Wheelchair Lifts

Garage Lift Companies Lift Experts

Wheelchair lifts are not just a moral imperative to make access equal to all members of our society, they are now a legal necessity which you must look into if you have a building which needs to be accessed by members of the public or by your employees who may well have mobility problems or disabilities; it isn’t about making you spend unnecessary amounts of money, it’s about ensuring equal access for all members of our society.

Wheelchair lifts can be a great alternative to fitting a full passenger lift and are much more suitable for spaces where there is only a small change in levels to account for or where there are just a few steps which need to be tackled.

Wheelchair lifts tend to be quite similar to platform lifts- only they will have many more safety features, such as railings etc, built in to ensure that the person using them is safe at all times. Wheelchair lifts can turn any pub, club or other public place into a really inviting space and, in the home; they can also make moving around easier.

Many people often wonder whether it would be suitable to get a wheelchair lift outside- this is not generally advised as the wear and tear which can occur when outside the elements would be very detrimental to the running of the lift- that being said some people do find them to be a much safer and easier to use alternative to the wheelchair ramps which many people often install on the outside of buildings.

Wheelchair ramps are fine but, oftentimes, when attempting to avoid an access problem they can create another one by being either too long or too steep. Obviously this is not a problem for wheelchair users who are being helped by someone else but for those who move around by themselves the strength needed to tackle such ramps is oftentimes simply not feasible. Thus, wheelchair lifts can provide a great alternative- they allow the user to stay in their chair, unlike a stair lift does, and then allows them to traverse whatever obstacle may in their way with ease and speed.

Wheelchair lifts are now legislated for by law and this means that, even if you save money by getting a second hand one, there are certain regulations which your new purchase is going to have to adhere to if you are to make the grade.

Generally speaking, all wheelchair lifts operate in much the same way. They are based around the system of hydraulics which will be, by now, familiar to all those people who have been reading these articles and these pieces on the various types of lift which are out there. The user of the lift, and there will often be space for an accompanying helper as well, can control the lift through a control panel which can be found on the flat table-like base of the lift. What this means is, for people whom are able, full independence can be maintained.

There is no need to get someone to push the wheelchair user up a ramp, or to control the lift for them; everything a wheelchair user could possibly need is provided for them and this means that independence really is preserved in a way which other solutions to access problems may very well not give.

If you do decide to take the plunge and invest in a wheelchair lift then, first of all congratulations because you are doing the right thing, but you really do need to consider the costs. They don’t come cheap and, in these difficult economic times when everybody is feeling the pinch, is it really a cost which your business can afford.

Take a look at the disabled access allowances which you have already made- your ramp may well still be suitable and perfectly acceptable for your company- there is no point shelling out for a lift, however noble your intentions may well be, if it isn’t actually necessary for you to get one. If there is just one step which needs accounting for, then a small ramp will do the trick; it is only when there is a fairly major change in levels or a few stairs that a wheelchair lift really needs to be considered.

As well as researching different companies and different providers, you should also take a look at the different legislations which are now about; there are civil servants who can help you with the finer details if you need something making clearer and you should always stick completely to the letter of the law- it might seem like it costs you a little bit more but it is nothing to the kind of fines or worse which may well be levied on you if you do not comply.

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

Wheelchair Lift Information Guide: