Stairway Platform Lifts

by Hamish Murray

Hamish started work as a carpenter and joiner in 1980, proceeded to gain Building Foreman Clerk of Works, unrestricted Builders Contractor Licence and was a Site Supervisor for jobs up to $20 Million. Since returning to the workforce, after a workplace injury in 2002, he worked at Royal Rehab and Assistive Technology Australia. He currently works as the Universal Access Officer at the City of Parramatta. His experience together with his building knowledge has given him a broad understanding of the way people connect with the built environment. Hamish is an Associate member of the ACAA.

Hi! Could you please ask the manager, after they have finished doing what they are doing, if they could come out here and give me permission to walk up the stairs, so I can spend money in your shop/have a meeting/ drop my child off or access my house?”. This is not inviting, not equitable and certainly not dignified. That is, however, the fact that presents itself time and time again for those who can’t manage stairs and must rely on the stairway platform lift as the only means provided when accessing a premise.

Don’t get me wrong, stairway platform lifts have their place within building access and can be a great asset to providing access to areas that were previously unachievable, especially an area with historical significance or within an existing building. But this is not a reasonable outcome with new construction!

NEW BUILDINGS

Providing a stairway platform lift as a principal means of access into a new building is in my opinion not acceptable. All too often I have seen proposals, including childcare centres, that include stairway platform lifts at the principal pedestrian entrance with no obvious attempt to include an alternative, more forgiving access method simply because it is too hard.

Let’s have a look at why I have these concerns.

A new building in plan form is just lines on a page, you can always make changes. This may be an over simplification, and may get the architects offside somewhat, however, this is why we design before we build.

NCC BCA provide 6 limitations on use, my basic interpretation summed up to 3 points are:

1. Don’t install them where there may be a crowd trying to get out all at once (i.e. in an evacuation).

2. They should not be installed when a different type of lift or means of access could be used (i.e. a ramp).

3. Not to be used to access more than two storeys.

The big issue here that I see is point (2) above; for a new building a good designer can find a design that uses ramps in preference to a stair lift.

From my experience, the following issues prevent good, equitable access being provided, however, solutions can be achieved if you are prepared to look for them:

a. Controls

The majority of stairway platform lifts that I have come across are hold and run, in other words you must hold the button in for the lift to run. This function may not be achievable for a person with tetraplegia also known as quadriplegia. The movement of the lift can also be confusing for some people that have cognitive issues. Some users may also require a carer to facilitate the operation of the lift. This brings me to the next point which is load.

The controls to activate this lift are on a column 5m away at a non-accessible height

b. Weight

To understand weights required we must look at wheelchairs and understandably there isn’t an issue with manual chairs with some ultra-light chairs weighing less than 7kg.

Powered wheelchairs can weigh significantly more, understanding there is a myriad of chairs all with their own weight and load limits which will inhibit the use of a stairway platform lift. Of the six powered wheelchairs

I have owned have ranged between 150 -200kg unladen with a total weight capacity between 300-355 kg! Most stairway platform lifts have a capacity between 225 and 300kg which would exclude a lot of users and nearly all that would require a second person to operate the controls.

c. BCA

BCA Table E3.6b provides the requirement for the stairway lift platform size minimum of 1200mm x 810mm. Controls for the platform lifts are usually located on the wall side of the lift therefore restricting the usage to the one side which some people may not be able to use. Some lifts have remotes or corded controls, again great, unless the person has dexterity issues, can they get to it, can they use it?

d. Size

We all understand that the platform to chair ratio can be useable if not somewhat snug. It is not only wheelchair users that may require the lift, for instance parents with prams. Have you seen the Zendo side by side double pram with side pouch, baby bag, under storage, drink and phone holder and additional skate platform for the youngest to stand on? Not to mention any additional children they have in tow, really, I’ve owned cars with smaller footprints.

e. Usage

With the responses you get when trying to use it you would think some stairway platform lifts represent some kind of vague electronic wall art.

It isn’t necessarily that the lifts can’t work, it can be a matter of not knowing if they work. Common responses have been:

° Not knowing how they work.

° It hasn’t worked for years.

° How do they turn it on?

° No one here knows how it works.

° That was from the old owner.

° Not knowing where the key is.

° They never gave us a key.

° The person with the key isn’t in today.

° We’ve asked maintenance to fix it.

° Have you tried ringing the number?

° All of the above

Yes, the cover is padlocked to the rail just in case it wanders off.

f. Covers

° We have a cover on it to protect it, so it’s good for you to use.

° The cover is to stop vandals getting to it

As A User, How Do I Get the Dust Cover Off?

g. During a Flood

I understand there are requirements when it comes to flood levels but what I can’t figure out is, if the lift is to get you out of the water so you can shelter ‘in place’? In which case shouldn’t the controls be accessible from the lower level? Or is the lift to get you into the water, in which case the controls at the top of the stairs make sense. It is worth noting, however, that water and powered wheelchairs are not friends.

Either way, if the building is surrounded by 1100mm of water, we may be in a little bit of bother.

CONCLUSION

Back to the first question.

Would it be acceptable if you had to ask permission to walk up the stairs? Of course not! So why do we impose this on people with a disability? Why should we make them have to call a number, find a manager, or hope the stair lift works? This is not a equitable process when entering or leaving a building. The reliance on management to use these lifts is not acceptable and is exasperated by not only their proliferation, but their use instead of a simpler and user-friendly solution. We need to provide access for all, that is equitable, not reliant on other persons or technology and is easily replicated in new construction.

When considering stair lifts, a man way smarter than myself once told me “a ramp won’t break down”.