4 Ways to Ensure Safety in Ramp Use

by Isabel Blamey Professional writer

The purposes of ramps are several but one major purpose is to enable the disabled, older, and injured persons to safely access a place. Ramp solutions are hence installed in homes, storefronts, office buildings, and wherever they're needed. In many cases, ramps are also used for loading heavy materials from the ground to a storeroom or warehouse using loading trolleys. However, this article emphasises on the safety of the residential wheelchair ramp. It explains the key factors that you should keep in mind in the installation and maintenance of the ramps so that none of the users is hurt or injured.

Ensure a clean and rugged surface

This is obviously to ensure that users on the ramp do not slip away and get hurt. Wheelchairs can skid and hand crutches can slip if the surface is highly finished. Risks are adverse when the ramp is cleaned and water from the wash did not dry out. So, make sure to use the rugged surface for your disability ramps. While using materials like wood, aluminium, or concrete is must to make the ramps sturdy, make the surface texture non-slippery by carving it with dents and designs.

Provide handrails

Do not forget about the handrails! Ramps for homes or offices or any place must be affixed with handrails so that the climbers get support throughout. This is necessary because the disabled persons or older person on the wheelchair may not be always accompanied by someone. So, handrails will help them climb the ramp and ride up or down safely. Besides, make sure that handrails are not slippery to provide good grip.

Provide shade over the ramp

Shade over the ramp is essential to make it weather resistant. The surface won’t get wet during rain or snow and is safe to access. Also, shade is needed to protect the ramp from dust and sunlight which corrodes the surface over a long time which will make the ramp weaker in strength.

Take care of the slope or slanting

Higher slope or inclination of the ramp is riskier! It not only makes it difficult for disabled persons to climb the ramp but can also cause unpredictable falls if someone climbs down in haste. There’s a specific formula for determining the ideal slope of the ramp solution which takes account of the ramp length and the height from the ground surface to the entryway. The ramp installers or the furnishings suppliers know it well. So, do not take the decision of the slope on your own.

Ramps are needed to help the disabled ones and thus no mistake by making your residential wheelchair ramp unsafe by ignoring these aspects. Even if your ramp is for the movement of normal, fit persons, walking over a slippery ramp surface or climbing a steep ramp with no support or railings is prone to accidents. Thus, pay special heed to these and ask your ramp solution provider too to consider these while crafting your ramp.

Author bio: The author is an architect who designs disability ramps, residential wheelchair ramp for ensuring the safe mobility of the handicapped persons. He is an author and contributes to blogs where he discusses the usefulness of ramps for homes and offices.