Disabled lift or cabin lift?

With multiple brands of disabled lifts on the market, we understand that it can be difficult to choose the best one.

In this article, we will look at disabled lifts and cabin lifts, explore their benefits and discover the most suitable one for disabled access in your home.

What is a stair platform disabled lift?
As the name suggests, a stair platform disabled lift is a model of lift that moves on a rail system laid along the stairs. A disabled person can travel on its platform with their wheelchair.

These special lifts are designed to provide easy and safe access between floors for wheelchair users. They are suitable for indoor and outdoor use.

Safety is provided by non-slip floors and supporting arm barriers that prevent wheelchairs from falling while the lift is in motion.

Why are stair platform disabled lifts installed?
Disabled lifts are installed for a variety of reasons:

1. The need to provide safe wheelchair access to a high floor. This includes high entrances to buildings.

2. In places where disabled ramps would not be practical. For example, in buildings or schools with narrow corridors and long staircases.

3. In low-rise buildings where it is unnecessary to install a cabin lift.

A straight rail stair-type platform disabled lift operates along a track without a curve, while curved rail lifts are used on rail systems with varying slopes.

Benefits of a curved platform lift
There are many advantages to installing an inclined wheelchair lift.

1. Users maintain their independence
These lifts help disabled people maintain their independence.

In areas or buildings without elevators, those who cannot leave their wheelchairs are confined to a single floor, making them largely dependent on caregivers.

An inclined platform lift allows wheelchair users to move up and down floors without assistance.

2. Health and safety
Carers can find it difficult to lift their patients onto or off the stairs, and doing so can be bad for their backs and lead to possible injuries.

An inclined lift is a safer and more dignified way to prevent stair accidents.

3. Requires very little space to install
A tilting wheelchair lift only requires one rail to operate and can be folded down to create space for others in the stairwell.

This also makes tilting platform lifts ideal for retrofitting existing buildings to be wheelchair accessible.

4. They are economical
While prices vary between manufacturers and depend on how far the lift needs to reach, tilting platform lifts are generally more affordable than other types of access lifts and do not require an expensive and time-consuming liftwell to install.

What is a cabin lift?
Traditionally found in high-rise buildings such as hotels and department stores, cabin lifts consist of an enclosed passenger cabin with doors that open and close.

Unlike platform stairlifts, they travel vertically up and down a liftwell housing the cabin and lifting mechanism.

Cabin lifts typically carry up to 400kg, equivalent to eight people at a time, and have plenty of space for wheelchair access.

Costs vary depending on the type, manufacturer and size of the cabin lift, but are generally more expensive than inclined platform lifts.

What are the benefits of a cabin lift?
Although not designed solely for disabled access, cabin lifts are used by wheelchair users in public and residential areas. And they can offer a wide range of benefits.

1. Speed
Depending on the manufacturer, our cabin lifts travel at up to 0.15m/s as specified in the Provision of Machinery (Safety) Regulations 2008.

2. They have a distinct appearance, and can be panoramic.
Their interiors and mechanisms are enclosed behind closing doors, making cabin lifts highly discrete, whilst still providing disabled access.

Modern lifts can even be designed to match the décor and are considered a bold style feature.

3. They offer spacious interiors
Cabin lifts are more spacious and have space for wheelchair users, carers and other passengers, as well as luggage and bags.

Do I need a disabled or cabin lift? Disabled lift or cabin lift?

When choosing a lift, you should consider its purpose, your budget and the building in which you will install it.

In low-rise buildings where access between floors is only an issue for wheelchair users, a platform lift is more practical.

Inclined platform lifts are also more economical and require only one stair rail to operate on, making them more suitable for retrofitting.

Four 

For tall buildings above 100 floors, cabin elevators are more suitable.

Although they are more expensive and require a lift shaft, these elevators provide faster access between floors, making them ideal for busy areas.

Enable easy access for everyone
Residential buildings, businesses and public facilities must provide easy wheelchair access to all levels of the property.

Without this, people with disabilities lose their independence and cannot safely maneuver around the building, putting themselves and their carers at unnecessary risk.

Invest in LiftArt disabled elevators

Topic: Disabled elevator or cabin elevator?