BUILDING PRODUCTS: GRABRAILS AND HANDRAILS


Handrails and gradrails should give firm support, allow for an easy grip, and have the benefit of offering wayfinding and an understanding of which section of the building the person is in.


such as the proximity of doors on the opposite side.” Phil Barsby, business development director at Intastop,


added: “It is important to understand the effect that dementia can have on a patient and their daily routine before considering the design of a handrail or grabrail. “Dementia affects the cognitive and memory function, which


can make it difficult to distinguish colours and patterns. “Our range of handrails comes in a variety of colours and


combinations to suit all requirements. “Key to our designs are that handrails can be grasped and provide stability to prevent injuries or falls.”


FIRM SUPPORT Offering advice to specifiers, he added: “Handrails and gradrails should give firm support, allow for an easy grip, and have the benefit of offering wayfinding and an understanding of which section of the building the person is in. “It is also important they can be easily identified and do not


blend in with the background walls. “Grabrails are similar to handrails in terms of design, but


are primarily used to prevent falls within the bathroom and to offer visibly-clear support to patients and residents in a potentially-slippy environment.” Grabrails and handrails


come in various shapes and designs, with combi- rail and dual-rails also available. These are


particularly popular within health and care settings as they combine a robust impact protection function with that of handrail support. “Rails are required to meet a number of criteria,” said


Barsby, “including fire safety, impact resistance, DDA compliance and LRV colour contrast.” This colour contrast is one of the most-important factors. Typically, grabrails and toilet seats for people with dementia


have always been specified in red as this has been seen as the preferred colour. However, leading design experts, occupational therapists,


and academics specialising in the condition now agree this is a myth. In fact, any colour can be used so long as it contrasts


strongly enough with the wall behind it. A high light-reflecting value (LRV) between different


surfaces is essential, with a minimum of 30 points of difference providing the required contrast.


IN CLEAR SIGHT And grabrails need to contrast strongly with the walls they are attached to, which also provides a visual reminder to use them. Barsby, said: “Colour is key to our range, as is ease of


maintenance, which is a key driver for health and care operators. “Compliance with Building Regulations is important, for


example what height to install the rails. It’s also important to know the substrate of the wall to ensure correct fixings can be used.” Mental health environments are also increasingly specifying


the latest handrail and grabrail designs. Barsby, said: “In mental health environments rails must be


ligature resistance and are usually designed with a ‘homely’ aesthetic such as a wood-effect finish. “In dementia care, the main function of the rail is to give


clear identifiable support to the patients. As such, dementia care handrails are usually designed larger to allow easy grip and are often found in brighter colours which make them easier to see.”


www.intastop.com 22 mhdf magazine


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