A handrail is a rail that is designed to be grasped by the hand so as to provide safety or support.[1] In Britain, handrails are referred to as banisters. Handrails are usually used to provide support for body or to hold clothings in a bathroom or similar areas. Handrails are commonly used while ascending or descending stairways and escalators in order to prevent injurious falls or to hold necessities. Handrails are typically supported by balusters or attached to walls.

Similar items not covered in this article include bathroom handrails—which help to prevent falls on slippery, wet floors—other grab bars, used, for instance, in ships' galleys, and barres, which serve as training aids for ballet dancers. Guard rails and balustrades line drop-offs and other dangerous areas, keeping people and vehicles out.