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Ship Ladder for exterior 2nd story attached deck.

M

MichaelM

Registered User
Joined
Feb 6, 2019
Messages
17
Location
California
I would like to gather your opinions on Ship Ladder (California Residential Code 2016 chapter R311.7.12). The means of egress from deck to egress door are provided through the residence and stairway complying with CRC2016 R311.7.
In your opinion, is ship ladder allowed to be installed for exterior 2nd story attached deck?
Thank you.

R311.7.12 Ships ladders
Ships ladders shall not be used as an element of a means of egress. Ships ladders shall be permitted provided that a required means of egress stairway or ramp serves the same space at each adjoining level or where a means of egress is not required. The clear width at and below the handrails shall be not less than 20 inches.

R311.1 Means of egress
Dwellings shall be provided with a means of egress in accordance with this section. The means of egress shall provide a continuous and unobstructed path of vertical and horizontal egress travel from all portions of the dwelling to the required egress door without requiring travel through a garage. The required egress door shall open directly into a public way or to a yard or court that opens to a public way.
 
Seems like Approved

Not part of required means of egress


Call it decoration
 
Code-wise it seems ok if there is an actual means of egress from the deck through the house.

But I would really think hard about using one for a deck with kids, guests, drunk folks, potentially using it. It seems to me a bit different than a ships ladder accessing an attic or storage area liability-wise.
 
Thank you for your answers, same thoughts here. Liability may be an issue for owner, maybe home owner's insurance will not like it, but if code allows it - let him have it.
 
MichaelM said:
R311.7.12 Ships ladders
Click to expand...

Must be a California thing, the 2012 IRC does not have a R311.7.12 Ship Ladders so I can't allow it here, but I'm not on the CBC.

IPO, not a good idea unless your in the Lawyer biz. The IRC try's to protect a child by decreasing the distance between spindles from 6-inches to 4-3/8-inches on guardrails. Hope you don't discriminate against granny, shes got a rhubarb pie for the party on the second deck, I'm sure she can hang on to that ship ladder rail and carry that pie!

Does CBC allow a rope ladder with knots?

I could possible see this if used as a fire escape only, but that's got me worried too.
 
Add a slide and the ships ladder becomes the ladder for the slide

50e055aba64d43f2fe52eb0b0bf46d14.jpg
 
It is pretty clear that the space between the bottom of the guard and the stair steps is over 4". spindles are probably ok
 
R312.1.3 Opening limitations
Required guards shall not have openings from the walking surface to the required guard height that allow passage of a sphere 4 inches (102 mm) in diameter.

Exceptions:
  1. The triangular openings at the open side of stair, formed by the riser, tread and bottom rail of a guard, shall not allow passage of a sphere 6 inches (153 mm) in diameter.
  2. Guards on the open side of stairs shall not have openings that allow passage of a sphere 43/8 inches (111 mm) in diameter.
 
The code gives you all you need to allow this peacefully. This is simply a balance of safety and freedom, and that is the root, human element of the IRC. You have the stairway for safety. You have ships ladder for freedom. Overzealous application of the code simply results in you never getting invited back. Alienate people on the little stuff and you loose their trust for the big stuff. These are of course just my opinions. They'll put the ships ladder in after the inspector leaves.
 
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