Grab bar
Encyclopedia
Grab bars are safety
devices designed to enable a person to maintain balance, lessen fatigue while standing, hold some of their weight while maneuvering, or have something to grab onto in case of a slip or fall. A caregiver
may use a grab bar to assist with transferring a patient from one place to another. A worker may use a grab bar to hold onto as he or she climbs, or in case of a fall.
and safety for people with a variety of disabilities or mobility difficulties. Although they are most commonly seen in public handicapped toilet stalls, grab bars are also used in private homes, assisted living facilities, hospitals, and nursing homes. Grab bars are most commonly installed next to a toilet or in a shower or bath enclosure.
There are many considerations when deciding which grab bar to use and how best to install it. Properly securing a grab bar is important so that it doesn't pull out of the wall when pressure is applied to it. Each installation should be properly secured into wall blocking
or studs
to provide the best support. If no studs are available, specialized mollies
can be used to spread out grab forces across a wider area of the wall.
Accessibility Guidelines for Buildings and Facilities (ADAAG) defines requirements for installing grab bars in public bathing and toileting facilities. The guidelines are supported by substantial research regarding the best placement of grab bars.
The following is a subset of ADA grab bar guidelines:
are found on equipment or above fixed ladder
s where footholds exist but other handholds are lacking. They may be positioned horizontally, vertically, or at an angle.
When using grab bars as safety devices in order to prevent falls, your best choice would be a horizontal bar. Scientific research has found that gripping strength is far greater using a horizontal bar than a vertical bar in a fall situation. This makes horizontal grab bars the safest choice.
Occupational Safety and Health Administration
(OSHA) guidelines describe the requirements for grab bar clearance, diameter and spacing on fixed ladders. These regulations state that the clearance in the back of grab bars must be at least 4 inches, the diameter similar to the ladder rungs and, when horizontal, grab bars must be spaced by a continuation of the rung spacing. In 2008-2009 alone, the USDOL Bureau of Labor Statistics
reported 241 casualties from ladder falls.
Siderail extensions horizontal grab bars may be bolted
or welded welded to fixed ladders. Grab bars may be mounted to the curb for access to rooftops and rooftop hatches
.
Safety
Safety is the state of being "safe" , the condition of being protected against physical, social, spiritual, financial, political, emotional, occupational, psychological, educational or other types or consequences of failure, damage, error, accidents, harm or any other event which could be...
devices designed to enable a person to maintain balance, lessen fatigue while standing, hold some of their weight while maneuvering, or have something to grab onto in case of a slip or fall. A caregiver
Primary caregiver
A primary caregiver is the person who takes primary responsibility for someone who cannot care fully for themselves. It may be a family member, a medical professional or another trained professional. Depending on culture there may be other members of the family engaged in care. This concept is very...
may use a grab bar to assist with transferring a patient from one place to another. A worker may use a grab bar to hold onto as he or she climbs, or in case of a fall.
Grab bars for accessibility
Grab bars increase accessibilityAccessibility
Accessibility is a general term used to describe the degree to which a product, device, service, or environment is available to as many people as possible. Accessibility can be viewed as the "ability to access" and benefit from some system or entity...
and safety for people with a variety of disabilities or mobility difficulties. Although they are most commonly seen in public handicapped toilet stalls, grab bars are also used in private homes, assisted living facilities, hospitals, and nursing homes. Grab bars are most commonly installed next to a toilet or in a shower or bath enclosure.
Grab bar locations
- Grab bars next to a toilet help people using a wheelchairWheelchairA wheelchair is a chair with wheels, designed to be a replacement for walking. The device comes in variations where it is propelled by motors or by the seated occupant turning the rear wheels by hand. Often there are handles behind the seat for someone else to do the pushing...
transfer to the toilet seat and back to the wheelchair. They also assist people who have difficulty sitting down, have balance problems while seated or need help rising from a seated position. - Used in a shower or bathtub, grab bars help to maintain balance while standing or maneuvering, assist in transferring into and out of the enclosure, and generally help to mitigate slips and falls.
- Floor to ceiling grab bars, or security poles, can be used in the bedroom to help one get out of bed or get up from a chair, or to help caregiversPrimary caregiverA primary caregiver is the person who takes primary responsibility for someone who cannot care fully for themselves. It may be a family member, a medical professional or another trained professional. Depending on culture there may be other members of the family engaged in care. This concept is very...
by assisting in transfers.
Grab bar installation positions
Grab bars can be installed in different positions:- Vertical grab bars may help with balance while standing.
- Horizontal grab bars provide assistance when sitting or rising, or to grab onto in case of a slip or fall.
- Some grab bars can be installed at an angle, depending on the needs of the user and the positioning.
