According to The State of Home Safety in America™ (2004), a comprehensive body of research conducted by the Home Safety Council on the causes and severity of home injuries, falls are the leading cause of unintentional home injury and death in the United States. On average, unintentional falls account for more than 40% of all nonfatal home injuries and cost $100 billion in annual medical costs. Falls account for 33% of the fatalities related to unintentional home injuries. According to the Home Safety Council, falls on or from stairs or steps is the leading known cause of death due to residential falls. The two highest risk age groups are children under age 5 and older adults over age 70.
About the Home Safety Council
The Home Safety Council (HSC) is the only national nonprofit organization solely dedicated to preventing home injuries and related deaths. Through national programs, partnerships and volunteers, HSC educates people of all ages to be safer in and around their homes. The Home Safety Council is a 501(c)(3) charitable organization located in Washington, DC. Visit at httpwww.homesafetycouncil.org
The Home Safety Council recommends the following for step and stairway safety
• Put bright lights over all porches and walkways.
• Have handrails on both sides of the stairs.
• Keep sidewalks and paths clear, so you don't trip.
• Fix broken or chipped steps and walkways as soon as possible.
Install Handrails Recommended by the Home Safety Council
Railings are a critical safety feature on outdoor and indoor stairs, landings, platforms, decks, porches, and similar structures. There are three common types of railings guard, stair and hand. A guardrail is a railing system designed to prevent a person from falling off or over the side of a porch, balcony or raised floor. A stair rail is a guardrail that has been installed on a section of stairs. A handrail is a railing designed to provide stability, support and a continuous graspable surface. One of the most frequent fall hazards are railings that are too small or too large to grasp, or handrails that do not permit continuous grasping along their length. The hand should be able to slide along the rail without interruption from above the top riser to above the bottom riser. Injuries can result when individuals lose their balance and try to grasp an unsafe handrail.
Installing guard, stair and handrails according to the International Building Code (IBC) and International Residential Code (IRC) which govern commercial and residential railing requirements is essential. Code requirements specify railing location, height, span, and dimensions to ensure safety and should be understood and adhered to by any company performing such work.
Providing Safety Rails and Fencing Since 1945
Long® Fence, a family owned fence contractor in operation since 1945, primarily serves the mid-Atlantic region from Pennsylvania to Georgia, however large scale government and industrial installations can be found in most of the United States. Long® Fence installs all types of fencing and related safety products including balcony and stairway guardrails, handrails and safety barriers to federal, commercial and residential customers.
Long® Fence has won numerous awards from Associated Builders and Contractors for their dedication to safety and excellence. Long® Fence is also an EPA Certified Lead-Safe Firm NAT61010-1, in accordance with the Toxic Substances Control Act. For over 65 years, Long® Fence has supported safe practices in the work environment and consistently adheres to or surpasses safety requirements. Selected installations highlighting safety fence and rails include the National Mall in Washington DC, Fed Ex Field in Landover, MD and Disney World in Orlando, Florida.
For more information, call 888-220-5664 or visit httpwww.longfence.com
Author Resource:
Karen Richey is the author of this article on Step Handrails .
Find more information on Handrails For Steps here.
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