Stairs and Ramps

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Stairs and Ramps Stairs Stairs that are easy to use are also safe stairs. For example, handrails on stairways are an important safety factor for all of us. But for many people, stairs are useless unless they have handrails. Stairways are a necessary evil, second only to bathrooms in incidence of accidents. As we become older, stairways become more and more difficult to use and their design becomes critical. Treads and Risers * Tread and riser designs are extremely important. * Risers in excess of 6-7" are difficult for many people to climb and are dangerous tripping hazards. * Outside risers should have a maximum height of 4". The tread should be wide enough to allow your foot to rest completely on the tread without extending over the edge of the step. Where the total length of a stairway is limited, you can extend tread width by installing a projecting edge, or a nosing on the front of the treads. However, unless you install them properly, nosings can create tripping hazards, especially for people with leg paralysis. * Nosings should be beveled, either by the insertion of a piece of wood or metal that will allow toes to slide up and over or by carpeting to slant the nosing projection. * Open risers (found on many exterior wooden stairs) are a real hazard to most people because of their tripping potential, but you can easily close them off with pieces of wood. Handrails * You should install handrails on both sides of your stairways so that you or anyone else who has strength on only one side will have support as you go up or come down. If you have a wide stairway or you can't provide handrails on both sides, you may want to install a single handrail in the center of the stairway. This installation allows users to keep the handrail on their strong side. Handrails should also extend beyond the top and the bottom nosings because
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