In Winter, snow and ice cause an increased risk of injury to the public. For ramps, stairs and any outdoor walkway, ensuring you are equipped with adequate handrails is a safety procedure that cannot be skipped.

In 1995, the Disability Discrimination Act made it mandatory that all buildings which are open to the public take reasonable steps to provide full access for disabled people. When a handrail is DDA compliant it means that it meets a certain criteria set by the DDA. This criteria includes things like correct height, smoothness and edge protection.

If it’s an entrance to a hospital, handrails are vital for ensuring all patients and visitors have full access. A DDA handrail is ideal for these applications because you have the guarantee that it’s a top quality and suitable product for the application.

Now with the temperature dropping, a handrail designed to have ‘Warm to touch’ is a great addition to any application. This layer is usually done with a powder coating which cures under heat to form a strong bong to the metal. The problem with a powder coating is that it doesn’t make the handrail warmer than a PVC coating.

A PVC coating ensures a warmer temperature of usually 4-5 degrees C when compared to a powder coating or thermal paint. This slight temperature difference makes all the difference at low temperatures. A PVC coating also allows for a thicker finish.

PVC sleeving has consistent colour throughout and is available in a wide range of colours to suit your application and surroundings. PVC coatings also make for a great weather-resistant and virtually maintenance free handrail.

Stargard is a warm to touch PVC handrail that meets the UK Building Regulations for handrail safety and is DDA compliant. Ideal for both internal and external use, the Stargard handrail will outlast a powder coating or a thermal paint. Stargard is designed by SG System Products and consists of a tubular system, fabricated from galvanized steel which is sleeved with thick PVC. To see more of Stargard, click here