Wheelchair Access Lifts

The simple sequence of our lifts makes them easy for disabled wheelchair users to use. To see some of our project case studies, please click here

Sesame offers a vast range of lifting equipment for all users. However some of the lifts that we are asked to design are solely for wheelchair users. This would be classed as a wheelchair access lift. A lift that transfers a wheelchair user between levels must be designed with that in mind. Size, shape, manoeuvrability for access on and off the lift and safety for the users are important design issues that must be considered.

While all of our products are designed to lift wheelchair users, some of the Sesame systems are not designed to lift standing pedestrians. As you can see in the photos, a solid stainless steel toe guard or as we here at Sesame like to call it, the “WheelStop”, rises 100mm around our wheelchair access lifts before they leave lower landing level. When our wheelchair access lifts are at rest this WheelStop sits flush with lower landing level. All that is seen is the top 3mm of the brushed finish stainless steel. The WheelStop and all visible metal work can be specified as any other material from bronze to anodized aluminium.

This unit is specified in the British Standards BS:6440:2011 Powered vertical lifting platforms for non-enclosed or partially enclosed lifeway’s intended for use by persons with impaired mobility. In this standard it states that only seated users can travel on this lift with a WheelStop. This is because the 100mm of solid stainless steel will stop the wheelchair's wheels from rolling off the lift table. The standard then moves on to state that wheelchair access lifts that are to be used by standing pedestrians, must be fully enclosed by barriers around the lifting table to a height of 1100mm. This causes clients and architects many issues when applying for listed building or even just planning consent.

In many cases clients opt for these style of Sesame wheelchair access lifts knowing that users with impaired mobility may need to use them. These clients simply have a wheelchair on site and ask the user to sit in the chair to safely travel from one level to the next. The reasons for this is that to fully enclose the lifting table on all four sides to a height of 1100mm will result in either a more expensive style of lift or a more obvious lift. Sesame offer an access solution where three barriers automatically rise up from the lifting table to a height of 1100mm when called for, but lower below ground when not in use to be completely out of site. Alternatively the client could opt for wheelchair access lifts that permanently have barriers on show. In many cases, planning would not give consent for such a lift.

If you click on the following passenger lift link you will be directed to a web page on our site that shows wheelchair access lifts that can be used by wheelchair users and standing pedestrians. This is the lift described above where three rising barriers automatically rise from the lift plate to fully enclose the user on all four sides. Obviously the riser wall and upper landing gate acts as the protection for the user from falling off the front of the lift.