Posts Tagged "Commercial Accessibility"

23Aug

Custom Built Accessibility Lifts

by UppercutAndrew
Commercial Accessibility

While the primary purpose of an custom built accessibility lifts should be to provide reliable wheelchair access, this doesn’t necessarily mean the device needs to look like a piece of medical equipment. We recently completed a project for a client that required secondary wheelchair access up to the 3rd floor of an office building. There are a variety of products that would satisfy this need but this client had some very specific criteria. Due to the fact the accessibility lift needed to be located in an atrium full of glass and plants it was important to preserve the look of the space. The client required:

  1. A pit-less application – they wanted to avoided cutting up the existing concrete
  2. No machine room – the available space did not allow for this
  3. A full height car complete with a ceiling – they wanted to duplicate the feel of a regular passenger elevator
  4. Travel speed of 37′ per minute (maximum allowable by code) – The lift needed to travel over 23′
  5. Bi-folding doors – so that they did not swing into the hallway at the second and 3rd levels
  6. An aesthetically pleasing hoistway and lift – It needed to look like it belonged in the space

 

RAM CTL ACCESSIBILITY LIFTS

The first 5 points could be easily achieved by using the RAM CTL (commercial traction lift), as this would all be included in the standard product offering. To achieve the desired look we needed to get creative so we did the following custom work:

  • Had Greywolf projects build a custom glass and wood hoistway finished as per the clients specifications
  • Added a glass wall to the elevator car
  • Provided stainless steel doors at the landing entrances
  • Upgraded the lift with  stainless steel trim inside the elevator car
  • Clad the lift wall panels with a custom laminate

More information on Commercial Accessibility Lifts can be found here or you can contact us  at our Calgary or Edmonton offices.

 

 

 

13Apr

Portable Wheelchair lift

by UppercutAndrew
Commercial Accessibility

Portable Wheelchair lift

We recently delivered a portable wheelchair lift to the Air Force Museum Society of Alberta. This product was the perfect solution as they had several locations which required temporary wheelchair lift access. This portable wheelchair lift easily rolls to each display and allows everyone to view all the amazing  features of the museum .

The RAM portable wheelchair lift is utilized when necessary, then stored away until another accessibility need arises. This was a far more cost effective solution than installing a stationary lift at each display. It also gives the museum the flexibility to move or add new attractions at a later date.

This wheelchair accessibility  lift is not intended to replace a permanent lift, and must be stored away from the place of access when not in use. The Portable Trus-T-Lift™ in not required to be inspected by AEDARSA (Alberta Elevating Devices  Amusement Rides Safety Association) due to its portable and temporary nature. Please note that portable wheelchair lifts are not intended to replace  or alleviate the need for a permanent installation. Chances are if you are required by code to make a space accessible you will need to go the permanent lift route.

The small footprint allows for easy storage and manoeuvrability . The dimensions can be viewed at the following Portable lift sample drawing.

If you require more information on permanent or portable accessibility lifts please visit the page here

17Mar

Uppercut adds another wheelchair accessibility lift to a public building

by UppercutAndrew
Commercial Accessibility News and Such

We recently completed an installation at the Prairie Moon Inn and Suites located in Consort Alberta. The contractor was looking at retrofitting a wheelchair accessibility lift into the existing building. We had limited space so there was no excess square footage available for a machine room, nor did the contractor want to chip away the concrete slab to create a pit. The end user needed a durable drive mechanism that could handle lots of use, as it would be the only elevating device in the hotel.

Fortunately we had the ideal product for this situation. We utilized the RAM CTL, which requires no machine room or pit. The secret to this wheelchair accessibility lift is its  compact traction counter weight drive, that fits right in the hoist-way. This system has passed the test of time and is 50% more energy efficient than comparable hydraulic wheelchair lifts. We were able to provide a lift platform of close to 21 square feet, and a 1000lb capacity, so guests would feel comfortable when riding in this lift. The interior car finish featured raised car panels (standard offering) with a stainless steel  reveal.

 

For more information on commercial accessibility lifts please contact us at either our Calgary or Edmonton offices

 

Outdoor Porch Lifts for Private and Public Applications

by UppercutAndrew
Commercial Accessibility Home Accessibility

The number one question we get when discussing an exterior lift is “how well does it work in the winter?”.  Although we have been fortunate in Alberta so far this year , we know all too well that freezing temperatures are never too far off the horizon.  So the question regarding cold weather operation is very valid.

