Installing a lift can help to ensure your customers and employees are able to get around with ease, and also ensures your building is completely accessible to everyone.
It may seem slightly odd that the vast majority of lifts come equipped with a handrail. However, there are actually several good reasons why lifts have handrails installed, some of which include ensuring the structural integrity of the lift. In this blog, we take a look at some of the most important reasons handrails are included in lifts.
IMPROVES AESTHETICS
In home lifts, the design and aesthetics of a lift are extremely important. When investing in a lift, customers will of course want a lift of the highest quality, which is also pleasing on the eye. Handrails are a great aesthetic addition to any lift; they help the elevator look less like a simple box and can really add to the character of the carriage. Coming in a wide range of material types and sizes, handrails can be used to ensure your lift is in keeping with the wider décor of your home, office or public building.
BINDS ELEVATOR WALLS TOGETHER
Probably one of the most overlooked reasons handrails are included in lifts is that they actually bind the walls of the lift together. Ensuring the structural integrity of a lift is absolutely vital, and the inclusion of handrails plays a big role in maintaining this to the highest degree possible.
SAFETY
Handrails in lifts present a whole host of safety benefits for users. They are especially useful for the elderly, people with mobility problems and children. Even though today’s lifts generally give users a smooth and seamless ride, the starting and stopping motions of a lift can be troublesome for some users. The inclusion of the humble handrail provides a simple solution and gives users an added layer of safety.
They are also used to stop users from leaning on the elevator walls. Of course, lifts have strong structures, but keeping users from leaning on the walls ensures the lift maintains its structural integrity when in transit.
Finally, handrails are perfect for combating lift overloading when it comes to passenger lifts as they slightly reduce the usable area of a lift. The amount of space that a handrail uses may appear minimal, but when you consider each side has a handrail installed, this does reduce the usable area by a fair margin.
There is also a requirement that handrails must provide coverage lengthwise at least 90% wall-to-wall. This requirement is in place in case of falls, slips or trips within the elevator carriage; the use of a handrail is a safe way to ensure the user is able to help themselves to their feet.
When it comes to installing a lift into a building, there are obviously plenty of safety regulations that need to be met. Here at Axess 2, we have a whole host of accreditations, including BREEAM, NBS, ISO 9001 and LEIA, which highlight how seriously we take the safety of our valued customers.