title: Preferred handrail height for spiral stairs--a fitting trial study.
abstract: Stairways are, in general, a thoroughly studied subject, but there is almost no scientific data available about spiral stairs. They are, however, widely used in homes, industrial sites and public buildings. The purpose of this study was to determine preferred handrail heights for a spiral stairway. The most preferred handrail height for descent was 105 cm. On the other hand, 95% of the participants regarded handrail heights between 95 and 100 cm satisfactory for descending. Participants' anthropometric data was combined with the handrail height preference to develop a draft of a model to predict preferred handrail height for other user populations.
authors.affiliation: Department of Industrial Engineering and Management, University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland. Janne.Sinisammal@oulu.fi
authors.forename: Janne
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Sinisammal
authors.forename: Petri
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Saaranen
mesh_terms: D000058:Accidental Falls / Q000517:prevention & control*; D000328:Adult; D000886:Anthropometry; D006804:Ergonomics; D005160:Facility Design and Construction; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012656:Self-Help Devices; D016138:Walking