How To Properly And Safely Use A Wheelchair Lift

If you have never used a wheelchair lift before, it is important that you learn how to operate it properly before attempting it fully loaded to ensure the safety of both yourself and your passenger. Whilst it can be beneficial to have a demonstration or two of a lift in action, these instructions should be able to give you a basic idea of what you’re doing:

Step 1: Make sure that the vehicle is parked on level ground and that there is plenty of room for the platform to be opened. Double check that the parking brake is engaged.

Step 2: Open the door to the vehicle and lock it into position so that it doesn’t move. Then, press the button that lowers the wheelchair lift to the ground. Wait until it has come to a complete stop before telling the passenger that it is ok to move onto the platform.

Step 3: Wrap the provided seat-belt around the passenger and make sure that it is tightly fastened. Set the wheelchair locks to make sure that it doesn’t roll whilst in transit. You should also advise the passenger to hold onto the handrails.

Step 4: Press the button that raises the wheelchair lift back into the vehicle. After the platform has risen a few inches, stop it to check that the safety barrier has been locked into place. If it is, press the button to finish raising the platform.

Step 5: Release the wheelchair locks and move the chair into the appropriate position inside the vehicle. Then, fold the lift into its proper travel position and shut the doors to the vehicle.

You are now ready to embark on your travels. If you are ever hesitant about how you have loaded your wheelchair lift, stop what you are doing and ask for assistance. You should never attempt to raise the lift if there is a chance that the passenger may sustain an injury due to improper loading.

How to Choose Residential Wheelchair Lifts

Residential wheelchair lifts are available in all sorts of shapes and sizes, from the very sleek and compact to the comfortably large. It should be simple, therefore, to find the size and model perfect for your home and lifestyle.

Even when it proves difficult to find just the right elevator or stair machine, you can consider getting a custom solution designed just for your home. In all cases, safety and convenience should be your top priorities when selecting any residential mobility solution.

Choosing a wheelchair lift for the home is not only a matter of improving your mobility, but also complementing your style and contributing to your whole quality of life. Many models are produced in a uniform fashion with basic colours and finishes, but with a little searching you should be able to find a customisable elevating solution that can act as a stylish feature in your home or as a subtle and hardly noticeable presence.

You should make sure that these stylish models also conform to the necessary safety specifications, such as having emergency brakes, non-skid platforms and emergency hand cranks.

Sometimes, you may require more than one wheelchair lift around the home. This can be extremely useful for large residences and when getting around quickly and efficiently is necessary. It can be very frustrating for many people to have to use the same, slightly awkward route to get to any part of the house, so having a few different access points to a second story can be a real lifestyle changer.

 These can include a combination of elevators, ramps and stair assistance to provide a truly comprehensive mobility solution.

Are your Vehicle Conversions Up to Australian Standards?

Various different changes and adaptations can be made to a car or van during a modification project, and it is necessary for the safety of the eventual user and other drivers on the road that the relevant Australian Standards are upheld throughout the process.

Many different Australian Standards hold relevance to specific methods of car adaptation and design features found in wheelchair vans and other modified cars. It can be useful to become acquainted with these standards so that you can be sure of the safety and integrity of your  conversion.

Many car modifications in Australia are focussed on swapping an imported car's steering operation from left to right hand drive to make it suitable for use on Australian roads. Various standards and a comprehensive code of practice are available to guide mechanics and other professionals on making the safest and most design conscious conversions possible.

The principles outlined in these standards can also apply to disability modifications, especially when driver adaptations and changes to the brake and steering systems are required.

There are also Australian Standards that specifically apply to the safe and secure transportation of wheelchair users and their mobility equipment. These vehicle conversion standards include AS 2942 “Wheelchair occupant restraint assemblies for motor vehicles” and ISO 7176 “Wheelchairs for use in vehicles.”

While these standards provide comprehensive guidelines and specifications, they are not considered legally binding for mechanics, so it is necessary that you research the information yourself to make sure of the safety of your wheelchair van.

Why Get an LPG Gas Vehicle Conversion?

Does the price you pay for petrol seem simply scandalous to you? Well, that's because it is, and the price isn't going to go down, either. So why not take some time to consider the alternative options open to you that can save you on fuel costs and also help slow down the global consumption of fossil fuels. It is estimated that you can easily cut the costs of running your car by half, simply by choosing LPG gas over petrol.

