Accessibility


Improving accessible homes with platform lifts


Sean O’Sullivan of The Platform Lift Company highlights the main considerations when specifying a platform lift and what can be achieved in terms of design, installation and ongoing maintenance


W


hen you read about the shortage of accessible homes and the fact that the number of disabled people in this country is increasing it is very worrying. It is also distressing to hear stories that some people


eat, sleep and bathe in one room because they cannot access other areas of the house. Therefore, when working with a private house, developer or social housing association to install a platform lift solution it gives specifiers a huge sense of satisfaction as it is helping to make a difference. Installing a platform lift within a house has become a lot more achievable


with the innovative solutions that are now available on the market. Even the issue of available space can be overcome with bespoke design; if the user has the room to enter and exit the lift and changing the layout is viable then the installation of a platform lift should be a possibility. When specifying a platform lift, the main requirement is that the product is


fit for purpose and not necessarily price driven. The type of lift will always depend on the environment and the user – the occupational therapist and


When specifying a platform lift, the main requirement is that the product is fit for purpose and not necessarily price driven


surveyor will assess each individual case and give their recommendations. Therefore, a standard residential style of lift might need to be modified. In the domestic environment a platform lift doesn’t necessarily need to


comply with Part M of the building regulations as it does within a commercial application. This means there is scope to make a lift much smaller than the standard 1400mm by 1100mm size.


www.housingmmonline.co.uk | HMM November 2018 | 29


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