.

   (g)   Every stair tread shall be sound and be securely fastened in a substantially level position.

   (h)   Every stair tread shall be strong enough to bear a concentrated load of at least 400 pounds without danger of breaking.

   (i)   Every porch shall have a sound floor.

   (j)   No porch shall have rotting, loose or deteriorating supports.

(Prior code § 78-55)