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Bathing Safety Group: Grab Bar Working Group

GEM participated in the testing of various grab bar fasteners in the lab of the Eastern Paralyzed Veteran's Association in Fort Totten, New York, in April 2002. Ron McLearie, Director of Architecture, headed up the project. All fasteners were installed into either sheetrock or sheetrock with tile, and tested to meet the minimum building code requirement of 250 lbs of dead load force.

Grab Bar Data

Anchor Type Model/Size # of Anchors per GB Test Description Force Parallel to Wall Failure Description Satisfies 250 lb Min. Requirement
Starts (lbs.) Fails (lbs.)
Toggler Bolt 1/4" 4 1/2" sheetrock 250 360 Sheetrock damaged w/ 3" to 4" holes Yes
Wingits GBW40 2 1/2" sheetrock 250 250 Sheetrock damaged w/ 3" holes No
1/2" sheetrock w/ tiles 250 450 Sheetrock & wall tiles damaged w/ 3" to 4"holes Yes
Plastic Anchor # 10 4 1/2" sheetrock 60 80 Anchors pulled out from sheetrock w/ 1/2" holes No
1/2" sheetrock w/ tiles 60 180 Anchors pulled out from wall, sheetrock & tiles both damaged No
Hartman Epoxy Hardman NA 1/2" sheetrock w/ tiles 50 180 Grab bar torn off from tile surface, glue damaged No
Hilti Epoxy HSE 2421 NA 1/2" sheetrock w/ tiles 100 240 Tiles torn off from sheetrock, tiles & sheetrock separated No

EPVA Architecture Department and Facilities, Fort Totten, New York 4/26/02
In Attendance: Rosemary Bakker, Director, GEM Weill Medical College of Cornell University
 
 
 
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