Everyone has the right to move freely – even those who are confined to a wheelchair as a result of an accident, a disease or simply because of old age. That’s why it’s so important to provide disabled people with everything they need in order to feel as independent and mobile as possible.
The use of wheelchair lifts is not limited to homes and vehicles. Nowadays we can see more and more mobility aids in public and commercial buildings – companies, hotels, schools and universities, churches, museums and other venues.
The variety of commercial wheelchair lifts available on the market is especially designed to suit any type of public or commercial premises in order to offer access to all the levels of these buildings for physically-challenged people.
Of course, elevators are a common means of transportation between levels. However, there are cases when the installation of an elevator is impossible or simple not cost-effective (for example, when the building has only 2 floors or when the vertical barrier consists of only several steps). Another classical solution, widely used in commercial buildings, is the wheelchair ramp. When it comes to overcoming a small obstacle, a ramp is the best option – it is easy to install and it does not require complicated mechanisms or power sources in order to function. However, the higher the obstacle is, the longer the ramp has to be – that’s why it’s not possible to mount a ramp if there are more than 4-5 steps. In such cases (barriers bigger than 2-3 steps and lower than 3 floors), it’s recommendable to install one of the many available models of wheelchair lifts.
The platform lifts remain the best choice. They are easy to use (the disabled person has to roll onto the platform while sitting in the wheelchair and he/she will be lifted/lowered to the needed level) and safe, being a practical (and cheaper) alternative to elevators and requiring less space than a ramp.
There are several types of platform lifts available for commercial use. Vertical platform lifts can be installed near a stairway or other vertical barrier, lifting the wheelchair and its occupant directly to the destination. There are open vertical lifts (suitable for short rise – up to 2 meters) and semi-enclosed lifts (for 5 to 12 meters of travel). There is no need to construct a shaft in case of the semi-enclosed models – usually they have transparent walls, being much easier to install and maintain than a classical elevator.
Most open vertical lifts are electricity (or battery) operated, with a hydraulic back-up system in case of power outage. Semi-enclosed lifts are usually constructed with a hydraulic drive, which makes their functioning smooth and noiseless.
Most of these models are suitable both for indoor and outdoor use.
Inclined platform stairlifts are also available for commercial and public spaces. They provide increased accessibility for all those mobility-challenged people who have difficulties climbing stairs. Most platform stair lifts are custom designed for each individual staircase (curved or straight), being as well appropriate for indoor or outdoor use. Platform stairlifts are usually foldable, which means that they can be stored near the wall or the railing without occupying too much space on the stairway.
Commercial wheelchair lifts are usually very expensive – their cost oscillates around $10,000. Make a good research prior to buying such a device – check all its functions, safety features and make sure that the model is compliant with the ADA standards (the Americans with Disabilities Act).