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Our preferred lift for exterior installations is the RAM Trus-T-Lift™.  We recommend this wheelchair lift for both residential and commercial applications for the following reasons:

Drive Mechanism

The TrusT utilizes a reliable ACME screw drive. Unlike hydraulic drives, there is no hydraulic fluid to thicken when the temperature gets cold.

Finish

Some outdoor porch lifts are simply painted, but  all Trus-T-Lift™s are finished with a durable powder coating that ensures the finish will stand up to the elements

Zero Load Start

This is a feature that is unique to the Trus-T-Lift™ that allows the motor to run prior to picking up the user. This feature minimizes the strain on the device giving the motor a chance to “warm up” and therefore it doesn’t experience the stress of start- up while under load.  The result is fewer problems with breakers or fuses blowing under extreme conditions.

 

Simplicity

Keeping things simple has allowed this wheelchair lift to be a reliable accessibility solution when the temperatures drop. There are no hoses, valves, PC boards, pumps, or complex reslifts_5controllers associated with this drive .

Made in Alberta

Beyond any pride you may experience from buying local, it’s good to know that your outdoor lift is made for people, by people who live in the same environment as you. The Trus-T-Lift™ has been manufactured for close to 30 years in Edmonton, where they know a thing or two about winter conditions.

 

If you have more questions regarding exterior porch lifts contact us or click here for more information

 

 

15Jan

Unenclosed Wheelchair Lifts for Public Buildings

by UppercutAndrew
Commercial Accessibility
Unenclosed commercial Trus-T-Lift™

Unenclosed Trus-T-Lift™ with an Upper Landing Door

 

 

 

Our Unenclosed Wheelchair Lifts are ideal when you need access to a stage, raised lobby or any rise under 2500mm (98″) ,  an unenclosed vertical platform lift (VPL) may be the ideal solution. These elevating devices can save you on construction cost simply because as the name indicates they are “unenclosed”, and do not require a hoistway to be built. They do not need a pit and usually, come with a fold down ramp to create easy access to the lift platform. These lifts when installed commercially must adhere to the B-355 code and be inspected by AEDARSA (Alberta Elevating Devices & Amusement Rides Safety Association).

If you are thinking about wheelchair access for your place of worship, school, community centre or any public  building there, are a  few items to remember when considering an unenclosed VPL for accessibility.

The following items should be noted and discussed with your accessibility lift consultant:

 

 

 

 

  • Any lift penetrating a floor can not be unenclosed and must have a hoistway constructed complete with a lower door.
    Trus-T-Lift™

    Unenclosed Trus-T-Lift™ with a Platform Gate

    Lifts with a rise of more than 600mm(23.5″) require an upper landing gate or full height door with an interlock

  • These lifts will require an under platform sensor to remove the crushing or pinching hazard
  • The running clearance (if partially enclosed) can be no less than 51mm(2″) and no more than 102mm (4″)
  • The fascia wall where the lift runs must be level, plum, and smooth
  • Typical capacities of these units are restricted to 750 lbs with a maximum of 1 wheelchair user and an attendant
  • All B-355 code compliant lifts (enclosed and unenclosed) are required to operate under constant pressure
  • Depending on the application you may want to restrict access by making the unit keyed. A provision will have to be made so the public can call an attendant if the device is keyed.
  • For higher rises, you may want to consider a platform gate that travels with the lift for safety
  • A rough footprint of a standard platform will be approximately 4′ wide by 5′ long. A sample drawing can be found here
  • Your lift will require an initial inspection, maintenance and an annual inspection
  • There will be items not provided by the lift contractor such as emergency lighting , GFCI receptacle, and electrical disconnect

 

Over the years I have provided a multitude of these units to create wheelchair access in public buildings. Unenclosed vertical platform accessibility lifts offer a simple and cost-effective solution for your barrier free needs.

 

For more information on commercial accessibility lifts, including larger enclosed  lifts that penetrate the floor, please click here

For information on residential lifts, please click here

9Nov

Commercial accessibility lifts, and their limitations under the B-355 code

by UppercutAndrew
Commercial Accessibility

Commercial accessibility lifts are a cost  effective solution when it comes to making public buildings accessible. Vertical platform lifts or VPL’s can eliminate barriers for wheelchair users or those faced with mobility issues. Their relatively small footprint and minimal contractual requirement make them ideal for existing public buildings where accessibility is a concern. They do however have their limitations under the B-355 code, which they are inspected.

