Disabled Products & Services
Platform lifts and the disabled access market
Craig Merry, director at Invalifts Limited discusses the choices there are when specifying a platform lift
‘Service providers and workplaces are to make reason- able provisions and/or adjustments to overcome physi- cal features, which obstruct the less able to access
facilities’ Craig Merry, director, Invalifts Limited
T
he market for platform lifts increased significantly after the introduction of the Disability Discrimination Act (DDA) in 1995.
From 1 October 2010, the Equality Act replaced most of the
Disability Discrimination Act. The aim of the Act is to end prejudice against less able people. It has been significantly extended and now gives less able people rights in the following areas: Renting or buying land or property, education, employ- ment, access to goods, facilities and services, clubs, sports, asso- ciations and activities. Where there is restriction in the vertical circulation within a building the provision of a lifting platform may provide a solution. Under the Equality Act, service providers and workplaces are
to make reasonable provisions and/or adjustments to overcome physical features, which obstruct the less able to access facili- ties. To overcome a physical feature means to either remove it, alter it, provide an alternative access route, or make services
available to the less able in another way. There is an obligation to ensure that access is provided for
the less able to ensure compliance with the Equality Act. Regarding vertical circulation, this can be implemented by the use of ramps, lifts or lifting platforms. Designers can put forward the type of lifting device within
the access statement that in their opinion is suitable depending on the environment and usage among other factors. The Requirements of Platform Lifts are contained in Part M of the Building Regulations, BS:8300 (called up within the regula- tion), BS:6440 and EN81-41.
What is a platform lift? A platform lift is defined as a ‘machine’ rather than a lift. Their design, manufacture and installation is controlled by the Machinery Directive (MD2006/42/EC) and other European Norms rather than by the Lift Regulations. The different
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