NCC Part H5 (safe movement and access)
NCC Part H5 sets the two safe-movement performance requirements for Class 1 buildings: stairs and ramps (H5P1), and fall-prevention barriers above 1 m (H5P2).
Ask Chalkline about this →NCC Part H5 is the section of NCC 2022 Volume Two covering safe movement and access in Class 1 buildings. It is short: two performance requirements covering stairs/ramps and barriers, with the deemed-to-satisfy detail living in ABCB Housing Provisions Part 11. Certifier assessment on residential work runs almost entirely against Part 11 rather than the bare H5 wording (verified 2026-05-28).
The two performance requirements
- H5P1, stairways and ramps. A stairway or ramp must be constructed to allow safe passage by users.
- H5P2, barriers to prevent falls. A continuous barrier must be provided wherever a person could fall 1 m or more from a stair, ramp, floor, balcony, deck, mezzanine, or similar (verified 2026-05-28, ABCB Housing Provisions Part 11).
Both are objective requirements: the wording does not prescribe dimensions or materials. The numbers live in Part 11.
How DTS compliance works in practice
Part H5 is satisfied if the work meets the relevant ABCB Housing Provisions deemed-to-satisfy clauses:
- Stairs and ramps (Part 11.2): riser height 115 to 190 mm, going 240 to 355 mm, 2R + G between 550 and 700 mm, max 18 risers per flight.
- Barriers / balustrades (Part 11.3): minimum 1 m height where the fall is 1 m or more (1.8 m on Class 9 stages); openings sized so a 125 mm sphere cannot pass through; loadings to AS 1170.1.
A building surveyor or certifier treats the Part 11 compliance as the proof of H5 compliance.
Where it sits in the NCC structure
Part H5 is in NCC 2022 Volume Two (Class 1 and Class 10). The Volume One equivalent (Class 2 to 9) is Part D3 plus Part D4.
Category: NCC / Volume Two.
Related
See also
Last updated: 2026-05-28. Verified: 2026-05-28. Quarterly review for currency.