IMG_9377

Enclosed lift

The first consideration is platform size. Public accessibility lifts are mandated to have a platform that is no greater the 21 square feet. A typical “large” wheelchair lift would have a 48″x 60″platform. This size of platform is big enough to accommodate a wheelchair user doing a 90-degree turn. A more common size would be in the range of 34″ x 54″ where the user enters and exits on the same side, or travels through the platform and exits on the opposite side.

Next, we must look at the  travel restrictions that are imposed within the code. Enclosed  B-355 accessibility lifts can travel no more than 7000mm or 23.1 feet. Unenclosed wheelchair lifts can travel up to 2500mm or 98.25″. Enclosed units will require a hoistway constructed around the device with a door at the lower landings and the minimum of  a gate at the uppermost landing. Unenclosed units travelling more than 500mm (19.65″) will require a gate or a door at the upper landing. It should be noted that any lift penetrating a floor will be required to be an enclosed vertical platform lift needing a hoist-way constructed.

The weight capacity  of wheelchair accessibility lifts varies from manufacturer to manufacturer, but most unenclosed vertical platform lifts have a capacity of either 550lbs or 750lbs. Enclosed units usually have a capacity  somewhere between 750lbs – 1400lbs.

 

20150122_132001

Unenclosed lift

 

 

Perhaps the biggest drawback of public accessibility lifts is the requirement for them to operate using constant pressure. This simply means you must hold the button for the device to operate. This is partially due to the fact the lift platform has no gate or sliding elevator door.

As universal accessibility for all members of society  is now considered the norm , the popularity of these barrier free lifts has increased. You can find barrier-free accessibility lifts  in most schools, community centres and places of worship.

 

For more information on commercial accessibility lifts please contact us for a free consultation

 

 

 

 

 

23Jun

Advantages of (Machine Room-less) MRL Elevators

by UppercutAndrew
Commercial Accessibility Home Elevators

This article is not referring to passenger elevators and is intended to discuss the advantages of MRL Elevators in a residential or commercial accessibility lift setting. A machine room-less elevator or an MRL Elevator is a device that typically houses the drive mechanism at the top of the hoistway. By doing this the need for a machine room is eliminated, as the entire device is contained within the elevator footprint.MRL elevator

Units that require a machine room( like most hydraulic drives) will also require the electrical and hydraulic hoses to run through a wall from the machine room to the elevator hoistway. In cases where the machine room is not adjacent to the elevator, a remote machine room will be required.  This can be costly and create logistical problems with the running of hydraulic hose through the floor, ceiling or in the walls. It also poses several maintenance concerns; What if a hose ran through a ceiling for instance and it starts to leak? Will it be possible to do a scheduled hose replacement? What type of ongoing costs should you expect in this application? This is a definite advantage of an MRL, having the entire elevator in one contained space.

The second advantage is quite simple; with an MRL elevator, you do not have to allocate the additional space to house the drive mechanism. Depending on the drive system and whether the installation is residential or commercial (B-355),  a machine room could require anywhere from 12  to 20 square feet.  This is space that could be used for storage, a larger elevator car, or a revenue opportunity (like a couple of extra tables in a restaurant).

Finally look at all the costs associated with constructing that machine room. If you think about it,  its equivalent to the cost of half the elevator hoistway  (2 stop). On top of the basic room construction, you will need to provide lighting, possible drains, sump pumps or oil separators, additional sprinkler/smoke detectors, and an additional door (fire rated in a public application).  These costs can add up quickly, and should be considered when calculating the overall cost of the elevator.

To recap MRL Elevator units will:

  • Save you money when it comes to maintenance
  • Require less space
  • Reduce the initial cost of construction

For more information on Commercial MRL Elevators click here For more information on Residential MRL Elevators click here

1Jun

LEED, LULA’s and Living Walls

by UppercutAndrew
Commercial Accessibility News and Such

RAM Recently completed the installation and commissioning of a Limited Use Limited Application (LULA) elevator for the  cutting edge   Mosaic Center, in Edmonton, AB.

What is a Limited Use Application Elevator? LULA Elevators are probably the best solution for low-rise buildings. They have many benefits over other full-size commercial elevators during build and installation & through the life of the elevator.

This marks the first time that RAM has been involved in a project where their commercial elevator  was used in a Commercial Net-Zero building. This is now one of the most Northern  LEED platinum-certified buildings in the world, which RAM is proud to be part of.

Along with the Platinum LEED designation, this Elevator features a living hoistway wall.

This project was recently   featured on the CBC. The interview can be found at the following link. CBC interview

More information on LULA Elevators can be found here