< Previous50 Section 4|Stairway Walkability Tactile Landing Indicators. A tactile (textured) marking strip should be placed at the top and bottom of each run of stairs and at intermediate landings to alert people as to the location of the stairs. The tactile marking strip should be at least 0.60 mm wide and should extend over the full width of the stairs. Top + Bottom Landing Cues. Tactile indicators on the top and bottom landings act as a sensory cue upon approaching a stairway. Should tactile cues be used indoors, indicators should be sufficiently different from the flooring to be cane or foot detectable. It is recommended that tactile indicators use 3mm-high ridges, as 3mm is detectable on smooth floors. The human brain gauges the rise and run of a stair flight within the first three steps; for PLV stair users, however, locating the first and last stairs are often the most challenging tasks. By knowing where the first stair is, PLV build a mental model about the stair dimensions and extrapolate this knowledge to the rest of the stairs - making the detection of the first and last stair edges and the beginning and ending of a flight or landing crucial to safe stair navigation. Tactile indicators can help clearly demarcate these important stair elements. The first and last step of each run of stairs pictured here are clearly marked by a tactile indicator, which clearly differs from the landing indica- tors and the stair edges. These tactile indicators help mark the beginning and end of each run.51 universal design guidelines for feature stairs synergillc.com | 2022 Where it is not considered appropriate to use a tactile hazard warning surface, floor finishes that contrast both visually and audibly (when walked on, i.e. timber to stone) should be used to highlight the top and bottom of the stair flight. AUDIBLE I NDICATORSuniversal design guidelines for feature stairs 52 SECTION FIVE Synergi’s handrails at The Susan and Benjamin Winter Visual Performing Arts Center on the Franklin & Marshall College campus in Millersville, Pennsylvania.53 synergillc.com Handrails serve multiple functions: visual and tactile cues to the stairway’s presence, directional guidance, postur- al stability, fall mitigation, and facilitate traversing either in ascent or descent. It’s common for people to use railing for balance and safety even when able to see the stairs. Railings also provide a tactile connection to the design of the physical space. A stair without an easily graspable handrail – or any handrail at all – denies users a last line of defense against a fall and are particularly hazardous. Stair Handrails54 Section 5|Stair Handrails PLACEMENT & APPEARANCE Direction. Stair design should avoid railing whose shape and direction does not reliably match the staircase. For example, railings that turn at the ends but do not match the positions of the top and bottom steps, bending both before the stair starts and after the stair ends, confuse users and can lead them to think that there are extra steps. Continuous Railing. For all users, a basic principle of safe stairway design is that the handrail must be available to grasp on the first step and maintain a grip all the way through the last step. Railings that are interrupted by newel posts or other obstructions that force users to let go of the railing are considered hazardous. Visual Contrast. Handrails should visu- ally contrast with surrounding surfaces so that they are readily apparent to all users. Handrails should achieve at least 30% luminance contrast to the backing surface for ease of identification. By seeing its shape, railings help users understand the shape of the stairs. The bends at the beginning and the end indicate the beginning and the end of the stairs, while the slope can indicate the direction of the stairs (up or down). By feeling the turn and the slope of the railing, railings facilitate blind and visually impaired users to understand where the stairs start and end, as well as the direction of the staircase.55 universal design guidelines for feature stairs synergillc.com | 2022 Guardrail / Balustrade. Open spaces between balusters that are greater than 3.5 inches (89 mm) are areas where a child’s head could slip through or body parts could become caught during a fall. Large gaps under the bottom rail allow objects to slide or roll off the sides of stairways to areas below. Sharp edges of balusters pose risk of bodily injury, especially during a fall. Horizontal rails and other balustrade attributes that can be climbed also pose risks for children and even adults. BALUSTRADE56 Section 5|Stair Handrails GUARDRAIL MODESTY Floating stair designs with glass treads, glass guardrails, and open risers are increasingly used by designers to allow spaces to maintain an open feeling with ample natural light. However, these features may jeopardize the privacy of those who use them, creating dissatisfaction with users and building owners alike. Use guardrails to prevent immodest sightlines and provide stair users a sense of privacy on stairways. Guardrails can serve a twofold purpose of adding security to a stair while also giving users the comfort of knowing their privacy is