Metropol

Hi,
It's well known that buildings legally must have stairs installed in case of emergencies, but I have a peculiar question. You see, I have a mild lift phobia and often upon seeing a lift I decide that I'd really rather take the stairs instead. Often, this is no problem - however, sometimes when I ask, staff seem extremely unobliging (claiming that the stairs are for emergency use only). My question is, with all these accessibility rules, is there one somewhere that says that, if you wish, you must be permitted to use the stairs as an alternative to lifts?
I'd tried a search on google but I didn't find much. Hopefully one of you clever people will know the answer to my question!
Chris

I was down in Londing over the weekend and at Borough tube station it proudly declared on the wall that the stairs were "for emergency use only" (underneath which it proclaimed that there were precisely 102).

Nobody tried to stop us - I think it really depends where you go.

Yes but often you'll find in tall buildings that the bottom door to the stairs have a sort of one-way entry system and/or a "push hard here to release door" alarm system attached to the door (which I disapprove of anyway, what if a power cut happens?)

Often you have to summon help to be able to go up stairs and that's when staff become very unpleasant indeed.

Not sure why staff would be "unpleasant", unless you are not being straight with them about your reasons.

If you mention discreetly and in a friendly way that you find it impossible to be in lifts because you experience claustrophobia, then most decent staff will surely oblige? They may not all be delighted with having to show you the stairs, but they shouldn't refuse.

In answer to your question, there should always be access to stairs, as health and safety rules dictate that they are unlocked and kept clear.

I wouldn't go quoting that to them though. A simple explanation and a bit of eye contact will do it.

By the way, those push-button-to-open doorlocks are magnetic, and will unlock in the case of a power-failure, or any other type of emergency situation.

cdd wrote:Yes but often you'll find in tall buildings that the bottom door to the stairs have a sort of one-way entry system and/or a "push hard here to release door" alarm system attached to the door (which I disapprove of anyway, what if a power cut happens?)

I always like those signs which say 'This door is alarmed!'

About what?