1、Designation: F 446 85 (Reapproved 2004)e1Standard Consumer Safety Specification forGrab Bars and Accessories Installed in the Bathing Area1This standard is issued under the fixed designation F 446; the number immediately following the designation indicates the year oforiginal adoption or, in the cas
2、e of revision, the year of last revision. A number in parentheses indicates the year of last reapproval. Asuperscript epsilon (e) indicates an editorial change since the last revision or reapproval.This standard has been approved for use by agencies of the Department of Defense.e1NOTEKeywords were a
3、dded editorially in August 2004.INTRODUCTIONThis consumer safety specification addresses certain bathing area accidents that were identified bythe U. S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), specifically those which might have beenprevented by the presence of adequate grab bars. This specificat
4、ion also addresses the safeperformance required of accessory items installed in the bathing area.Available data from the National Electronic Injury Surveillance System (NEISS) were studied byAbt Associates, Inc., with assistance from Researchitects Inc., and reported to the CPSC. Thisinformation was
5、 made available to ASTM Task Group F15.03. It was reviewed along with otherinformation appropriate to the subject and became the basis for developing this specification.The information reviewed indicated that slips and falls frequently occur while entering or leavingthe tub, while changing between a
6、 sitting or standing position, or while moving around in the bathingarea. This specification establishes parameters as to strength, location, and general requirements ofgrab bars and accessories to assist movement and reduce hazards in the bathing area.1. Scope1.1 This consumer safety specification
7、covers performancerequirements, test methods, and levels of performance toensure satisfactory functioning of the grab bars and accessoryitems (not including plumbing controls) during reasonable useto assist a person entering, leaving, or moving within thebathing area.1.2 This consumer safety specifi
8、cation is intended to reducethe number of accidents by specifying requirements for grabbars and accessories designed to decrease the probability ofslips and falls.1.3 This consumer safety specification does not address thespecific need of gang showers, island tubs, peninsula tubs,sunken tubs, or tub
9、s 6 ft (1.8 m) or longer.1.4 This consumer safety specification exempts showerstalls with both interior dimensions of 34 in. (864 mm) or less.1.5 The following precautionary caveat pertains only to thetest method portion, Section 7, of this specification. Thisstandard does not purport to address all
10、 of the safety problems,if any, associated with its use. It is the responsibility of the userof this standard to establish appropriate safety and healthpractices and determine the applicability of regulatory limita-tions prior to use.2. Definitions2.1 back wallwall opposite the exit-entry side of a
11、tub orshower (see Figs. 1-4).2.2 bathing areabathing space that consists of a tub,tub-shower, or shower stall bounded by four walls, real orimaginary, extending vertically to the ceiling from the outsideedge of the tub or stall (see Figs. 1-4).2.3 bathing area accessoriestowel bars, towel rings, soa
12、pholders, towel utility shelves, and other similar devices that areintended to be permanently affixed to surfaces and used in thebathing area.2.4 critical support areathat portion of the back, service,or nonservice wall in which support would most likely bebeneficial in four different bathing areas
13、(see Figs. 1-4 forspecific requirements in this area).2.5 grab-barbar or similar device made for the purpose ofassisting a person in movement within the bathing area and forassistance in entering or exiting the bathing area. Sometimesreferred to in the industry as hand holds.1This specification is u
14、nder the jurisdiction of ASTM Committee F15 onConsumer Products and is the direct responsibility of Subcommittee F15.03 onSafety Standards for Bathtub and Shower Structures.Current edition approved Aug. 1, 2004. Published August 2004. Originallyapproved in 1978. Last previous edition approved in 199
15、9 as F 446 85 (1999).1Copyright ASTM International, 100 Barr Harbor Drive, PO Box C700, West Conshohocken, PA 19428-2959, United States.2.6 nonservice wallany wall excluding the back wallwithin the bathing area that does not contain plumbing service.2.7 plumbing controlsvalves, spouts, and shower he
16、ad orfittings, or both, that allow the user to control the water flowand temperature.2.8 potential hazard areaany surface within the bathingarea, including bathtub or shower receptor from tub or showerfloor up to 66 in. (1.7 m), which could be contacted by the bodyin a slip or fall situation.2.9 rec
17、essed tubbathtub enclosed by and attached to twoor three walls without shower facilities.2.10 service back wallwall opposite the exit-entry side ofthe tub or shower that serves as a back wall as well as thelocation of controls.2.11 service wallwall within the bathing area upon whichthe plumbing cont
18、rols are located.2.12 shower receptorbasin-like device in a shower thatcatches the water and directs it into the drain.2.13 shower stalltwo- or three-wall enclosure with ashower receptor and plumbing controls for shower bathing.2.14 tub-showerrecessed tub with a shower head.FIG. 1 Recessed Tub Bathi
19、ng AreaFIG. 2 Recessed Tub-Shower Bathing AreaF 446 85 (2004)e122.15 tub or shower entrance areaplace where an indi-vidual enters and exits from a tub or shower, or both.3. Compliance3.1 No grab bar or accessory shall either by label or othermeans indicate compliance with this specification unless i
