Traditional modular handrail connectors tend to be large and industrial looking, and prone to dust and water entrapment that can lead to rust or contamination.
But perhaps most importantly, traditional connectors can cause a user to lose their grip because they stand several millimetres proud of the rails they are connecting. In wet conditions, such as at wastewater treatment plants, losing one’s grip can be perilous.
At Moddex, accepted industry standards are rarely good enough. The company is always looking to improve on current best practice. One example is the Moddex ergonomic connector.
AS/NZS1657 states that handrails must “permit unrestricted movement of the user’s hand along the upper surfaceâ€. Utilising its decades of industry experience, Moddex set out to improve traditional joiners and solve the problems it considered were industry pain points.
Its design team came up with an ergonomic connector that fits the rails it surrounds more closely, significantly reducing the entrapment area. Coupled with a smaller internal diameter for tighter fit, the connector reduces the tendency for large gaps and openings.
But Moddex didn’t stop there. It smoothed off the sides where the connector meets the rail to make it easier to maintain grip when moving from the rail to the join and back to the rail. This provides the unimpeded flow specified by AS/NZS1567.
Also, Moddex moved the screws from the sides to underneath the connector where they no longer come into contact with moving fingers and reduced the height they sit out from the connector.
This image shows a traditional pipe clamp in comparison to the Moddex ergonomic/streamlined handrail connection.
Streamlined, thin and neat, this industry-leading connector eliminates the rough look of traditional modular or welded ball joints, making it more visually pleasing.
Also, vandal- and tamper-proof, the ergonomic connector is designed for industrial applications and is part of the Tuffrailâ„¢ range. This means it is available in galvanised steel, marine grade aluminium and stainless steel and is designed to cope with the most challenging of environments, including wastewater plants and oil rigs.
All these attributes meant that when the Eli Waters Sewerage Treatment Plant (pictured below) in Queensland needed AS/NZS 1657 compliant handrails with toe boards for the elevated walkways and platforms across its tanks and viewing platforms, Moddex was chosen to provide them.
As the plant handles large flows of wastewater, corrosion resistance was a key driver for finding a quality, long-term solution. Moddex’s modular system with ergonomic connectors met all compliance requirements and being built of marine grade aluminium, advanced corrosion resistance was assured.
The Moddex ergonomic connector more closely adheres to AS/NZS1657, is unique in the industry, safer and light years ahead of traditional connectors.
Moddex – rethinking industrial handrails and ensuring Everything Fits™.
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