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1: Appl Ergon. 2009 Jul;40(4):657-69. Epub 2008 Oct 26.Click here to read Links

Effect of handrail shape on graspability.

Dusenberry DO, Simpson H, Dellorusso SJ.

Simpson Gumpertz & Heger Inc., 41 Seyon Street, Building 1, Suite 500, Waltham, MA 02453, USA. dodusenberry@sgh.com

This paper summarizes research performed to evaluate the impact of handrail profile dimensions on graspability. It reports on research performed to determine the forces that stairway users exert on handrails when they fall, tests demonstrating the forces persons with various hand sizes can exert on handrails with different profiles, and comparisons of the probability of loss of grip by stairway users when they attempt to arrest a fall by grasping a handrail. The recommendations based on this work include specific definitions of the shapes of handrails that are deemed to be sufficiently graspable to constitute functional handrails.

PMID: 18952204 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]