Wheelchair Ramps

Mobility Ramps For Businesses

Mobility Ramps For Businesses
By Dave Kearsey

If you own a business, it just makes good sense to make it accessible to everyone. Turning away potential income is not a good business practice. Not only that, but if you are not accessible to the disabled you risk the possibility of a lawsuit. The ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) was passed in 1990. Section 4.8 deals with mobility ramps. The following specs for mobility ramps are taken from the ADA Accessibility Guidelines as amended through September 2002. If you would like to see the entire document I’ve provided a link below.

The ADA states that any part of an accessible route that has a slope steeper than 1:20 (20 inches of length for every 1 inch of rise) is considered a ramp. If you don’t have an elevator you need to provide mobility ramps to allow access to the different levels of your building. You should always use the least amount of slope possible for any ramp.

If you are constructing a new building the maximum amount of slope you can have for any ramp is 1:12. The maximum rise you can have for any run is 30 inches. If you have an existing site that you are constructing mobility ramps for, things change a little.

An existing building may not have the space to install ramps that meet the 1:12 slope or less. If that is the case then a slope between 1:10 and 1:12 is allowed for a maximum rise of 6 inches. A slope between 1:8 and 1:10 is allowed for a maximum rise of 3 inches. A slope steeper than 1:8 is not allowed.

The preferred amount of slope is between 1:16 and 1:20. The ability to manage an incline is related to both its slope and its length. Wheelchair users with disabilities affecting their arms or with low stamina have serious difficulty using ramps. Most people who use wheelchairs can manage a slope of 1:16. Many people cannot manage a slope of 1:12 for a distance of 30 feet or more. The minimum width of a ramp is 36 inches and must be clear of any obstructions.

Mobility ramps need to have a landing at the top and bottom of each run. A landing is a level area to recuperate if there are any more runs to manage and allow for easy transitions if the ramp goes in another direction. Landings need to be at least as wide as the ramp leading to it. The length of the landing must be a minimum of 60 inches clear of any obstructions. If the ramp changes directions at the landings, the landing needs to be 60 inches by 60 inches minimum. Landings need to be level. A landing that is not level causes individuals using wheelchairs to tip backward or bottom out when the ramp is approached.

If a ramps has a rise more than 6 inches, then it must have handrails on both sides. However, handrails are not required on curb ramps. Handrails must extend at least 12 inches beyond the top and bottom of the ramp segment and must be parallel with the floor or ground surface. If the ramp changes directions the inside handrail must always be continuous. The handrails along any segment of the ramp cannot have any gaps in them. The top of the handrail’s gripping surface needs to be between 34 and 38 inches above the surface of the ramp and cannot rotate in their fittings. The ends need to be rounded or returned smoothly to the floor, wall or post.

The above handrail requirements are for adults. If the ramps are mainly for children (for example in elementary schools), a second set of handrails can assist them and aid in preventing accidents. A maximum height of 28 inches to the top of the gripping surface from the ramp surface is recommended for handrails designed for children. The clearance between upper and lower handrails is 9 inches minimum.

The cross slope of ramp surfaces cannot be greater than 1:50. If your ramp is 36 inches wide then both sides of the ramp must be within .24 inches in height from each other.

If your ramps and landings have drop-offs then they must have curbs, walls or railings that prevent people from slipping off the ramp. Curbs have to be a minimum of 2 inches high.

Outdoor ramps and their approaches must be designed so that water cannot puddle on walking surfaces.

The above is just a brief summary of the ADA guidelines for mobility ramps. If you would like to see the document in its entirety click here. Section 4.8 has many links to other sections of the document inside of it. To cover everything would be outside of the scope of this article. I highly recommend you read the entire document and all of its links before starting any mobility ramp project. It will only cost you a little bit of your time and can save many headaches down the road.

Dave Kearsey is the senior content writer for http://www.mobilityramps.net/ For more information about mobility ramps please come by and visit us at the above address. We are an informational site dedicated to helping you make an informed buying decision.

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http://EzineArticles.com/?Mobility-Ramps-For-Businesses&id=2695319

Scooter Ramp Buying Tips

Scooter Ramp Buying Tips
By Scott Paul

Wheel chair ramps are great products as they help a disabled person get to and from their vehicle with ease. Just because a person is in a wheelchair does not mean that they can’t drive a car or hold a job. For most disabled people, it can be a very hard, and long process to get in and out of a vehicle. Luckily there are scooter ramps out there that can dramatically reduce this time.

There are two main types of ramps. The first is an electrical automated ramp. These ramps are the fastest types of ramps and make getting in and out of a car very easy. They are more pricey than regular ramps as they have to be installed and maintained often to ensure proper wear and tear. These ramps are also very heavy as they are made of steel, and aluminum metals.

