Why wheelchair Ramps Are Important

Ramps are necessary in order to make buildings handicapped accessible. Wheelchair ramps are inclined planes that are often installed either instead of, or in addition to stairs. This helps people who use wheelchairs to access the buildings. It also lets people who are pushing strollers or carts to access the building much more easily.

There are many different kinds of ramps, ones that are permanent, only semi-permanent, or ones that are completely portable. The ones that are completely permanent are usually either bolted to the ground to keep them in place or they are completely cemented to the ground, again to make it more permanent. These kinds are made of wood, aluminum, or concrete. Wooden ones are not the best material for this kind of structure. They will deteriorate faster than metal or concrete ones. Also, aluminum ones can much more easily be reconfigured or moved. Whereas concrete ones are very permanent and usually have to be destroyed if they no longer want it. The kinds that are portable are also often made of aluminum and they usually fold. Making them able to fold contributes to the ease of transporting them. These kinds are usually used for homes and uses with buildings. They are also used in conjunction with vans. When they are used with vans, they are used to load either an occupied or unoccupied mobility device. Only if the mobility device and the person are easy to move, then can the device be used with a van.

The whole point of these devices is to be useful for people. Many different states and cities have set down rules for minimum widths. The reason for this is because if they are not wide enough to fit wheelchairs or other wheeled devices, then there is no point to have them. Likewise there are usually rules set down for the maximum slopes that can be built for the devices. If the slope is too steep, then it might be very difficult for a person to use it. It might take too much force for a person in a wheelchair to wheel himself or herself up. And if they falter for a moment, they might just roll right back down the slope. This, again, is not very useful. Also, if the slope is too steep, then in icy conditions it can be very dangerous for anyone to navigate, and can be even more dangerous for people using a wheelchair. They could slip down the slope and possibly injure themselves.

These kinds of devices are actually now required to be built with any new building that is built. This is to make sure that everyone has equal and free access to the buildings. If not everyone has access to important buildings like a grocery store or a city hall building then those people are denied some of the rights of others, the right to access the buildings that they need to. This law makes sure that everyone has easy access and his or her rights are up held.