Handrails
• When handrails are terminated or interrupted, consider a tactile signal (a notch cut into the rail) 4 in (100 mm) from the end point or have the rail curve and connect back to the wall.
• Install handrails 3 ft (850 mm) from the ground. Handrails should be between 1.6 in (40 mm) and 1.8 in (45 mm) in diameter with a non-slip texture.
• Install handrails on both sides of stairways and hallways and on at least one side of ramps.
• On ramps and stairways, extend handrails 12 in (300 mm) beyond the end of the ramp and consider installing a safety rail along with the handrail at 8 in (200 mm) above ground, a curb at the same height.
• Curve the end of handrails down to 27 in (680 mm) for easier detection by visually impaired older adults using cane technique.
• In stairways, continue handrails through and around landings, especially in long stairways.
• In elevators, provide handrails on both sides of the cabin at a height between 32 in to 40 in (800 mm to 1000 mm).
• Handrails should be in a color that contrasts with the floor and the wall to help older adults with visual impairments to locate the handrails; consider Braille on end of handrail.
• Consider handrails in outpatient clinics where patients undergo medical diagnostic testing.
(Note: All handrails must be able to withstand a force of 2 kN pressure. As part of the International System of Measurement, a kN (or kilonewton) is an unit of force equal to 1000 newtons, with one newton representing the amount of force required to accelerate a one kilogram mass at a rate of one meter per second squared.)
