The main purpose of handrails is to provide added stability and support. They can be usually found on ramps and staircases. Aside from these large structures, handrails can also be used on outdoor steps.
If your home or place of business has outdoor steps leading to the main entrance, you should consider installing handrails due to the various benefits that they can provide. For one, these features can help ensure the safety of your family, guests, and customers.
Help Prevent Falls
As mentioned earlier, handrails can provide support and even prevent accidents and falls. That’s because they are designed to provide people with something to hold on to in case they lose their balance. As barriers, they can also prevent individuals from falling over the side of ramps and stairs.
Even if your outdoor steps only have a couple of treads and risers, having handrails can still be a beneficial feature. They can serve as helpful guides while leading people toward the main entrance. More importantly, they can help prevent people from encountering serious accidents while they’re visiting your home or business establishment.
Improve The Mobility Of Kids And The Elderly
The groups of people that usually benefit the most from using handrails are children and senior citizens. That’s because some young kids are still getting used to walking and moving on their own while the elderly tend to have mobility problems and physical issues that can affect their balance.
Having handrails on outdoor steps can help these people get to their destination safely. It can also give you peace of mind knowing that your young and elderly family members can enter your home without getting hurt or seriously injured.
Added Safety During Rainy And Cold Seasons
During the rainy and winter seasons, outdoor steps can develop slippery surfaces, which can lead to accidents. The accumulation of snow, ice, or water on the steps can cause someone to slip and fall. For most people especially vulnerable individuals, falling on your back or hip can lead to serious injuries.
One way to prevent this type of accident from happening is by adding non-slip features to your outdoor steps’ surface. As an added safety feature, you should also install handrails to the sides of your outdoor steps. Through these add-ons, people will immediately have something to hold on to in case they slip or lose their balance.
Assist People Carrying Loads
Aside from preventing individuals from falling down, handrails can also help people carrying heavy and unwieldy loads. They could be a family member carrying the groceries, a mother with her baby, or a courier with a cumbersome package.
The handrail on outdoor steps provides people with a support structure that they can use to maintain their balance while carrying heavy objects. They can also lean against the rail for added support as they make their way up the steps.
Improve A Structure’s Appearance
Probably an often overlooked benefit of having handrails on your outdoor steps is how they can enhance the overall appearance of your home or business establishment. Depending on the design of the rails and the materials used to make them, these add-ons can add personality to any structure by complementing its appearance.
For homes, handrails with a stylish look can enhance the design of a porch or other outdoor spaces. They can serve as an aesthetic extension of your home by reflecting its décor. Since handrails come in various designs and styles, you can choose the one that perfectly matches your house’s appearance.
Comply With The Law
Another major advantage of having handrails is how they can help structures comply with current regulations and building codes. According to Australian Standard regulations, certain public areas that have stairs or steps are required to have handrails. For instance, steps leading to a store or an office should have these features.
As required by current regulations, steps, stairs, platforms, and landings that are at least 1 metre above the ground should have handrails. Usually, stairs with this height have four risers and three treads. A stairway is required to have handrails on both sides if it has a width of at least 1,000 millimetres.
Final Thoughts
Of course, you’ll only be able to enjoy the various benefits of handrails if they’re properly made and installed. One way to guarantee this is by reaching out to a reputable company for your handrail needs. Aside from using quality materials, a professional and skilled builder can also ensure that the handrails are properly installed.
Adapta, for instance, has over two decades of experience building and installing access ramps, steps, and handrails to both domestic and commercial clients. Their extensive experience in this sector provides them with the necessary insight to build regulation-compliant and high-quality handrails and other safety and accessibility structures.
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