Handrails are mostly a little noticed but an important part of a building's layout. When properly installed and maintained, they increase the welcoming feel to seniors, persons with disabilities and others with mobility issues.
Modular handrail systems are frequently a visitor's first physical interaction with the building structure and can set the tone for the person's experience with the facility they are about to enter.
Inside a building, handrails provide needed support on staircases and in hallways and common spaces. While an incident-free experience will probably go unnoticed, an accident caused by improper handrails will command unwanted attention and leave the building owner possibly facing a costly litigation.
Handrails are a key safety device in the prevention of slips and falls. Most people normally associate them with stairways and elevated surfaces, but they also are very important on level surfaces as a provider of additional support.
Handrails play a pedestrian management role at large events by channeling guests in an orderly fashion through desired entry points. They are an important safety consideration on wide staircases.
Additional railings must be erected if the staircase is more than 88 inches wide, but operators of arenas and other public venues install them in much narrower areas to encourage guests moving in opposite directions to use separate sides.