Handicap Ramps

When it comes to handicap ramps, these may not seem the most glamorous of topics to be reading about, but then they are one of those items that are not even thought about until that time when you need to access to certain building or place and you are confronted by a flight of stairs and no alternative way of getting in there. So this article is dedicated to looking at the usefulness and placement value that these often ignored and uninteresting pieces of apparatus can bring to people with disabilities and especially wheelchair users.

There are several types of handicapped ramps and these we will take individually to get a better idea of how they are used, where best placed and their respective advantages and disadvantages.

Types of Handicap Ramps

Handicap ramps come a variety of different types that each has its own specific job to do and is therefore best suited for the placement and purpose it was designed for. Below we break these down into the main types:

Permanent Handicap Ramps

These are built in situ depending upon location and are made from materials such as reinforced concrete, steel or in some cases, wood. This type of ramp is found at building access points, as well as on public walkways where there are steps. You'll also find them at transportation terminals such as bus, coach and railway stations to provide access to buildings and boarding points, for instance on train platforms. Not all transportation terminals are equipped with these ramps, although in time all should be upgraded to bring them up to the correct standards.

Semi-Permanent Handicap Ramps

There are placed on buildings that are waiting to be fitted with permanent ramps, or where it's not possible to retro-fit a more permanent ramp. These types of ramp are usually made from materials such as modular steel, aluminum sections or wood.

Portable Handicap Ramps

These can be easily carried either by the wheelchair user themselves, or their helper and tend to be most often manufactured in aluminum for lightness and portability. For larger and more heavy duty kinds of ramps, these can be made from steel with rubber matting that provides extra grip for wheelchair tires and while they are not quite so easily manhandled by a person with disabilities, they can be moved by one or two professional movers.

Handicap Vehicle Access Ramps

These ramps are for wheelchairs users who need to gain access to handicap vehicles such as handicap vans or people carriers. They allow wheelchair users to access specially adapted vehicles as well as public transport buses, coaches or trains and these are mainly manufactured from aluminum and fitted with rubber matting for better grip. They can either be angled for low rises where wheelchair users can run straight up or down them, or they can be electrically powered verticle platforms that can be raised and lowered with the wheelchair static upom them.

In all situations where a wheelchair user or person with walking or mobility problems needs to climb to a different level and steps cannot be negotiated, handicap ramps are the ideal solution to enabling them to gain access to places or areas that without them would have been inaccessible to them.

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