What About Wheelchair Lift Safety? STN asked leading man-


ufacturers of wheelchair lifts this salient question, and they agreed that op- erators greatly


improve


Ricon Corp.’s lift creates a protective “safety zone” for students during loading and unloading.


passenger safety by fol- lowing guidelines provided in product manuals and training. Anton


Griessner, vice


president of marketing and business development at Max- on Lift Corp., recommended


that bus drivers and attendants visit www.maxonmobility.com for the latest information on safely operating its lifts. Te site features an operator training video as well as manuals and literature on Maxon’s lift products, which meet FMVSS 403 requirements, said Griessner. To access these requirements, visit www.stnonline.com/go/858. Joe Garnett, Braun Corp. director of marketing, points users


to the BraunAbility wheelchair lift manual, especially the Lift Operation Safety and Operations Notes and Details sections, which can be downloaded from www.braunability.com. “Before operating the wheelchair lift, an attendant or driver


should be properly trained and familiar with the manual,” said Garnett. When securing different passengers, from the overly active


to the medically fragile, he said the key is to employ whatever occupant restraints/torso belts are available. “Keeping passen- gers in their chair is equally important to keeping them on the platform,” he added. Tony Ward, Ricon Corp. national commercial manager, not-


ed that the safety belts attached to the handrails of the lift, along with the front and rear roll stops and full-length side rail barriers, creates a “safety zone” that fully encapsulates the wheelchair passenger. “We recommend backing the wheelchair onto the lift plat-


form so the student is facing out and locking the wheels down,” he said. “Belts should be fully interlocked so the lift ceases op- eration if the belt becomes unlatched.” Ward emphasized that transportation directors must be


proactive in finding the safest lift available by researching both ease of use and maintenance. “Maintenance is a very impor- tant piece of the puzzle. Tey need to ask for training for both operators and technicians,” he said. Information about online, DVD or “live” training can be found at www.riconcorp.com/ products_schoolbus.asp.


34 School Transportation News Magazine February 2012


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