The hospital found that they were persistently having to carry out repair and redecoration of the walls in the Service Corridor leading to its ENT Out Patients Unit.

As one of the main thoroughfares through the hospital building, the walls were being marked and damage was being caused to the plaster work from the impact of heavily laden trolleys and carts as well as from the everyday passing by of staff, patients and visitors.

The Service Corridor also slopes from one end to the other with changes in direction. Already in place was an old metal handrail which was looking worse for wear with many layers of paint flaking off from being continually hit with passing wheeled equipment.

For these reasons it was not just a system to protect the walls that was required but one that needed to fulfill the requirements of a durable handrail.

Yeoman Shield has recently developed a new range of Guardian Handrails which includes the original 125mm Guardian Handrail and now with the addition of the new Guardian Twin Handrail as well as a 50mm dia. handrail. The new range was introduced to the estates team at Bradford Royal Infirmary during a visit from Yeoman Shield’s Area Sales Manager who discussed the products, options and was able to provided visual samples.

After Yeoman Shield carried out a free site survey it was concluded that the solution to Bradford Royal’s corridor damage came in the form of Yeoman Shield’s new Guardian Twin Handrail.

The new system consists of an upper 50mm diameter handrail which can be supplied as either a solid timber, stainless steel or PVCu sleeved aluminium rail, connected to the lower protection rail.

Available in a choice of colours to help blend into interior designs, Bradford Royal Infirmary chose the PVCu option for the upper rail in light green to co-ordinate with an existing colour scheme. The lower rail, 200mm deep, was also supplied in light green and both were completed with Stop Ends, Wall Returns and Corners in cream.

The installation of the Twin Handrail will help Bradford Royal with its maintenance budgets by reducing greatly the requirement for the repair and redecoration of the walls as well as avoiding the replacement of the handrail, proving the product to be a sound ecological and economical investment.

The Guardian Twin Handrail was installed by Yeoman Shield’s directly employed fixing operatives to both sides of the service corridor.

“This is a great new product and was the perfect answer to our damage problem,” commented Thomas Molloy, Architectural Assistant at the hospital. “It was fitted by Yeoman Shield’s team with respect and the minimum of fuss in a ‘live’ area allowing the hospital to continue with its everyday business.”

Also the main corridor of the ENT Out Patients Department was lacking a handrail product and due to the nature of clients that visited this clinic that might need an aid in walking Bradford Royal chose another product from the new Yeoman Shield range to fulfil the requirement.

The Guardian 50mm Handrail, a single circular easy to grip rail in timber, was installed to the wall on one side of the corridor by Yeoman Shield’s fixing team.

Fitted on strong and durable PVCu Cream injection moulded brackets the timber handrail, which is warm and smooth to the touch, also complemented the wood doors and frame work already in situ along the corridor.

The different styles, colours and materials available in Yeoman Shield’s New Guardian Handrail range guarantees that they can provide a handrail system to help satisfy customer requirements.

The new Guardian Handrail range

One of Yeoman Shield’s most popular products – the Guardian Handrail – has now been joined by two new ones introducing handrails into the company’s range of well-established wall and door protection products.

Adding choice and versatility when it comes to choosing a handrail for a new build, refurbishment or retro fit project, the new Guardian Handrail range consists of three options.

Guardian Handrail

This 125mm deep rail with a 40mm smooth ‘grip top’ is fixed to the wall via new improved injection moulded 60mm spacers as standard. Mounted on a MDF or an aluminium core, the rail meets the principal of HTM69 and does not contravene the DDA requirements when installed in either hospital wards or corridors.

Alternative fixings such as special length metal spacers and anti-ligature fixings can be supplied to overcome non-standard installation requirements on request.

For heavy duty areas stainless steel accessories such as corners and stop ends can be provided adding extra strength and durability.

Guardian 50mm dia. Handrail

The 50mm dia. Handrail is new to the Yeoman Shield product range, designed to provide assistance to those who require it along corridors, ramps and passage ways.

Available in a PVCu, stainless steel or timber finish, the 50mm dia. Handrail is mounted to the wall via robust cream PVCu injection moulded 50mm underslung brackets as standard with an alternative of stainless steel brackets if preferred.

The PVCu rail has a core of aluminium and is available in a selection of 10 contemporary colours and supplied as standard with contrasting stop ends, external and internal corners and wall returns so as to highlight corners, stop/start points, doorways and changes in direction as recommended under DDA guidelines.

The timber version of the Guardian 50mm dia. Handrail is smooth and warm to the touch, suitable for projects in offices, hotels, care homes and hospitals. Manufactured from wood sourced from a FSC supplier the rail is fixed to the wall with the same standard cream spacers with stainless steel as optional.

The stop end, corner and wall return accessories are supplied in stainless steel giving strength to the vulnerable parts of the handrails which can be easily hit by trolleys and wheeled equipment.

The stainless steel 50mm dia. Handrail is manufactured from type 304 stainless steel tube with matching accessories and secured to the wall with the PVCu or stainless steel underslung brackets as mentioned previously.

Giving an establishment a durable contemporary option, the stainless steel 50mm dia. handrail is corrosion resistant and helps to reduce bacterial growth making it a good choice for healthcare environments.

Guardian Twin Handrail

The Yeoman Shield Guardian Twin Handrail is a strong two-part system comprising of the Guardian 50mm dia. Handrail upper most with either a 125mm or 200mm deep lower Protection Rail on a solid MDF or aluminium core anchored firmly to the wall by a two-part PVCu fixing spacer complete with stainless steel posts.

Perfect for those areas requiring the dual service of an assistive handrail and protection rail, the lower part of this system sits slightly forward offering impact protection not only to the wall but also to the rail helping to reduce repair and redecoration costs.

This new group of Handrails ensures that Yeoman Shield can offer to its customers a wide choice in practicality, design and colours.

Be among the first to find out about the new range of Yeoman Shield Guardian Handrails: From November 2015 you can request the new Guardian Handrails brochure by filling out a form online at www.yeomanshield.com/new-handrails.