Lift Engineering and Construction Industry

Robert asked:

Many people who are elderly, suffer from arthritis, or muscular related diseases use mobility devices like mobility scooters and wheelchairs. These types of mobility aids can greatly increase mobility and the areas that are accessible. These types of devices can be used to travel many different types of terrains, but they are almost never outfitted to travel over the stairs. In these instances a vertical platform lift can be installed to help with this problem.

Vertical platform lifts are often called porch lifts because they are commonly installed on the front steps of houses. They, using a small platform, support the person and their personal mobility device and move them up and down the stairs. Most can support over 500 pounds, which is generally enough to transport 2 individuals and one mobility scooter at a time. There are several units available commercially and residentially that can support up to 750 pounds.

Porch lifts can be installed fairly easily. They typically only require a solid base of concrete or wood and are easily secured to this base. Depending on the lifting height and the model of porch lift, it may be necessary to also secure the unit to the wall of the stairs. Some porch lifts are portable and can be moved easily and in a matter of minutes. These portable vertical platform lifts are commonly used at schools and in churches. A portable unit typically has a lower lifting height and also may not be able to support as much weight as a non-portable unit.

Vertical platform lifts provide a very valuable service for those who use mobility scooters, electric power wheelchairs, or other personal mobility vehicles. It can open your home up with the rest of the world, or ensure that your business is accessible to those who are mobility challenged.

platform lifts

randy padrinas asked:


By investing in disabled access you are making your service available to a huge segment of the market that has long been over looked.

 In 2003, there were 3.35 million people aged 60 years and over (17% of the population), just over half had a reported disability (51%) and 19% had a profound or severe core-activity limitation – (ABS).The combined spending power of these two groups is in the region of $22 billion per year.

It is estimated that MENA region has approximately 30 million or more people with disability. Disabled people tend to experience widespread exclusion from social, economic, and political life of the community, whether due to ongoing stigmatization or to the neglect of their needs in the design of policies, programs and facilities.

The UAE Disability Act (Federal Law No.29/2006) protects the rights of disabled children and seeks to correct this imbalance by requiring equitable access and related facilities for disabled children into all new property developments that includes schools and rehabilitation schools.

 Building designers, construction companies, building owners and managers must ensure that access and related facilities are provided for disabled people including disabled children and ensure that the access and facilities are available at all times maintained at all times

 The Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission will prosecute service providers and employers who have not made the necessary adjustments to make their premises accessible to disabled people.

The Platform Lift Company is one of Australia’s premier suppliers and fitters of platform lifts for disabled access. Our products comply with BCA and DDA guidelines and are suited to both commercial and residential environments. We offer a wide range of lift options to suit all your access needs. We are not bound by ‘standard’ platform sizes, and can customise a lift to suit most size specific situations. From external to curved staircase lifts, we can supply, fit and maintain the perfect solution for any site.

For more information please visit our website: http://www.platformliftco.com.au/ or call Heath Donnelly, Managing Director, at +971 50 460 1102; +971 43356118. Or email: heath@platformliftcompany.com

 



platform lifts

Christian Dunnage asked:


Wheelchair users and people with restricted mobility can benefit greatly from having a home lift installed. Domestic Wheelchair Lifts can be installed in any downstairs room where the lift can travel vertically through an aperture in the ceiling to the room above. When the lift is not in use it can be parked at either level leaving maximum living space available. The integral fire seal is effective when the lift is parked at the upper floor.

Wheelchair Lifts of this type are sometimes described as home lifts, through floor lifts, vertical lifts or platform lifts.

A domestic through floor lift is not suitable for use with a carer inside the cabin or for any standing users. In these circumstances an enclosed platform lift will be required. Multi purpose seats can be installed as an optional extra and there is a Powered Door option for greater independence. A fixed internal ramp provides a gentle incline for easy wheelchair access.

The Home Lift’s free standing design does not require a load bearing wall meaning a wider choice of lift location is possible. The unit arrives flat packed for ease of transport and entry into the home. The lift is then assembled inside your house.

If for any reason the power should fail, emergency back-up systems operate the door, light and alarm and lower the lift to the ground floor. All vertical lifts should come with a phone point included. Safety edges and sensors will stop the lift if touched or obstructed.



platform lifts

Sean Noughtly asked:


Today, there are many places that a person using a mobility scooter or wheelchair can go. These mobility vehicles have greatly improved since the first electric mobility vehicle of the 1950’s, but there are a few obstacles that still stand in their way. The one main obstacle that can be most difficult for an individual who uses a mobility vehicle to overcome is the stairs. Specifically the stairs in their own home, because, at least in the United States, most public areas are required to be made accessible to individuals using mobility scooters.

Not being able to use the stairs in your own home is unacceptable though, so a good number of people choose to use vertical platform lifts in their home. These devices are in many ways very similar to having your own elevator, but unlike an elevator, there is usually not a need for any major home modification. This is because a vertical platform lift is for the most part completely self contained.

While there is generally no need for any home modification, and certainly not anywhere near the amount required for an elevator, it is necessary to have a very strong and solid base. The base should be constructed from wood or concrete and the vertical platform lift will need to be securely bolted into the base.

There are a few lifts available that do not require being bolted to the ground. These lifts are called portable vertical platform lifts, because they are designed to be setup and taken down quickly and easily. These lifts are not able to support as much weight though. They are extremely popular at schools, because there is often a need to provide temporary access to a stage. Generally, unless you intend to regularly move it and specifically need this functionality, it is better to go with a standard semi-permanent vertical platform lift.

These devices are sometimes also called porch lifts or wheelchair lifts. The reason they are called porch lifts is that they are most commonly installed onto a houses porch, but in some cases they can also be used in indoor situations. In most cases though, as far as residential settings go, they are used outdoors.

Porch lifts are made in a manner that makes them highly resistant to even the harshest elements. All components are carefully sealed and the metal is covered in a rust resistant covering. Despite being able to withstand most types of weather conditions, you do not want to put it at risk. Always trim any branches that hang over the lift. This way if there is a severe storm, you do not risk a branch falling on the lift and damaging it or preventing you from using it.

If the porch lift is installed under an overhang, it is a good idea to maker sure that there is something installed to prevent excessive water from falling on it. Commonly gutters are installed, if they are not already present. It is not only important to protect the lift, but also the ground around it. You do not want to constantly have to fight your way through mud to get to your lift, so ensure the gutters extend beyond the lift.

Those that use mobility vehicles, do not need to be worried about the stairs, especially the stairs around their own home. This is why many people choose to use a vertical platform lift.



platform lifts