Platforms lifts and how they benefit people
Contents |
[edit] Introduction
Platform lifts allow a platform to rise up and down and are often installed in homes to enable independent living. They can be fitted indoors and outdoors and offer access where passenger lifts cannot be installed.
Platform lifts fall under the Machinery Directive, which means they travel at 0.15 m/s or less. Their slow speed means they are generally only used in low-rise buildings. Platform lifts are cost-effective and easy to install, and are popular as lifts for people with disabilities.
[edit] Types of platform lifts
There are several types of platform lift, each capable of being used in a variety of settings and applications.
[edit] Step lift (or low rise vertical platform lift)
These lifts can be installed on the side of a step or steps and help to move the user to another level, leaving the stairs clear.
[edit] Inclined stair lift
The inclined stair lift refers to a level platform secured to a diagonal rail on a staircase. The aim of this lift is to carry a wheelchair and travel from ground level to an upper level, leaving the steps clear. These lifts are available in many different designs, so they can be installed virtually anywhere, including offices and homes. They can be placed in straight or curved staircases with several landings or turns.
[edit] Vertical platform lift
These types of lifts are typically self-supporting structures secured to a wall. They are versatile, so they can be customised to existing designs or aesthetics. They can also be enclosed, allowing passengers to travel up and down a tube.
[edit] Uses
Platform lifts are commonly used to improve access to a building or level:
- The transport of people with physical disabilities who find it difficult or impossible to use stairs. This includes people with limited mobility or visually impaired.
- The ability for people with injuries to have access to different levels. For example, transporting an injured person down a flight of stairs can be a challenging or impossible task, whereas platform lifts grant easy access to medical personnel, equipment and people that need medical attention or have been injured.
- Families with children, pushchairs or prams can benefit from a platform lift.
- Moving goods and merchandise, especially if it weighs more than what can be comfortably carried by hand, is easy with a platform lift. They also offer safety, as it can be easier to control health and safety risks when the heavy goods are transported with a machine.
[edit] Benefits
Platform lifts offer many benefits in both commercial and residential buildings and, especially, to people living with disabilitie:
- Efficiency: A platform lift can carry a lot of weight while retaining its speed and safety. They are also energy-efficient, as they don’t consume large amounts of energy.
- Safety: Platform lifts are significantly safer than staircases when it comes to transporting people between floors.
- Independence: A platform lift can help people to remain independent in their own homes, as it allows easy access to different levels of the home.
- Confidence: They provide safety and stability to users when on the move; and their features protect users from accidents and injuries.
[edit] Related articles on Designing Buildings Wiki
- A Brief History of Lifts Over the Years.
- Considerations When Installing a Residential Lift.
- Disabled access lifts
- Different Types of Lift Doors
- How to Install a Stairlift
- Lifts.
- Lifting platform.
- Low Pit Lifts.
- The importance of service lifts.
- The science of lifts.
- The world's fastest lifts.
- Wheelchair platform stairlifts.
--Nathan Massey 10:13, 05 Jul 2017 (BST)
Featured articles and news
BSRIA Statutory Compliance Inspection Checklist
BG80/2025 now significantly updated to include requirements related to important changes in legislation.
Shortlist for the 2025 Roofscape Design Awards
Talent and innovation showcase announcement from the trussed rafter industry.
OpenUSD possibilities: Look before you leap
Being ready for the OpenUSD solutions set to transform architecture and design.
Global Asbestos Awareness Week 2025
Highlighting the continuing threat to trades persons.
Retrofit of Buildings, a CIOB Technical Publication
Now available in Arabic and Chinese aswell as English.
The context, schemes, standards, roles and relevance of the Building Safety Act.
Retrofit 25 – What's Stopping Us?
Exhibition Opens at The Building Centre.
Types of work to existing buildings
A simple circular economy wiki breakdown with further links.
A threat to the creativity that makes London special.
How can digital twins boost profitability within construction?
The smart construction dashboard, as-built data and site changes forming an accurate digital twin.
Unlocking surplus public defence land and more to speed up the delivery of housing.
The Planning and Infrastructure Bill
An outline of the bill with a mix of reactions on potential impacts from IHBC, CIEEM, CIC, ACE and EIC.
Farnborough College Unveils its Half-house for Sustainable Construction Training.
Spring Statement 2025 with reactions from industry
Confirming previously announced funding, and welfare changes amid adjusted growth forecast.
Scottish Government responds to Grenfell report
As fund for unsafe cladding assessments is launched.
CLC and BSR process map for HRB approvals
One of the initial outputs of their weekly BSR meetings.
Building Safety Levy technical consultation response
Details of the planned levy now due in 2026.
Great British Energy install solar on school and NHS sites
200 schools and 200 NHS sites to get solar systems, as first project of the newly formed government initiative.
600 million for 60,000 more skilled construction workers
Announced by Treasury ahead of the Spring Statement.