Disabled Lifts

Over the last few years, as legislation has thankfully become much more stringent and much tighter around disabled access to buildings and how we treat the physically impaired within our society, disabled lifts have become a much more common sight in our businesses and in all our public places.

‘Disabled lifts’ is really an umbrella term which covers many different sorts of disabled access, all of which are discussed on this site and all of which can help your business comply with current legal legislation and also ensure that all your customers, no matter what their physical impairments, can enjoy your business or company.  Of course, it’s not just a public issue, some people are now even considering disabled lifts for their private dwellings and homes; this is a very expensive venture however and is not a decision which should be entered into lightly. It’s not as simple as simply attaching a stair lift- a disabled lift requires reworking to the entire structure of your house and, in a world which brings enough stresses and trauma as it is, you should really ask yourself whether this is the right decision.

Let’s skip back to the business and public sphere for just a moment though- there are many ways in which disabled lifts, although they may seem like a big expense at first, can help your company and ultimately help bring in more people and more custom for you.

Disabled lifts can be as simple as a chair or a stair lift, but really, if you want to accommodate everyone then you either need to be looking at a disabled platform lift, a wheelchair lift or a full-on disabled lift. The latter of these is really only suitable if you can structurally accommodate it within your building and you don’t already have a regular passenger lift which is capable of comfortably housing a wheelchair- if you do then you should really be O.K and will just have to make sure that access on all the different floors of your building is equal and fair.

Disabled lifts are not there to replace ordinary passenger lifts but are instead there to help people tackle obstacles which physically fit people would normally not find a problem. So, small staircases, changes in levels to buildings or steep steps all need to be covered by some form of disabled lift. That being said, if a ramp would do the job instead, safely and securely, then a ramp would likely be just as good a solution.

Ramps only become a problem  when they have to snake around too far in order to make them not-too-steep, which normally means they end up going a long way round just to miss out a couple of steps, or when they become too steep and thus inaccessible to people who don’t have someone to push them around.

People are often reluctant to include disabled lifts on the outsides of buildings as they feel that they will be an easy target for vandalism or mischief and, whilst this undeniably a symptom of our times, if you need a disabled lift putting on the outside of your building then that is really the bottom line- security issues are a separate thing which will have to be dealt with.

Ultimately, it may all seem like a hassle but it is a hassle which is done with the best intentions- spending money now will mean that a whole plethora of new customers may well be tempted to enjoy your company, business or public space and, by getting yourself on the right side of the law, you can avoid any unwanted fines or hassle further down the line.           

There are lots of different articles on this website about the different kinds of disabled lifts which are available to people- how to go about buying them and what other things you need to consider. If you are a private home looking to fit a disabled lift then it is better to get some consultations done first and see if, structurally, financially and practically, it really is the best decision for you and your home.

If you decide it is, then there are plenty of firms out there who would be more than happy to help you out- some even offer credit schemes which mean that you wouldn’t have to pay for the cost of your lift up front. However, if you do decide to sign up to one of these agreements, you should always read the small print, you don’t want to be stuck with crippling payments which you later discover that you cannot actually pay back.  Do your research thoroughly and you should avoid getting caught out- getting your perfect lift should be a smooth and easy ride from here on in.

To find a disabled lift company near you click here, or use our information guide below.

Disabled Lift Information Guide: