Staircase and second floor landing-bridge safety ideas?? (fireplace, railing, ceiling)

[oconnorcm3]

Hi,

We just bought a 2-story house with an open staircase and open second floor landing (like a second story bridge), and need ideas on how to make it safe for our 19-year old severely mentally-disabled son. The house works in all other ways, enabling us to sleep on the lower level with our son (two bedrooms and a full bath downstairs). We intend to block the lower level staircase with a tall gate, preventing him from going upstairs, only using the upstairs for guests. I'm just worried that if this gate is ever left open, and he gets up the stairs, that he will hang over the upstairs railing and fall.

Any ideas on how to safely close up the upstairs bridge railing, without closing it off totally (it provides light to the living space below). In every house we have to get creative to make it safe for our son, and this house works in all other ways, just not the open staircase and the upstairs bridge-railing.

Thank you for any ideas!

[Va-Cat]

Originally Posted by oconnorcm3

Hi,

We just bought a 2-story house with an open staircase and open second floor landing (like a second story bridge), and need ideas on how to make it safe for our 19-year old severely mentally-disabled son. The house works in all other ways, enabling us to sleep on the lower level with our son (two bedrooms and a full bath downstairs). We intend to block the lower level staircase with a tall gate, preventing him from going upstairs, only using the upstairs for guests. I'm just worried that if this gate is ever left open, and he gets up the stairs, that he will hang over the upstairs railing and fall.

Any ideas on how to safely close up the upstairs bridge railing, without closing it off totally (it provides light to the living space below). In every house we have to get creative to make it safe for our son, and this house works in all other ways, just not the open staircase and the upstairs bridge-railing.

Thank you for any ideas!

How large is the opening on the second floor? What are the materials for the railing across the opening? Would a wrought iron panel work in the opening? Here is a picture of what I'm thinking of. Only difference would be that it would be hung ABOVE the railing. That way light could get in but your son would not be able to lean over. You could get a swing gate in the same design to close off the stairs at the bottom.

[oconnorcm3]

Oh, I like that wrought iron panel idea. I want to keep the light going, no blockage.

One of the openings is large, about 6 feet long, perhaps 5 feet high. The other side of the 'bridge' of the second floor has bricked fireplace columns splitting the 6 feet long space, making them smaller open spaces, more manageable. The railing is a normal oak railing, normal height (3-1/2 feet, perhaps?).

Are the wrought iron panels heavy? I wonder if they could be hung to fill in the spaces above the railing? Basically hanging from the ceiling above the railing, with wire fastening them to the railing, to fill in any space that would be present.

My son is the 'King of Climbing' so whatever goes up in that spot has to be strong, and durable. In past homes we have had to build floor to ceiling railings, making the area look like a jail. I'm hoping to avoid that in this house but still need it to be safe.

Thanks for the idea, Va-Cat!

[ShaneSA]

How abour replacing the wood rail that is there with a tall(8ft) wrought iron rail that does not have a climbable design? that way it will be one material and not look patched on.