Essential Stairlift Safety Tips

Stairlifts offer those with limited or reduced mobility a viable, smooth and reliable way to enjoy the entirety of their home. This is a hugely understated benefit because it essentially allows those users to be independent within the comfort of their own home which is very important for self-esteem, autonomy and mental health. Stairlifts also mean that those living with mobility issues don’t need to completely re-route their life to move into accessible accommodation. Affordable mobility has been the source of quality Platinum stairlifts in Stoke-On-Trent for many years and our stairlifts are made to suit every conceivable type of staircase imaginable making the option suitable for everyone. 

For all of their benefits Stairlifts are complex pieces of machinery, after all they are tasked with transporting the full weight of a human body safely up many flights of stairs via a rail. It is therefore very important that the necessary safety precautions are taken to safeguard your wellbeing and the wellbeing of others as well as the stairlift itself. So what best practices should you abide by in order to remain safe? 

Prevent Rail Obstruction

In order for stairlifts to function effectively, the chair must be able to travel up the full length of the wall rail without being obstructed by any objects or clothing. If the latter occurs then the stairlift could jam leaving you stuck mid staircase. If you are living with lowered mobility then being left stranded in the middle of a staircase is not a situation to be in as getting back down comes with its own risks of injury and falls not to mention intense stress. The added consequence of a jam as a result of an obstruction means that key areas of your house such as bathroom and bedroom will be out of reach until an engineer makes it to the property. Make sure if possible that someone can clear your stairways of things like pet toys, children’s toys and anything else that may have been left on the stairwell. In addition, make sure that all items of clothing are not dangling over and causing any potential jams before you travel either up or down.   

Add Cushioning To Make Chair Comfortable And Avoid Aches

Like with most household fixtures, people like to add their own touches to make things more comfortable for themselves and we have seen individuals employ extra cushioning and upholstery additions. This is a nice touch and it also means that by adding extra cushioning to your discrepancy, you are safeguarding your back and posture. We would however advise against adorning your stairlift chair with things like throws as they have the potential to obstruct the rail mechanism.

Only Take One Person At A Time

You should be aware that the rail upon which the chair travels on is rooted in your wall using a trail of hard-wearing metal brackets. When you add the weight of a person to the equation, the rail has a lot of weight to cope with and whilst it can cope with a single person, it is not designed to take multiple people.

Curved staircases have a weight limit of 200KG so it is advisable to be mindful of this restriction. In addition, carrying extra persons is also very unsafe as they cannot strap in securely.   

Make Sure Your Stairlift Has Reliable Power Backup

For those with mobility issues, a stairlift becomes an essential functional component of the household as it facilitates travel to the upper areas of their properties. So what happens when the unthinkable occurs and for whatever reason (a power outage or electrical fault for example) your house is left without electricity? The good news is that today’s modern stairlifts are not connected to the mains but are powered by a high-performance battery pack which charges when the stairlift is not in use. This means that at any given time the stairlift will operate even if there is a power outage at your property. 

When it comes to battery packs you cannot afford to take any chances as they are the driving force responsible for your stairlift operating safely. As a safety precaution, you must ensure that your unit is fitted with a reliable battery cell which can retain large amounts of capacity and doesn’t lose energy. This is quite a technical ask so it’s best to enlist the expertise expert engineers by signing up to a planned stairlift maintenance plan.  

5 simple steps to get more business from Occupational Therapists

Explaining the unique features can only get you so far with Occupational Therapists, providing a limited amount of engagement. Creating a situation where you can immerse the OTs into the experience giving an opportunity to engage. This is why exhibitions such as the OT Show are so popular, they can gather essential information and go towards their research criteria. Why wait for these exhibitions, where your competition will be. Provide a controlled situation where you can build a stronger relationship.

1. A Structure

To do this you need a structure that can provide a stable canvas to display your products. A showroom is very useful but unfortunately that is not viable for everyone. A mobile structure is the other option but what about storage, transportation and venue? These are all things you must consider. That is why our mobile demonstration stand is a great alternative, we can provide the support that removes the behind the scenes issues. This portable solution can display all three of our products and stable enough for people to try. All you will then need to do is organise a space.

2. Plan the day

Now you have sourced a stand and venue, time to organise visits from local OTs. This is crucial that you get your timings right, so you have enough staff to engage with the OTs to answer questions and gather important insights from them. If everyone arrives at the same time their experience would not be as personal. Platinum can provide support you in this, with knowledgeable staff to answer any detailed questions and assist your staff about the products. Benefitting your business for the future.

3. Marketing material

After all your hard work ensure your guests know what to do next. Be as clear as possible, business cards, handouts and brochures. OTs are only human and can only absorb so much information, having a handout with key features and a simple call to action that apply to your audience which is people within the occupational therapy. They want clear information on what it can solve and how it is done, having this on a handout will be a great tool for them. Business cards are a very simple and affective method but don’t just rely on them as they are very easy to lose. Have your contact details on as much of your materials as possible. Occupational therapists love freebies provide pens, calendars, notepads or anything else you can think of. Ensure your contact details are on them and they are useful, keeping you in their mind always. Platinum can provide templates for you, on our products. All you would need to do is send a high-resolution logo and your brand colours, we will do the rest.

4. Build a Relationship

Once you have established contact you can progress with building a relationship. People need simplicity, keeping the process as clean as possible will encourage OTs to recommend and build a strong relationship with you. With this comes a level of respect that everyone values, listen to them, they will be happy to share. These insights are valuable for you in attracting new OTs and optimising your service. This is your opportunity to take the situations that have been discussed during the event and provide a solution, if you didn’t already at the event. Showing you have changed something in business due to what they said, will make them feel valued, demonstrate this if you can.

5. Contact digitally

A sign in sheet is great to see who turned up at what time, great data for the future to see the patterns for your next event. Adding an “add your email” column is great for you to send a thank you email, with links to your website, social media and digital version of your brochures. Due to GDPR you will need to state what you are using the email address for and can not force them to provide it. Be clear that they will receive a thank you email with digital brochure and other information that will benefit the attendee. Ensure staff mention the email section so they are aware what they will receive. The more touch points you have with your audience the more likely they will remember you. Elevaton want to assist with the growth of the business and can provide support within all the areas. If you are new to Elevaton please contact us through email info@elevaton.lk or if you are a former customer get in touch with your account manager.

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