Portable Disability Access Ramps

Portable disability access ramps are particularly useful for a full range of uses. Correctly built portable disability access ramps are not only valuable for wheelchair users, but also for easy transit for carts, trolleys and baby strollers. By design, they should be easy to set up and dismantle as well as not occupy too much storage space. Weight load capacity is important as the portable disability access ramps must not bend when being used by a wheelchair user or even someone on a scooter. Portable disability access ramps are also available to be carried in a car, a van or an SUV. They can also be used for loading into or unloading from the vehicle. In addition, very compact portable disability access ramps can be carried in the trunk or behind a seat to scale a step at the destination, for example to move from the road to the sidewalk.

Wide range of options

The most basic portable disability access ramps come in non folding, shorter length and are a suitable solution, should folding portable disability access ramps not be required because storage space is not a problem. These type of portable disability access ramps are the most economic and can literally be installed or demounted within seconds. These types of ramps which can be extremely short are ideal for scaling a single step or a threshold.

If you are planning to install mobile portable disability access ramps for public places, it is important to check that the ramp you plan to buy or build conforms to ADA certification. Those portable disability access ramps that do normally carry the ADA logo on the ramp itself should be avoided. You can also check with the manufacturer by visiting their website. One of the most important factors is the gradient of the portable disability access ramps cannot exceed 1:12 or 4.8®. Do make sure – having installed the portable disability access ramps – that you have not exceeded these measurements.

If your planned portable disability access ramps are going to be more than 6 feet, you will need to install hand rails. A good choice is a double grip handrail with the higher rail at 36 inches from the portable disability access ramps floor and a second grip at about 20 inches; make sure the handrail has a clearance of about 2.5 inches from any wall behind it, so that the user does not risk scuffing his or her knuckles on the wall behind.

Portable disability access ramps on the road

Portable disability access ramps are often required for use with mobility services such as bus based libraries, medical surgeries or other uses. The portable disability access ramps need to be able to be folded away efficiently in the bus storage area. It is also a good idea to have wheels underneath so the portable disability access ramps can be easily moved into position and then the wheels can be locked down to ensure the ramp is steady and secure. There is a huge number of fold away portable disability access ramps available for use when traveling by car. They can either be used for loading the wheelchair into or out of the vehicle. As they are small, they can be stored on the stowage compartment of the wheelchair itself.