Wheelchair Ramps

Wheelchair ramps come in all shapes, sizes and types including permanent, semi-permanent, and portable ramp versions.

A wheelchair ramp is an inclined plane that can be used instead of stairs by wheelchair users as well as people pushing strollers or carts.

The Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA) requires that a building or structure be accessible to wheelchair users and therefore a wheelchair ramp is needed. The wheelchair ramp gives a wheelchair user more accessibility where a vertical distance must be traversed.

Sem-permanent ramps - Rest on top of the ground or padding and are commonly used for short-term solutions.

Permanent ramps - Long-term solutions for disability act compliance and are usually bolted or cemented in place. These are best suited for new buildings or halls.

Portable ramps - Made of lightweight materials and can fold for ease of transport. It is important to find a variety that has a skid resistance surface. They are available in various metals and aluminum blends that are easy to maintain and clean.

Vehicle Ramps - Vans equipped with wheelchair ramps are commonly seen at senior centers and schools where they are used to transport people with disabilities to and from public events. Many dealers sell vans with these ramps already attached - in fact it may be easier to purchase a new van rather than modify your old van to accommodate a wheelchair ramp. Track Wheelchair Ramps are designed to line up with the wheels of the wheelchair some of which use a telescoping design that extends to be used on steps, vans or curbs. For public transportation the construction of low floor trams and buses is being encouraged by the federal government.

There are quite a variety of portable vehicle wheelchair ramps available. Some are just ramps while others have handrails. Deluxe versions have handrails on both sides. The old style of track wheelchair ramps is still available. These have one ramp per set of wheels for the wheel chair and are most commonly used with vehicle access.

Suitcase portable wheelchair ramps - Standard, single-folding units that fold in half and are carried like a suitcase with handles.

In America for loading unoccupied wheelchairs the ADA recommends a 3:12 slope. This means for every three inches of vertical rise you are required to have a least one foot of ramp. For business use the ADA recommends a 1:12 slope which means that every one inch of vertical rise requires one for the ramp. For example 24 inches of rise demands a 24-foot-ramp minimum. The UK has its own set of guidelines which are more complicated because they integrate the metric and English terms of measurement.

Your state or provincial government is a good place to start if you're looking for more information on how to make your business more accessible. Often your local government is able to provide tips on which features are the most effective and on how to install them.

Product appraisals and trials involving wheelchair users have highlighted the fact that no single ramp design met all the needs of the users, though wheelchair ramps were available in a diverse range of designs and configurations.

Further Information Regarding Wheelchair Ramps

Portable Wheelchair Ramps
Portable wheelchair ramps are a convenient way for a wheelchair user to access any area. They can help you get over steps or thresholds, or enter a number of different models of vans, minivans, and SUVs, without having to modify them for wheelchair access.

Building a Home Wheelchair Ramp
Rarely do people consider the blessing of simply being able to enter and exit the home, unless a wheelchair bound disability makes stairs an impenetrable barrier. For someone in a wheelchair, the flight of stairs might require friends and family to lift them up or down. That means this person is very much dependent on the assistance of friends and family to be able to do simple thing such as go out and enjoy the sunshine, go to appointments, run errands, or go to the mailbox.

PortaWalk Portable Wheelchair Ramps
There's nothing more frustrating for someone with a disability than to approach a building without proper access and wonder how you will enter without a safe ramp. PortaWalk wheelchair ramps are specifically designed for portable and temporary needs as well as engineered to be in compliance with ADA guidelines. Using a minimum of components to accommodate a wide variety of buildings, elevations and site arrangements, PortaWalk is the system that is cost effective, durable and portable.

Constructing Wheelchair Ramps to ADA Specifications
Wheelchair ramps are a statutory necessity in building construction. The American with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA) gives construction specifications of wheelchair ramps. These ramps enable disabled persons and patients to move into and out of buildings without undergoing undue difficulties. Hence, construction of wheelchair ramps to ADA specifications is mandatory.