Wheelchair lift
Encyclopedia
A wheelchair lift, also known as a platform lift, is a powered device designed to raise a wheelchair
and its occupant in order to overcome a step or similar vertical barrier.
A number of legal regimes in various countries regulate the use of wheelchair lifts, setting forth standards for the devices and requiring certain kinds of businesses to make parking lots accessible to vehicles bearing the devices. In some instances, accessibility standards have been achieved in legal settlements. For example, in the 2005 case of Dilworth, et al. v. City of Detroit, NO. 2:04- cv-73152 (E.D. Mich.
2005), the defendant city conceded that the Americans With Disabilities Act and its supporting legislation required the city "to maintain the wheelchair lifts on its buses in operative condition; promptly repair wheelchair lifts if they are damaged or out of order; establish a system of regular and frequent maintenance checks of wheelchair lifts; remove a vehicle from service if the lift is inoperative (with limited exceptions); provide alternative transportation when the lift doesn't work and the next accessible bus is more than 30 minutes away."
While some wheelchair-accessible van
s use a powered lift to assist the occupant in boarding, a wheelchair ramp
is usually less expensive for this purpose and is often installed on minivans. Full-size vans, however, require use of a platform lift. There are two types of platform lifts installed on wheelchair-accessible van
s: single-arm and dual-arm. Single arm wheelchair lifts are only used in side-entry applications. They take up less interior space and leave the passenger entry open; however, they have less lifting capacity than dual-arm lifts. Most dual-arm wheelchair lifts have a lift capacity up to 800 pounds. These lifts consume more interior space and block the side entry and, for these reasons, are often mounted in the back of the vehicle for rear-entry applications.
As mandated by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), wheelchair-accessible van
s with wheelchair lifts are equipped with a safety lift interlock. Designed to prevent operation of the wheelchair van or wheelchair lift in unsafe situations, the safety interlock will sound an alarm if an unsafe condition exists (e.g., the vehicle attempts to move while the lift is deployed) or prevent the vehicle from shifting into drive while the wheelchair lift is in operation.
Recent innovations have allowed for the development of wheelchair lifts which assist people in entering truck cabs, so that they may drive or operate heavy equipment. Wheelchair lifts can also be used to move an unoccupied scooter into a vehicle.
Wheelchair
A wheelchair is a chair with wheels, designed to be a replacement for walking. The device comes in variations where it is propelled by motors or by the seated occupant turning the rear wheels by hand. Often there are handles behind the seat for someone else to do the pushing...
and its occupant in order to overcome a step or similar vertical barrier.
A number of legal regimes in various countries regulate the use of wheelchair lifts, setting forth standards for the devices and requiring certain kinds of businesses to make parking lots accessible to vehicles bearing the devices. In some instances, accessibility standards have been achieved in legal settlements. For example, in the 2005 case of Dilworth, et al. v. City of Detroit, NO. 2:04- cv-73152 (E.D. Mich.
United States District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan
The United States District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan is the Federal district court with jurisdiction over of the eastern portion of the state of Michigan. The Court is based in Detroit, with courthouses also located in Ann Arbor, Bay City, Flint, and Port Huron...
2005), the defendant city conceded that the Americans With Disabilities Act and its supporting legislation required the city "to maintain the wheelchair lifts on its buses in operative condition; promptly repair wheelchair lifts if they are damaged or out of order; establish a system of regular and frequent maintenance checks of wheelchair lifts; remove a vehicle from service if the lift is inoperative (with limited exceptions); provide alternative transportation when the lift doesn't work and the next accessible bus is more than 30 minutes away."
While some wheelchair-accessible van
Wheelchair accessible van
Wheelchair accessible vans encompass a range of vehicles that have been modified to increase the interior size of the vehicle and to equip it with a means of wheelchair entry such as a wheelchair ramp or powered lift to allow access by individuals who are in wheelchairs.-Modifications:The general...
s use a powered lift to assist the occupant in boarding, a wheelchair ramp
Wheelchair ramp
A wheelchair ramp is an inclined plane installed in addition to or instead of stairs. Ramps permit wheelchair users, as well as people pushing strollers, carts, or other wheeled objects, to more easily access a building....
is usually less expensive for this purpose and is often installed on minivans. Full-size vans, however, require use of a platform lift. There are two types of platform lifts installed on wheelchair-accessible van
Wheelchair accessible van
Wheelchair accessible vans encompass a range of vehicles that have been modified to increase the interior size of the vehicle and to equip it with a means of wheelchair entry such as a wheelchair ramp or powered lift to allow access by individuals who are in wheelchairs.-Modifications:The general...
s: single-arm and dual-arm. Single arm wheelchair lifts are only used in side-entry applications. They take up less interior space and leave the passenger entry open; however, they have less lifting capacity than dual-arm lifts. Most dual-arm wheelchair lifts have a lift capacity up to 800 pounds. These lifts consume more interior space and block the side entry and, for these reasons, are often mounted in the back of the vehicle for rear-entry applications.
As mandated by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), wheelchair-accessible van
Wheelchair accessible van
Wheelchair accessible vans encompass a range of vehicles that have been modified to increase the interior size of the vehicle and to equip it with a means of wheelchair entry such as a wheelchair ramp or powered lift to allow access by individuals who are in wheelchairs.-Modifications:The general...
s with wheelchair lifts are equipped with a safety lift interlock. Designed to prevent operation of the wheelchair van or wheelchair lift in unsafe situations, the safety interlock will sound an alarm if an unsafe condition exists (e.g., the vehicle attempts to move while the lift is deployed) or prevent the vehicle from shifting into drive while the wheelchair lift is in operation.
Recent innovations have allowed for the development of wheelchair lifts which assist people in entering truck cabs, so that they may drive or operate heavy equipment. Wheelchair lifts can also be used to move an unoccupied scooter into a vehicle.