Do you manage a shopping centre, department store, theatre, office block or any other type of building? If so, you will want to ensure that the building is accessible to as many people as possible. Sometimes, it may be possible to have a one-level building, but not often. Most of the time your property will occupy several floors, and that creates difficulties for wheelchair users and others with mobility issues. If you want everyone to access all parts of your building, you must find a way for them to move between floors. In many cases, the most effective solution is to install wheelchair lifts.

Why are wheelchair lifts the best option?

You might think that it would be easier to install ramps than lifts. In some circumstances, you may be right, but ramps can often take up far more of the available floor space than a lift. If you don't want to waste valuable floor space or make an impossibly steep ramp, a lift makes sense. If you already have lifts between floors in your building, you may think you don't need to think about special wheelchair lifts, but is that true? Often, although each floor may be accessible by a lift, that doesn't mean that the whole floor is on the same level. Parts of the floor may be slightly raised, making them inaccessible to wheelchair users. A similar situation can arise, where there are no steps within the building, but there are a few steps to gain entry to the front door of a venue. By fitting wheelchair lifts, you can open up the whole of the building to everyone.

Are wheelchair lifts worthwhile?

If you manage a building, it can be tempting to think that wheelchair lifts are an additional expense that can be ignored, but that could be a serious mistake. Only a small percentage of your customers may use wheelchairs, but that doesn't mean they are not worth worrying about. If they cannot use your premises, you will lose their sales. You may also lose sales from their family. Wheelchair users often do not shop alone. Even when they try to shop alone, they are unlikely to recommend to their friends a shop they cannot enter. Overall, the financial loss to you is likely to be far more than the sales income from a few people. Beyond that, there is also disability rights legislation to consider. Your business must be legally compliant with disabilities' legislation, or you could face a substantial fine.

Reach out to a local wheelchair lift installer to learn how to get started.