Grants and Contributions:

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Title:
Improving washroom accessibility through grab bar design: characterizing loads to inform the structural strength of grab bars in the National Building Code of Canada
Agreement Number:
1023488
Agreement Value:
$175,702.00
Agreement Date:
Nov 28, 2024 - Dec 30, 2026
Description:
Grab bars are installed on washroom walls to allow people with and without disabilities to safely use washroom facilities, by providing support for recovering balance from a slip/trip, to maintain balance while stepping into and out of bathtubs and showers, and maintain balance while transferring between standing and sitting. To reduce the risk that a grab bar will detach from the wall and cause a fall and injury to users, the National Building Code of Canada prescribes a conservatively high structural strength requirement. The limited biomechanical evidence to date focused on bathroom tasks indicates that user applied loads may be below NBC requirements. There is added expense and planning required to meet current NBC loading requirements which may present a barrier to installation. A gap in evidence remains on applied grab bar loads during high-loading bathing tasks (e.g. sit-to-stand from the bathtub floor). Through collaboration with the NRC’s Aging-in-Place Research Program and KITE Research Institute-University Health Network, this study aims to fill this evidence gap by evaluating the applied grab bar loads during sit-to-stand transfers. This will provide critical biomechanical evidence to inform the structural strength requirements for grab bars in the National Building Code of Canada
Organization:
National Research Council Canada
Expected Results:

In the short term, anticipated outcomes will be strengthened collaborations across industry, academia, and government to support research excellence. In the medium term, anticipated outcomes will be the development of new and potentially disruptive technologies with collaborators. In the long term, find collaborative solutions to public policy challenges and create stronger innovation systems.

Location:
Toronto, Ontario, CA M5G 2C4
Reference Number:
172-2024-2025-Q3-1023488
Agreement Type:
Grant
Report Type:
Grants and Contributions
Recipient Business Number:
119259505
Recipient Type:
Not-for-profit organization or charity
Recipient's Legal Name:
University Health Network
Federal Riding Name:
University--Rosedale
Federal Riding Number:
35112
Program:
Collaborative Science, Technology and Innovation Program - Collaborative R&D Initiatives
Program Purpose:

Collaborate on multiparty research and development programs to catalyze transformative, high-risk, high-reward research with the potential for game-changing scientific discoveries and technological breakthroughs in priority areas.

NAICS Code:
541710