Part K - Protection from falling, collision and impact

Publication title: Approved Document K - Protection from falling, collision and impact
Date published: January 2013
ISBN: 978 1 85946 484 7

Summary

Approved Document K includes advice on protection from falling, collision and impact. 

Protection from falling involves the fitting of safety measures on staircases, ramps and ladders, as well as advice about the positioning of balusters, vehicle barriers and windows to avoid injury. 

Guidance for avoiding collision and impact is detailed in the positioning of doors and windows within a property, ensuring that no injuries occur due to occupants colliding with open windows, skylights, ducts etc., that large panes of glass are marked to avoid accidental impact with them, and that doors and windows are not positioned in a way that could trap someone. 

This document is particularly relevant to those who are building a loft conversion and contains guidance in relation to building a staircase for access to the loft. 

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The Merged Approved Documents¹

A consolidated version of the individual Approved Documents published by the government, now presented as a single, searchable PDF.

Previous version

• Approved Document K - Protection from falling, collision  and impact (2013 Edition)² (PDF 4.22Mb)

This is the current edition of Approved Document K. It supersedes the 1998 edition (incorporating 2000 and 2010 amendments).

Changes in this version 

This current edition of Approved Document K - Protection from falling, replaces the previous edition. There are no new technical requirements.

This edition has been updated to amalgamate 'Approved Document N: Glazing - Safety in relation to impact, opening and cleaning' along with some overlapping guidance that resided in 'Approved Document M: Access to and use of buildings'. 

This Approved Document gives guidance for compliance with the Building Regulations for building work carried out in England. It also applies to building work carried out on excepted energy buildings in Wales as defined in the Welsh Ministers (Transfer of Functions) (No. 2) Order 2009³.

1. https://www.gov.uk/guidance/building-regulations-and-approved-documents-index#approved-documents
2. https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/443181/BR_PDF_AD_K_2013.pdf
3. http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2009/3019/contents/made