If you are hesitant about making the change to LPG, there is no need to worry considering the many dual fuel vehicle conversion options on the market these days. These procedures can totally transform the way your car consumes and utilises fuel, while maintaining the appearance and integrity of your car.

LPG gas is known to be a more efficient energy source than the more commonly used petrol fuel, resulting in many benefits to you as the owner of the vehicle conversions and to the environment as a whole. The efficiency of LPG gas has also been improved by recent technological developments such as condensing boilers and hybrid systems that make use of other renewable energy sources.

Choosing LPG can also benefit the health of your local environment, as there is far less particle emissions associated with burning LPG gas than the petrol equivalent. By getting a vehicle conversion and driving an LPG powered car, you will be actively improving the air quality of your local environment. Whether you are travelling long distances or just picking the kids up from school, using LPG gas is a more economic and environmentally conscious option.

Do you Need Wheelchair Restraint Vehicle Adaptions?

Wheelchair restraints are one of the most important vehicle adaptions conducted on accessible vans, as they guarantee the safety of the mobility challenged passenger or driver within the van. It is extremely important that the wheelchair is secured safely and comfortable in the moving van, as any slipping or jolting can result in severe discomfort and even serious injury.

If you have a converted wheelchair van you should ask yourself today whether the quality of your wheelchair restraint vehicle adaptions are up to scratch and protecting your safety as you travel. If you are using an outdated or worn down wheelchair restraint system you should consider upgrading your  vehicle adaptions  as soon as possible to prevent a disastrous accident in the future.

The best wheelchair restraints use an electrical locking system for automated comfort and ease. You should also look for vehicle adaptions that provide flexible solutions, such as allowing you to travel in different positions and with a small or large group of passengers. You may also want to choose a wheelchair restraint system that works symbiotically with the wheelchair lift or ramp installed in your van, to ensure smooth and stress free entries and exits.

Electrically automated vehicle adaptions offer a much safer solution than manual wheelchair belts, which require a carer or supervisor to adjust the tension by hand for a secure fit. With the reduction of manual handling, the wheelchair user can enter the van with more ease and feel much more stable and safe during the journey.

How hiring taxi for disabled can benefit you

These days finding a taxi for disabled in Melbourne is not difficult. You can find it online or in your local newspaper or magazines and get it within an hour of ordering.  Hiring taxis can really benefit you as they serve the temporary need of taxis that can take disables in the taxi. The specialty of these taxis is that they are designed to take disabled passenger with their wheelchair on. That means, they enter the car along with their wheelchair. This is quite comfortable for passengers because they don’t have to leave their chair while getting into it and again sit in the chair after getting out of the vehicle. 

Hire taxi for disabled for small moves or long, these are just perfect for easy travelling. Moreover, this eliminates the need of buying a wheelchair accessible cars or vans for short term use. This is an ideal solution for people who met with an accident or have temporary disability of movement, because there is no point of spending a lump sum amount just for a couple of days. You can always hire them for a specific period of time like for few months and return them back once you have solved your purpose.  

This is also a good solution for elderly people who do travelling occasionally. Just dial to hire taxi for disabled and get them on hour basis or on distance basis. Many taxi providers offer their services on hour or distance basis. Hiring taxi is far cheaper than buying car for disables even the second hand. Also you don’t have to be liable of maintaining them until you don’t sell them.

How to Minimise Manual Labour With Wheelchair Lifts

Helping a disabled person move around without the help of wheelchair lifts and other accessibility devices can involve a lot of manual labour and heavy weights, as well as a loss of dignity for both parties. While you might think that a wheelchair lift fitted to your van or installed around your home isn't absolutely necessary, the device can significantly reduce chronic health problems for both the mobility challenged person and the carer. Caring for mobility challenged people can be an exhausting full time job, so any measure that takes away some of that work is worth investing in. 

To get rid of cumbersome manual labour altogether, it is essential that you choose the right type of wheelchair lift for your purposes and install it correctly. The last thing you want is to purchase a top of the range mobility device to find it leaves a sizeable gap between the ground and the seat that needs to be overcome with a helping hand.

Luckily, most wheelchair lift manufacturers will not let you make this mistake, and will assist in the installation of their product themselves to ensure a flush and stress free fit. You should also make sure that you choose a wheelchair lift that is completely automated with electric or hydraulic power.

Some models, such as hoists, still require the manual labour of a carer to carry and move a heavy mobility device. These can be useful because they don't require any power and therefore will not break down suddenly, but often the constant hoisting can become troublesome and annoying.