Sherman Oaks, Los Angeles. Sherman Oaks is a neighborhood in the San Fernando Valley region of Los Angeles, California, founded in 1927 with boundary changes afterward. The neighborhood includes a portion of the Santa Monica Mountains, which gives Sherman Oaks a lower population density than some other areas in Los Angeles.
Building codes and research findings do not completely agree over how to place handrails so they might serve the above functions. Research done by Maki and Fernie (1988) indicates a handrail height of 36 to 40 inches is most effective in preventing falls when descending stairs.
Handrails shall not project more than 4.5 inches (114 mm) on either side of the stairway and the minimum clear width of the stairway at and below the handrail height, including treads and landings, shall not be less than 311/2 inches (787 mm) where a handrail is installed on one side and 27 inches (698 mm) where handrails are provided on both sides ...