Summer is prime time for balcony use as people take advantage of their outdoor space to enjoy warmer weather. We’ve conducted research into how residents make use of their balconies to help guide balcony design and specification to ensure the safety of residents. For the vast majority, the main use of balconies is for leisure. It is an extension of the home and, in warm weather, can be used extensively.
With the increase in balcony use comes the increase in incidents. The London Fire Brigade say they “attend 1 balcony fire per week in the summer months due to barbeque fires. ” Discarded cigarette butts are also a fire risk, being cited as the highest underlying factor in the cause of balcony fires.
There are other risks, too. When in use a range of items – food, drink, toys, games - all migrate outside. Inevitably, this increases the risk of items falling, causing injuries to those below. Other items becomes features of the balcony too: chairs and furnishings may move into this extra space from the home and, while much of this is lightweight garden furniture, it is often made from combustible materials.
More tragically, one child under five is admitted to hospital every day after falling from a building. Pets are also at risk, with vets seeing many animals every year with internal injuries and broken bones from balcony falls.
Does that mean balconies shouldn’t be included in high-rise designs or not used? No, but they are all important design considerations and likewise, residents need to understand the risks and be educated on how to enjoy a safe time on their balcony. A balcony with additional safety designed in is also going to go a long way to preventing many of these accidents.
Reducing the risk of fire
Fires can only spread where there is sufficient fuel to feed them. For many people, the perception is that balcony decking is the reason for fire spread. In fact, even in the case of wooden decking, this is not the case.
It is more usually the furnishing and other items on a balcony that actually combust. For example, shortly before the Grenfell disaster, a balcony fire occurred in Greenwich which was thought to be caused by a cigarette butt igniting a bean bag. In this case, the fire brigade were able to stop it from spreading, but it caused considerable damage to the balcony and smoke damage to the façade and balcony above.
Some ways users can protect themselves include:
Protecting children and pets
Children love exploring – climbing and crawling through gaps – as do most pets and their perception of risk is not high.
Design standards specify barriers must be “not easily climbed” and “not allow a 100mm sphere to pass through”. Even though glass balconies or vertical bars balustrades may
pass this test, it depends what has been added to the balcony as to whether children and animals can pass beyond the deck and risk falling.
Users need to consider how to make their balcony safe:
“Look out below!”
Unwinding from a long day in the office with dinner outdoors, entertaining friends and parties make balconies great outdoor living for city dwellers. However with socialising and dining, comes the risk of spilling a drink or dropping items. Children’s toys can also fall through gaps becoming a risk.
The same goes for liquids. While most balconies are designed to let rainwater drain away easily, users need to consider whether that flow might be dangerous or anti-social if it were, say, a bottle of wine or a hot cup of coffee. All balconies should be designed with soffits to control drainage but, likewise, these may need extra cleaning or maintenance if near trees etc.
Decking gaps and kick plates will help reduce items rolling from the balcony floor off the edge – and can be safely retrieved later. Consideration should be made for tableware to reduce the risk to safety and damage should an item fall.
Thinking ahead and anticipating potential risks will go a long way to making a balcony a great summer space that’s safe for all the family.
Reducing load on the balcony.
Most balcony users probably don’t even stop to consider the extra weight they are adding to their balcony. With small children, the idea of a paddling pool is also attractive – but, with every litre of water weighing 1kg, the burden on the balcony can rise quickly. For example, a 1m² paddling pool adds 1000kg or 1 tonne to the balcony. That’s not to mention the potential for drenching the downstairs neighbours if the pool springs a leak or is thoughtlessly drained.
Throw in a designer set of garden furniture made of steel and glass or solid wood and you can see how the weight can mount up. Adding these types of additional weight allowances during the design process is worth considering. Even though pools are a big ‘no-no’, they should be considered as a ‘what if’.
Safe balcony use can’t be taken for granted.
Specifiers and those involved in balcony design, need to make conscious decisions as part of CDM requirements for residents’ safe balcony use. Considerations should include but not be limited to:
“Even though glass balconies or vertical bars balustrades may [meet standards] safety also depends on what has been added to the balcony as to whether children and animals … risk falling.”