Specifying a lift: A supplier’s perspective

by Oliver King Director, PR King & Sons

With accessibility needs changing in both residential and commercial settings, being on the front foot counts for everything. Oliver King who heads up P. R. King & Sons, a fourth generation family business knows that compliance and quality are paramount for a lift company to thrive, in the fast paced lift and accessibility sector.

P. R. King & Sons have a rich history of helping people in and out of buildings. In the summer of 1952, a friend of Lindsay and Alex King who lived in Vaucluse reached out. He had lost a leg in WW2 and found the steep stairs on the property difficult and painful. He thought that his friends, Lindsay and Alex King, from P. R. King & Sons might be able to help. Lindsay and Alex immediately went to work and were inspired by the Swiss and their rack railways used to climb the incredibly steep slopes of the Alps. They engineered a method to carry their friend up and down his property. What they didn't expect was that his neighbours would want one on their property. This demand spawned what would become the Inclinator™.

THE INCLINATOR

When specifying a lift to suit a particular purpose or environment, as with any piece of mechanical equipment, one of the first questions is reliability.

This question becomes particularly poignant if a platform lift is being installed outside, or next to the ocean. Much like a vehicle, if the equipment is maintained as per the manufacturers’ recommendations (as per the Work Health and Safety Regulation 2011) the lift, platform lift or Inclinator should provide no problems.

However, they are often purchased as a set and forget item, which they are not. This can create a stigma of unreliability across the whole sector.

Anyone considering a product of this nature must consider the following items:

• Is it fit for purpose?

° Is it suitable for an outdoor environment?

° Is it suitable for a high saline or high chlorine environment?

• Is the product suitable for the target user group?

• Does it comply with the necessary codes like the National Construction Code, AS1735 and EN81?

• Cost of ongoing maintenance (both parts and labour)?

• Does the company supplying the equipment have the ability to supply parts, and are still going to be around in five years?

People who are looking at this type of product are often not well informed on what they need, and how to meet the above requirements without over-paying and under-receiving. Often people will engage a lift or access consultant to navigate their way through this foreign process. P. R. King & Sons go through an “education program” with all our customers on both the residential and commercial projects to ensure that we aren’t just selling a stairlift, platform lift, lift or Inclinator, but we are selling a solution that is going to be the answer to their question. Even if they choose to purchase from another company, they are armed with the key requirements for their lift.

When it comes to commercial projects the head contractor might be trying to find a “box ticking” lift, to meet the requirements of an inspector without thinking about the ongoing questions laid out above. This can create distress for the end user, as they are often left with a piece of equipment that might not be fit for purpose, not maintained and ultimately cost more money because the most cost-effective option was chosen by someone years prior. P. R. King & Sons are frequently called with requests to fix a lift that was installed by another company. Unfortunately, we can’t help these customers, as parts may not be available anymore, and working on a lift that we don’t specialise in, could end with a bill, and no resolution for the customer. Hence, we work to maintain the equipment we have supplied.

The P. R. King & Sons team are happy to go through your requirements to help you navigate through the purchasing process.