Here's the key changes in access and egress for NCC 2022.

We’re providing a series of articles to give you a snap shot of some changes that may impact your work when NCC 2022 is adopted by states and territories.

Open up the NCC, and we’ll step you through some of the key changes to the access and egress provisions for NCC 2022.

NCC 2022 also has a new referencing system. We’ve included both the new and the previous NCC 2019 references, to help you identify what has changed.

Early childhood centres in high-rise buildings (Volume One)

New DTS Provisions are in Parts D2 and D3 (2019: Parts D1 and D2) for certain Class 9b early childhood centres located in high rise buildings. This means egress solutions for these centres can now be a DTS Solution. There are a number of relevant provisions, including D2D4, D2D16, D3D22 and D3D27.

G1D4 (2019: G1.3) now includes detailed provisions for barriers enclosing an outdoor play space where the floor is more than 2 m above the surface beneath (e.g. a play space located on a storey above the ground floor).

Primary schools in high-rise buildings (Volume One)

D2D23 (2019: D1.18) now applies to primary schools located in high-rise buildings, where the primary school does not have direct egress to a road or open space.

This means a Performance Solution must be used for egress from primary schools subject to D2D23(1). There is an exemption for primary schools in a building with a rise-in-storeys of 4 or less, if they are the only occupancy in that building.

Vertical fixing of balustrades (Volume One)

New sub-clauses are added to D3D19 (2019: Table D2.16a) to clarify the requirements for barriers fixed to the vertical face of the edge of a balcony, landing, deck, stairway or the like.

Volume Two & Housing Provisions

There are no major technical changes to Part H5 (2019: Parts 3.9.1, 3.9.2) for safe movement and access in Volume Two.

In the Housing Provisions, new sub-clauses are added to 11.3.4 (2019: 3.9.2.3) to clarify the requirements for barriers fixed to the vertical face of the edge of a balcony, landing, deck, stairway or the like.

Livable housing (Volumes One and Two)

There are also new provisions for livable housing design in Class 1a and Class 2 dwellings. You can read more in this article. 

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