About Platform Lifts

Stairs are the greatest obstacle for people who have mobility problems or who are in a wheelchair. The solution is to install a platform lift and there is a good choice of sizes and designs if you take a look through the DDA website. All the platform lifts that are on offer with DDA are manufactured to the highest standards. To endorse the quality of the manufacture to ISO 9001 quality standards, all DDA platform lifts are CE marked, conform to BS6440, and also to Part M of the Building Regulations.

Successful installation of a platform lift relies on attention to detail and that begins at the first enquiry for a platform lift. Often, existing buildings requiring a platform lift find that a platform lift can be installed without affecting the existing feel and design and DDA Lifts would always thoroughly examine all possible options. For new buildings requiring a platform lift, DDA Lifts can work from the architect's drawings but if the construction is underway then a site visit is essential at the earliest possible moment before any proposals regarding a platform lift can be made. Once the size and style of a platform lift have been chosen then DDA Lifts always oversees the installation to make sure that any problems with the platform lift can be solved as soon as possible.

These days, platform lifts are the simplest way to provide access to all floors of a new building for everyone. To comply with the Disability Discrimination Act it is possible to have superbly designed buildings that also incorporate a platform lift, providing complete access for everyone. Part M of the Building Regulations makes it clear that all buildings must have adequate access and have facilities that can be used by able and disabled people alike.

Legal requirements to have a platform lift within existing buildings and in new developments is a good solution if regular passenger lifts are not big enough to accommodate wheelchairs or people with impaired mobility. The whole purpose of a platform lift is that it is for the sole use and convenience of people using wheelchairs and the controls on a platform lift must be easily accessible. Another consideration when selecting a platform lift is that there needs to be both audible and visual information regarding the floors as they are reached.

The speed of a platform lift is slow and does not exceed 0.15 metres per second. The speed on a platform lift is controlled by specialised pressure systems.

If the lifting height for a platform lift does not exceed two metres and the platform lift does not go from one floor to the next, then the platform lift can be surrounded by security panels but not enclosed. Above two metres and a proper enclosure of the platform lift is required.

The smallest of the platform lifts is 1250mm by 800mm and it is for wheelchair users who are unaccompanied. A platform lift with an enclosure but the wheelchair user is still unaccompanied, is a platform lift that is 1400 mm long and 900mm wide.

The next size up for an enclosed platform lift is for when the wheelchair users are accompanied and this platform lift is 1400mm by 1100mm.

DDA platform lifts offer a variety of sizes of platform lift such as the VPL 400, which is one of the platform lifts with an enclosed cabin and is for a vertical travel of fifteen metres and a maximum of six stops. The size of the cabin in this type of platform lift is 1400mm long by 1100mm wide with a height of 2020mm. A pit is required for this type of platform lift that goes down 120mm. This particular model of platform lift has a large, glass panel swing fire door and can have the entry and exit points on the same side of the platform lift, or on opposite sides of the platform lift, or on adjacent sides of the platform lift. The maximum weight that this type of platform lift is designed to take is 400Kg and there should be no more than twenty lifts per hour.

The VPL 100 is one of the platform lifts that has an integral enclosure and is for travelling between 2 metres and 14 metres. This type of platform lift can be located both internally and externally. The entry points of this type of platform lift can be on opposite sides, the same sides or on adjacent sides.

The VPL 2005 is one of the platform lifts that is for a maximum travel of 2 metres and does not have an enclosure. It’s for internal locations only and is designed for a maximum load of 340Kg. The speed of this style of platform lift is 0.08 metres per second.

There are several other designs of platform lift on the DDA Lifts website that are designed to accommodate most situations requiring platform lifts.