How to Install Commercial Wheelchair Lifts

Wheelchair lifts are a feasible option in commercial buildings where installing an elevator or ramp is difficult. Wheelchair lifts are designed to comply with the guidelines of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME). This ensures that wheelchair users can safely access the lift and move from one floor of the building to another easily and comfortably. Builders, engineers and architects should take care to install commercial wheelchair lifts to meet specific building codes and government regulations. Setting up Wheelchair Lifts for Commercial Use Commercial wheelchair lifts come in various models - vertical platform lifts,inclined platform lifts, and portable wheelchair lifts. A wheelchair stair lift takes the wheelchair user up and down the stairs while seated in the wheelchair. There are models to suit straight, curved and spiral stairways. While portable wheelchair lifts are not permanently installed and can be moved from place to place, vertical and inclined platform lifts have to be set up to meet ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) guidelines. Wheelchair lift dealers supply premium accessibility equipment from leading manufacturers as well as provide proper installation support. They offer all the assistance necessary, right from planning and set up to operation and post-sales service. Some of the important points considered when installing wheelchair lifts in commercial buildings are as follows:

• Wheelchair lifts come in various heights and should be chosen to suit building specifications
• The shaft enclosure of lifts with adjacent access will have to be wider than that for lifts with straight-on access
• The measurements for recessing can be done in a way as to avoid the need for an automatic ramp. By building an enclosure, a stationary threshold ramp can be included. Drains should also be included to eliminate water that may accumulate at the ground level.
• Handrails are essential in wheelchair lifts in commercial places.
• Interlocks are a necessary feature on wheelchair lifts for commercial use. They ensure that the gates or doors do not open when the lift is moving. The interlocks disengage only when the lift stops to allow the user to exit.
• Wiring should be in place before the wheelchair lift is installed
• Though most lifts have battery back-up, it is important to ensure manual access facility so that the lift can b operated during a power failure.

Permanently-installed and Portable Wheelchair Lifts A permanently-installed vertical wheelchair lift is suitable for any type of construction and an excellent option for access to stages, elevation changes, and overcoming other architectural barriers in commercial settings. Advanced models can be set up without a machine tower. Vertical portable wheelchair lifts provide access to stages and platforms, are self-contained and compact, and require no additional components. Just one portable liftprovide accessibility in several locations. Whatever the type of commercial wheelchair lift that needs to be installed, established accessibility equipment dealers can help set up them up to meet ADA guidelines and building code requirements.