The next type of scooter ramp is a free ramp. These ramps typically fold up in a fan or SUV and then the person simply unfolds the ramp and then goes up into the car on the ramp. These ramps are much more light weight and are almost always aluminum. These ramps are cheap and great to have on the go as they can be used for more than just vehicles. Stairs, and other obstacles can be as easy as pie with a portable scooter ramp.

We hope we have enlighten you a little bit on the different types of scooter ramps and how they work.

Greg writes articles about scooter ramp and for wheelchair ramp

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Scott_Paul
http://EzineArticles.com/?Scooter-Ramp-Buying-Tips&id=2825588

Building Your Own Mobility Ramps

Building Your Own Mobility Ramps
By Dave Kearsey

Thinking about adding a wheelchair ramp to your home? It may be a something you can do yourself. With some simple carpentry skills you can build a safe, sturdy ramp that will last for years to come. The ADA (American’s with Disability Act) has guidelines that standardize the building of wheelchair ramps making them safe for those that use wheelchairs, scooters or walkers.The first thing to consider is how high the ramp needs to be. Measure from the ground up to the surface you are trying to get to. The ADA recommends that the slope of a ramp should have a slope of at least 1:12. 12 feet of ramp for every 1 foot of rise. A slope of 1:16 to 1:20 is recommended. Use the least mount of slope you have room for. The width of each ramp should be 36 inches minimum with no obstructions per the ADA.

When building a ramp out of wood there are some things to consider:

Pressure treated lumber is highly recommended.

Wood must be protected with a sealer, varnish or stain to prevent rotting and warping.

Plywood is likely to warp and separate and it is slippery.

Don’t use nails. Nails work their way back out causing boards to loosen.

Posts that are to be placed into the ground should be rated as such.

You must be willing and have the ability to maintain it.

The easiest approach is to build your ramp in sections and bolt them together.

Read the ADA guidelines before starting your project. Know them before getting started. A few moments of your time now will save many headaches down the road. Also, check with your local building code office to make sure that you comply with any guidelines they have and whether or not you will need a building permit. Links to the ADA guidelines and local building codes can be found on our website.

Dave Kearsey is the senior content writer for http://www.mobilityramps.net/ For more information about Mobility Ramps and Building Mobility Ramps please come by and visit us at the above address. We are an informational site dedicated to helping you make an informed decision about mobility ramps.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Dave_Kearsey
http://EzineArticles.com/?Building-Your-Own-Mobility-Ramps&id=2746689

Wheelchair Ramps Design

Wheelchair Ramps Design
By Anthony Burton

Getting around can be difficult sometimes when you are first starting to use a wheel chair. When you first get one, you are to choose how you are going to get your wheelchair in and out of a van or other vehicle. One way is to get a ramp, and sometimes it is hard to decide which wheelchair ramp design you are going to choose for your van or car.

There are a wide range of wheelchair ramps for people to choose from. You can get ones that are permanent or ramps that are portable. The choice is completely up to you. Below I am going to go over some differences between ramps to help you think of what design could best suit you.

People who might be using more than one vehicle might want to get a portable and light ramp design that they can switch from one van to the other. If you are looking for a ramp that will only be used in one vehicle, then you could probably just settle with one that bolts down into the frame of the van and is semi-permanent. The ones that are permanent just fold up into the van, and they will sit snug up against the door wall. There are two different kinds of portable wheelchair ramps. One is just the solid straight ramp, and it does not fold. The other, which is much more portable than the other, is a light folding ramp that you can store in the vehicle easily.

The weight of the ramp is probably going to be a huge factor for you, who wants to bust their back trying to lift a ramp and maneuvering it? If you are going to be using a portable ramp, this is going to be a big deciding factor for you. A solid ramp that cannot be folded or cannot be taken down in sections is probably going to be the one you will not get.

All the ramps should have some form of grip for the wheels. One kind is a sand paper like texture that lines the ramp, and the other can be a texture of metal terrain often times in an X fashion. Hard to picture, but the sand paper textured wheel chair ramps are more popular.

When you are shopping, make sure you take into consideration of the wheelchair ramp design and how it can make your life easier.

For more information like this go here: Wheelchair Ramps for Vans.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Anthony_Burton
http://EzineArticles.com/?Wheelchair-Ramps-Design&id=2775629

New Range of Portable Access Ramps

We now supply a new range of lightweight portable access ramps that are designed to be quick and easy to set up as well as being light and compact for ease of storage.

Aerolight Classic

Aerolight Broadfold

Aerolight Xtra

Aerolight Lifestyle

Perfolight Rigid

Perfolight Folding

Perfolight Tele

Perfolight Combi

Portable Wheelchair Ramps

We are expecting a new range of lightweightportable wheelchair ramps.