How to Baby-Proof a Spiral Staircase

Metal, open-riser spiral staircases are dangerous for children.

A spiral staircase can pose a safety hazard to young children, who can fall down the stairs while crawling or while trying to navigate the turns. Some spiral staircases have open risers that babies can fall through. Metal spiral staircases have hard surfaces that can cause cuts, bruises and other injuries. Baby-proofing a spiral staircase prevents injuries, whether your baby is just starting to crawl or is beginning to walk.

Things You'll Need

• Nonslip mats
• 2 baby gates
• Round gate

Instructions

1. Remove any clutter on the staircases. Don't let family members leave toys, shoes or any other objects on the stairs. Remove any throw rugs from the stairs.

2. Lay nonslip mats on the risers of the spiral staircase. If your baby does manage to get on the stairs, the mats can help prevent him from slipping and falling.

3. Install a baby gate at the top of the stairs and an additional one at the bottom of the stairs. The gate should fit snugly against the wall at the top of the stairs, and it should fit snugly against the sides of the staircase at the bottom.

4. Install a round baby gate around the bottom of the spiral staircase, if a regular baby gate will not fit at the bottom. The gate needs to have childproof locks so that your toddler cannot open it.

References

• All Star Baby Safety: Spiral Staircase Acess Prevention
• HomeTips.com: Childproofing Stairs & Staircases