Saturday, April 7, 2012

all you should know about wheelchair ramp

There are people everywhere who use wheelchairs or power scooters, either because their legs don't function properly or they have trouble standing for a long time. Wheelchair ramps are inclines found outside buildings and inside houses so people who use wheelchairs can get around. The slope of these ramps needs to be a certain ratio to be useful, and ramps can be portable or permanent. Laws protecting those with disabilities have had a huge impact on the increasing number of ramps being built.
Significance 
With the passage of the American Disabilities Act and further passages of laws protecting the rights of people with disabilities, these signify that our society is more willing to accept people who are different. Wheelchair ramps can now be seen on many buildings and apartment complexes and are standard when new buildings are made. Before these laws, people who needed ramps to get around would have to fend for themselves. The addition of more of these means that government has realized its need to provide these services.
Types
Three main types of wheelchair ramps are portable, modular and vehicle. Portable kinds fold up and can be used to climb small stairs or are sturdy and solid inclines that can be moved if necessary. Modular ramps are permanent and consist of aluminum-made inclines with handrails. These meet American standards for school or other office buildings. Vehicle ramps are for people in wheelchairs to exit and enter a vehicle and are installed on the side or back of a van or larger vehicle.
Time Frame
An important time for wheelchair ramps and rights for people that need them happened with the passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act in 1990 in the U.S. Aside from prohibiting discrimination for people with disabilities, it also required that buildings and businesses provide accommodations for people who cannot walk, including wheelchair accessibility into the building or even access to public transportation like trains and buses. Due to this passage, stairs cannot be the only way to access a public structure.
Size
The size of the ramp depends on what type of wheelchair or scooter the person drives--measurements are found in the manual. For businesses, the recommended ratio for size is 1:12. Every inch of incline needs one foot of ramp in this case. For the home, use a 2:12 ratio if the person is sitting in his chair, and a 3:12 slope can be used for an empty scooter if it can be driven up the ramp. When building, the easiest place to start is to measure the length of the stairs that need covering and go from there.
Function
Wheelchair ramps are used in place of stairs for people who use wheelchairs or power scooters. Disabled people use these ramps to get out of cars, into buildings, down or up to the entrances of public places or into the street. Any place might have this assisted access if the only way to get to a building or structure is stairs. Often people who cannot walk build ramps up to their house or inside to help them get up the stairs.