There are many considerations when deciding which grab bar to use and how best to install it. Properly securing a grab bar is important so that it doesn't pull out of the wall when pressure is applied to it. Each installation should be properly secured into wall blocking
Blocking (construction)
In construction blocking refers to pieces of wood or other material that run between wall studs in order to provide support and attachment sites for mounted hardware such as cabinets, shelving, or bathroom towel bars.-Construction:...
or studs
Wall stud
A wall stud is a vertical member in the light frame construction techniques called balloon framing and platform framing of a building's wall.-Purpose:...
to provide the best support. If no studs are available, specialized mollies
Molly (fastener)
A molly or molly bolt, commonly misspelled moly, is a formerly trademarked name for a specialized fastener used with drywall. Larger sizes permit reasonably heavy objects, such as shelving, flatscreen TV mounts or central heating radiators to be attached to drywall in locations where there is no...
can be used to spread out grab forces across a wider area of the wall.
Grab bars and ADA Guidelines
The ADAAmericans with Disabilities Act of 1990
The Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 is a law that was enacted by the U.S. Congress in 1990. It was signed into law on July 26, 1990, by President George H. W. Bush, and later amended with changes effective January 1, 2009....
Accessibility Guidelines for Buildings and Facilities (ADAAG) defines requirements for installing grab bars in public bathing and toileting facilities. The guidelines are supported by substantial research regarding the best placement of grab bars.
The following is a subset of ADA grab bar guidelines:
- The diameter of grab bars should be 1¼ to 1½ inch (30-40 mm) (or the shape shall provide an equivalent gripping surface)
- There shall be a 1½ inch (40 mm) clearance from the wall.
- Grab bars should not rotate in their fittings.
- The required mounting height is universally 33 to 36 inches (840-910 mm) from the centerline of the grab bar to the finish floor.
- ADA-style grab bars and their mounting devices should withstand more than 250 pounds (1112 N) of force.
- In public toilet stalls, side grab bars must be a minimum of 42 inches long and mounted 12 inches from the rear wall, and rear grab bars must be a minimum of 36 inches long and mounted a maximum of 6 inches from the side wall.
Grab bar styles
While the ADA guidelines provide specifics on the placement of grab bars in public locations, they do not require a specific style. Many public facilities opt for the cheapest grab bars, which usually have an institutional look. However, grab bars are actually available in many styles, finishes and colors. Manufacturers have begun to understand the need to blend in with home decor, offering grab bars that have style and pizazz. For the home, grab bars do not need to be ADA compliant, but those guidelines should be considered. In addition to straight grab bars, there are fold-out bars, those that clamp onto the side of the bathtub, L-shaped, U-shaped and corner grab bars.Grab bars in industry and construction
Grab bars in industry and constructionConstruction
In the fields of architecture and civil engineering, construction is a process that consists of the building or assembling of infrastructure. Far from being a single activity, large scale construction is a feat of human multitasking...
are found on equipment or above fixed ladder
Fixed ladder
A fixed ladder is a vertical ladder mounted permanently to a structure. These ladders are primarily used to access roofs or other structures for industrial purposes...
s where footholds exist but other handholds are lacking. They may be positioned horizontally, vertically, or at an angle.
When using grab bars as safety devices in order to prevent falls, your best choice would be a horizontal bar. Scientific research has found that gripping strength is far greater using a horizontal bar than a vertical bar in a fall situation. This makes horizontal grab bars the safest choice.
Occupational Safety and Health Administration
Occupational Safety and Health Administration
The United States Occupational Safety and Health Administration is an agency of the United States Department of Labor. It was created by Congress of the United States under the Occupational Safety and Health Act, signed by President Richard M. Nixon, on December 29, 1970...
(OSHA) guidelines describe the requirements for grab bar clearance, diameter and spacing on fixed ladders. These regulations state that the clearance in the back of grab bars must be at least 4 inches, the diameter similar to the ladder rungs and, when horizontal, grab bars must be spaced by a continuation of the rung spacing. In 2008-2009 alone, the USDOL Bureau of Labor Statistics
Bureau of Labor Statistics
The Bureau of Labor Statistics is a unit of the United States Department of Labor. It is the principal fact-finding agency for the U.S. government in the broad field of labor economics and statistics. The BLS is a governmental statistical agency that collects, processes, analyzes, and...
reported 241 casualties from ladder falls.
Siderail extensions horizontal grab bars may be bolted
Screw
A screw, or bolt, is a type of fastener characterized by a helical ridge, known as an external thread or just thread, wrapped around a cylinder. Some screw threads are designed to mate with a complementary thread, known as an internal thread, often in the form of a nut or an object that has the...
or welded welded to fixed ladders. Grab bars may be mounted to the curb for access to rooftops and rooftop hatches
Trapdoor
A trapdoor is a door set into a floor or ceiling .Originally, trapdoors were sack traps in mills, and allowed the sacks to pass up through the mill while naturally falling back to a closed position....
.