Many decorative wooden railings incorporate a pinch grip, which is effective for guidance up and down the stairs, ramp, or walkway, but does not allow for enough grip strength to prevent a fall. Imagine trying to use a hammer if the handle were shaped like a decorative stair railing!
A power grip is 5 times stronger than a pinch grip and allows for maximum grip strength as the fingers flex towards the palm. Proper handrail design includes a power grip. In addition, a power grip allows those with mobility impairment to use their arm and upper body strength to assist their lower body when climbing or descending.
Decorative or non-functional handrails, which do not comply with the ADA guidelines, are permitted only in private residences. Handrail brackets are available in a wide variety of styles. They allow for the passage of the fingers as people grip the handrail to guide themselves up and down stairways, hallways, and ramps. Most locations fall into one of these categories. Common areas of residential buildings with three or more units, or with more than three stories, must conform to the same regulations as commercial locations.
Building codes come into play during construction or renovation, and also when an insurance or home evaluation inspection is performed. They are adopted and enforced at the state and local level. With some local variations, all jurisdictions follow the International Building Code published by the International Code Council.
ADA regulations apply to all public and commercial locations, and are enforced country-wide by the Justice Department. ADA regulations are applied to existing structures regardless of whether they must comply with the current building code. Building codes are concerned primarily with safety, whereas the ADA Standards are focused on accessibility. Because handrails are important for both, there is a substantial amount of overlap.
Commercial building codes contain virtually all of the ADA handrail standards as well as additional requirements for strength and utility. Residential building codes, while not quite as stringent, contain many of the ADA standards as well. Pie-shaped steps. Slips, trips and falls are the most common cause of injury in the workplace, according to statistics from the Health and Safety Executive HSE.
In severe cases, falls could even result in death. To help prevent falls at work and at height, it is vital that your workplace has the right handrails installed. Handrails are an effective means of preventing serious injury. They offer protection and security to employees working on any kind of raised platform. Where loading access is required for a mezzanine floor, or for protection across openings at the head of stairs or ladders, we would recommend gates of tubular construction.
These can be made to match the design of the adjoining handrails. One of the most common factors that contribute to the high number of falls on staircases is the neglection of handrails. Always check with your local jurisdiction as requirements are different in each area.
Steeper stairs change the way you climb them because the steeper they are the more effort you exert. The ratio of riser height and tread depth has to be adjusted accordingly. See Figures 2 and 3. The dimension of risers or treads in a stairway should not vary more than 1 cm.
When doors open directly into the stairwell, a 50 cm-wide platform should be provided beyond the swing of the door. The recommended maximum number of steps between landings is 18, with no more than two flights without a change of direction. The depth of any landing should be at least equal to the width of the stairs. To reduce the risk of slipping on stairs, non-slippery surface on the whole steps or at least on the leading edges is crucial. Such a surface can be made of rubber, or metal or painted with special slip-resistant paint.
Regular maintenance of the stairs in good repair plus good housekeeping can reduce hazards for tripping. Although non-metallic materials such as wood, PVC, or concrete may offer more attractive looks or styling, particularly in homes and residential buildings, they are less durable, vulnerable to wear-and-tear, and expensive to replace. Ideal railing materials for public or workplace use include stainless steel, aluminum, and vinyl.
These materials offer high tensile strength, low maintenance requirements, immunity to rust, termites, and general wear-and-tear. With proper care, they can remain in use for decades. Certain handrail types may feature additional elements to enhance safety, styling, and aesthetics, such as extra railing, safety netting, wire meshing, wire cables, tempered glass panels, or kick plates.
Handrails should be anchored securely to the surface or a sturdy supporting wall to provide the maximum amount of safety. The mounting wall or surface should ideally be concrete or asphalt, using steel anchors, bolts, and screws for the most secure fit. There are also modular handrail and railing systems, fully compliant with building codes and safety regulations but easy to remove for repairs or maintenance.
Handrails intended for use in public areas must feature safe extensions, compliant with ADA These extensions must be fixed to the wall, the walking surface, or be continuous with another adjacent ramp handrail forming one continuous rail across multiple levels.
Specific handrail designs may feature projections or details which pose a snag risk, which can cause falls or worsen the consequences of falling. Although OSHA and ADA standards are the law nationwide, you may also have to comply with additional local- or state-level regulations, which can be stricter than nationwide or international standards.
Proper design, installation, and maintenance of your handrails and grab bars are a matter of complying with the law and saving lives.
Our in-house manufacturing department allows us to build and modify equipment such as handrails, guardrails, racks, shelves, mezzanines, platforms, and other fittings to your exact specifications. Mar 03 Types and Purposes Handrails exist mainly to provide safety to pedestrians.
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