maintained. While current stair trends feature open guardrails and risers, these elements can be added in a way that promotes modesty without compromising the open design intent or creating a cluttered feel. Four materials stand out as potential modesty solutions, each with its own unique characteristics – glass, perfo- rated metal, mesh, and picket. Each material can be fabricated in a way that balances modesty, price point, and natural light transmission. It must be noted, however, that as the modesty of a material increases, so does the price point. Additionally, certain materials allow lower light transmission as the modesty level approaches 100%.57 universal design guidelines for feature stairs synergillc.com | 2022 Glass. Glass can be treated to attain optimal translucence, allowing maximum light filtering while obscuring the view of those looking through it. By sandblasting or acid etching clear glass, it becomes translucent and thus obscures the view of stair users. Vinyl film adhesives are also an inexpensive way of increasing the opacity of glass. Glass guardrails are gener- ally the most budget friendly solution for stair modesty, and modesty levels of 100% are possible. Mesh. Wire mesh guardrail can be finished in a variety of finishes to enhance the look of the stair while providing modesty for users. It has a relatively low ceiling as far as the levels of modesty it can provide and should be used in conjunction with other techniques to enhance privacy. Picket. Picket can achieve a wide range of modesty, from low levels with plenty of natural light transmission to levels approaching 100% with significantly lower natural light trans- mission. Along with perforated guardrails, picket configurations lend themselves to a unique industrial look which may be desir- able for certain projects. It is generally the most expensive of the four material options for modesty. Perforated Metal. Perforated guardrails can achieve a unique look and allow natural light to pass through – all while protecting the privacy of stair takers. Though slightly more expensive than glass, perforated materials can achieve high levels of modesty at a reasonable rate. Higher levels of modesty can be achieved by adding fewer perforations to the metal guard- rails, which subsequently lowers the amount of natural light submission they allow. 58 Section 5|Stair Handrails Handrail Height. Railings that are too high or too low may force users to adjust their posture to an uncomfortable or unfamiliar position, hindering their natural balance. It has been recommended that the IBC accepted minimum handrail height of 34 inches (and up to 38 inches) be increased to a 36 inch minimum height, as this has been shown to be the optimum height for the widest user demographic internationally. Second Handrail. A second handrail installed at a lower height to provide for a greater range of people should be considered on each side; this should be between 26 inches and 29 inches. Where a second handrail is provided at a lower height, the diameter may be 25 mm to 32 mm in recognition that it is likely to be used predominantly by children and that a smaller profile will make it easier to grip. HANDRAIL REACHABILITY Handrail height and the use of multiple handrails. Railing on Both Sides. Best prac- tice recommendations include the provision of handrails on both sides of stairways. If the stairway is greater than three meters in width, a handrail should be considered down the middle. Wide stairways should have intermediate handrails spaced equally across the width (pictured right). 59 universal design guidelines for feature stairs synergillc.com | 2022 Handrail profiles, clearance from walls and/or obstructions, and handrail supports. HANDRAIL GRASPABILITY Support Brackets. Support brackets should be fixed to handrails centrally on the underside so that a person can run their hands along the full length of the rail without interruption. If the position of the handrail requires a person to release their grip, the person may feel insecure, and may not be able to support themselves adequately. The vertical clearance between the underside of the handrail and any angled support brackets should be 50 mm. Clearance. IBC codes require handrails to maintain a 1.5-inch clearance (minimum) from any side wall or obstruction. However, it is recommended to increase this to a 2.5-inch clearance (minimum) where the adjacent surface is smooth better permits a 270-degree clearance around the profile of the handrail; where it is rough, the clearance should be 3 inches . Profile. Handrail shapes that are too wide or too thin are not ergonomically designed to be grasped firmly and thus may not be effective during falls. Thin, flat, or awkwardly shaped railings may prevent users from making a firm grasp with a closed hand. Because usability should supersede aesthetics, narrow or other shapes that require a “pinch grip” are not recommended. A round handrail between 1.25 inches (32 mm) and 2 inches (51 mm) in diameter is generally accepted as the best shape and size for grip- ping because it provides a “power grip” in which the thumb can touch the fingers in the shape of the letter “C”.Next >