Accessible - Handrails and Support

Wooden/ bamboo support rails fixed to floor in front of toilet

Wooden/ bamboo support rails fixed to floor on either side of toilet

Metal bars (e.g. galvanised iron pipe) fixed to side wall/s of latrine

Suitable for: People who are unstable or unable to walk, squat or stand unaided.

Construction	Advantages	Disadvantages	Improvements / variations	Cost / labour
Bricks protruding from wall for support to a weak or visually impaired person	Easy to construct Materials locally available	Walls must be strong enough to support user’s weight Difficult to add after construction Regular maintenance needed to ensure stability	Half bricks in the wall can also provide mini-ledges for a user to hold on to	Low
Wooden/ bamboo support rails fixed to floor either in front or on either side of toilet (depending on user’s needs)	Materials locally available Easy to construct and maintain Allows user to transfer to the toilet from the side Position and height of rails must involve user and an assessment of their need	Rails must be strong enough to bear users’ weight Not possible to fix to a concrete floor/slab Might be difficult to keep clean Cannot fix to a concrete floor/slab	Varnish/paint rail to stop termite damage and for easy cleaning For a growing child use longer vertical poles, so bar height is adjustable. Horizontal bars at different heights might suit some. For concrete floors, pipe rails can be cemented in during construction, or screwed to floor later.	Low
Metal bars (e.g. galvanised iron pipe) fixed to side wall/s of latrine	Highly durable Can be added to existing facility Easy to clean Bars to be positioned based on user needs	Walls must be strong enough to fix bars to Walls must be close enough for user to reach the bars	Paint bars to reduce corrosion and increase durability Several bars at different heights on each side might better suit some users	Medium to high