| Tagged in: Wheelchair Lifts | Aug 24, 2009 |
| Posted by: admin | Comment (0) |
Recently, I have been fielding an increased number of questions from Case Managers concerning the requirements and applications of the New Hampshire "Elevator and Accessibility Lift Law". Since all elevators and accessibility lifts installed in New Hampshire must comply with this law, a working knowledge of its requirements is helpful for anyone involved in the process of providing this equipment to the disabled community. In this post, I'll try to respond to the issues Case Managers have asked about. DISCLAIMER: This information is meant as a helpful reference only and is not intended as any sort of official interpretation.
The equipment covered by the law includes elevators, vertical and inclined platform lifts and stair lifts. The Elevator and Accessibility Lift Law was written to ensure user safety by mandating which type of lift - commercial or residential - can be installed in any given setting and the requirements for safety and inspection of each.
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Residential grade lifts are the typical elevator, wheelchair platform lift or stair lift intended for use by a specific individual in a private residence. These units come with basic safety features such as an emergency stop switch and a safety device that stops lift movement if an obstruction is encountered.
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Commercial grade lifts are designed for use in public spaces where the lift is available to a variety of users. For this reason, they are required to have additional safety features, such as gates or doors with interlocks to limit unauthorized access, an over speed device that will disable the controls and prevent the unit from moving in the event of a malfunction, plus others. They must be inspected and certified by the NH Department of Labor (NH DOL) Elevator Inspection Division for proper operation upon installation and annually thereafter.
In New Hampshire, the installation of a residential lift may be subject to local permitting, but no other inspections or approvals are required by the state. Commercial lifts, however, require pre-installation plan approval, certification for initial operation, annual inspection/recertification by the NH DOL - all of which require fees - and the timely reporting (within 48 hours) of any accidents occurring during the ongoing use of the lift. The additional fees, plus the higher purchase price of a commercial grade unit, make it more expensive to buy and maintain than a residential grade lift.
The use