20、tconforms to all requirements contained herein.4. General Requirements4.1 Grab bars, accessories, their fastening devices, and trimshall be free of exposed burrs, sharp edges, and pinch pointswhen mounted in their functional positions.4.2 Grab bars are to be installed in the critical support areain
21、accordance with 5.1.1-5.2.4.3 Accessories mounted in the potential hazard area shallmeet the requirements of 4.5 if they project more than 1 in. (25mm). Projecting soap dishes without rails or bars are exemptwhen installed outside of the critical support area.4.4 All grab bars or accessories shall h
22、ave flanges or otherdevices to allow mounting to a wall with suitable fasteners orproducts.4.5 All grab bars or accessories in the potential hazard areathat project more than 1 in. (25 mm) when properly installedshall support a static load of at least 250 lbf (1.1 kN) whentested in accordance with S
23、ection 7.4.6 Grab bars or projecting accessory bars shall not rotatemore than116 of a turn within their holding devices.4.7 All parts or products shall be capable of resistingdeterioration in the environment to which they are exposed tothe degree that the intended performance of the device orsystem
24、will not be adversely affected within the averagenormal life expectancy of the device or system.FIG. 3 Two-Wall Stall Shower Bathing AreaFIG. 4 Three-Wall Stall Shower Bathing AreaF 446 85 (2004)e135. Installation Requirements5.1 Recessed Tub With or Without Showering Facilities:5.1.1 A horizontal g
25、rab bar or bars shall be installed on theback-wall critical support area with a total minimum lengthequal to 30 % of the horizontal length of the critical supportarea.5.1.2 A horizontal or vertical grab bar or bars shall beinstalled in the critical support area on either the service wallor nonservic
26、e wall. The horizontal bar or bars shall provide aminimum grippable length of 9 in. (230 mm) (see Fig. 5)within the critical support area. The vertical bar shall providea minimum grippable length of 6 in. (152 mm) (see Fig. 5) andshall be installed in the tub entrance area.5.2 Shower StallA horizont
27、al grab bar or bars shall beinstalled in the critical support area on either the service wall,back wall, or nonservice wall. The bar shall provide a mini-mum grippable length of 9 in. (230 mm) of the critical supportarea.6. Instructions and Warnings6.1 Grab bars and accessories that are to be instal
28、led in thepotential hazard area, as defined in 2.8, shall be accompaniedby installation instructions that, if followed, will assure that thegrab bar or accessory as installed meets all of the requirementsof Sections 4 and 5 of this specification.6.2 Warnings against careless or improper installation
29、 shallalso be given.6.3 Instructions shall make recommendations as to thelocation of grab bars.7. Test Methods7.1 The significance of this procedure is to determinewhether grab bars and projecting accessories conform with 4.5.7.2 Grab BarsAttach the bar to a section of a wall,reflecting typical buil
30、ding construction found in bathing areas,with suitable fasteners or products in accordance with themanufacturers instructions.7.2.1 Bar Mounted HorizontallyGradually apply a down-ward load of at least 250 lbf (1.1 kN) continuously or in 5 to50-lbf (22 to 222-N) increments over a maximum 312-in.(89-m
31、m) section in the center of the bar or a section centeredbetween supports.7.2.2 Bar Mounted VerticallyGradually apply a down-ward load of at least 250 lbf (1.1 kN) continuously or in 5 to50-lbf (22 to 222-N) increments over a maximum 312-in.(89-mm) section of the lower half of a vertically mounted g
32、rabbar, pulling at a 30 6 5-deg angle from the wall that the bar ismounted on.7.2.3 Weight should be applied within a 30-min period andonce 250 lbf (1.1 kN) is reached, it should remain so for at least5 min.7.2.4 The bar or wall shall not break or fail under the load.Break or failure means that duri
33、ng the testing procedure the baror accessory was affected in such a way that it ceased toprovide the safety characteristics required to maintain balance,to prevent falling, or to aid in exit or entry.7.3 Bathing Area AccessoriesTest bathing area accesso-ries that project more than 1 in. (25 mm) by a
34、 suitable methodthat shall be devised by the manufacturer to support a load, asstated in 7.2.1, over a maximum 312-in. (89-mm) span.8. Keywords8.1 accessories; applications; bathing; grab bars; installationASTM International takes no position respecting the validity of any patent rights asserted in
35、connection with any item mentionedin this standard. Users of this standard are expressly advised that determination of the validity of any such patent rights, and the riskof infringement of such rights, are entirely their own responsibility.This standard is subject to revision at any time by the res
36、ponsible technical committee and must be reviewed every five years andif not revised, either reapproved or withdrawn. Your comments are invited either for revision of this standard or for additional standardsand should be addressed to ASTM International Headquarters. Your comments will receive caref
37、ul consideration at a meeting of theresponsible technical committee, which you may attend. If you feel that your comments have not received a fair hearing you shouldmake your views known to the ASTM Committee on Standards, at the address shown below.This standard is copyrighted by ASTM International
38、, 100 Barr Harbor Drive, PO Box C700, West Conshohocken, PA 19428-2959,United States. Individual reprints (single or multiple copies) of this standard may be obtained by contacting ASTM at the aboveaddress or at 610-832-9585 (phone), 610-832-9555 (fax), or serviceastm.org (e-mail); or through the ASTM website(www.astm.org).FIG. 5 Typical Applications of Grab BarsF 446 85 (2004)e14
