Are there legal minimums for ramp sizes/lengths?

Property & Home
1

We have great difficulty in getting Fran, my wife, from the house to the car and, to avoid 3 front steps, have been taking a longer and awkward but safer, route from the back.

A builder, asked to quote, only replied when pressed and said it was impossible to build a ramp over the steps as it would need to be 9 metres long, which is way too long.

I just wondered if that was an excuse for some reason or if there is a legal specification of how steep a ramp can be.

The drop from the top is just under half a metre and the preferred length is 3 metres.

I can understand that there may be legal restrictions for public ramps, surgeries etc., but surely not for a private one. The ambulance men have no problem as they wheel her down the steps !!

2

Not sure about any legal requirement, but half a metre up and 3 metre length is a 1 in 6 gradient which is very steep. You would possibly have issues pushing someone up that sort of gradient.

3

Do you have a picture David, I used a set of the below to let Janis into people’s houses, the 213cm ones, is there space in-between the steps or are they in a flight.

4

A starting point

or

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5

Outdoor stairlift? Expensive of course.

6

Yes there are DDA rules for ramps for access patrons, my last employer refused to listen to the regs even though they are a Gov building. They even terminated the cintract of the lovely lady I was working with on the project. Its a safety thing mainly, should anyone loose a grip the chair could career down the ramp.

7

Depending on amount of space available, what about a zigzag style of ramp that is longer but gradual with bends. Just a thought but you have to consider pushing a chair and coming down also and it might be provide a bit of relief. Even a temporary one that could be dismantled eventually when required.

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8

Maybe some government assistance available? Even in the hard pressed UK they help.

9

Once again, thanks to all for the rapid and useful responses.

@hairbear Yes it is steep but I would be pulling not pushing because the large real wheels have to go first always, the little castors at the front would only dig in to the uneven ground.
Also I would envisage a few small ridges for my foot grip and a light braking for the chair. But:-

@Griffin36 those do appeal to me, especially as a permanent ramp has to take into account the fact that it would pass over the pipes to our fosse, not a good idea to isolate them completely.
However, even the ones I would choose, like you the 213cm ones would make it very steep. Perhaps married to a small sloping wedge of concrete at the bottom? This would also addresse the issue of anchorage as the steps are concrete with no obvious point of securing.

@Flocreen I haven’t read the whole of your link in detail but would I be right in thinking that it refers to public access, rather than private? Certainly @Griffin36 's ramps would be steeper.

@Corona & @Shiba Stairlifts and zigzags are not applicable, The first because they require a transfer from seat to chair and back again, something that is already very difficult because of lifting someone with a dislocated shoulder, and the latter because of the limitations of space.

The steepness of the gradient is only relevant to my ability to pull her up and down, nothing else, as she cannot even manoeuvre her wheelchair on the level, let alone a ramp. I think the regulations are aimed at invalids with a measure of independence.

I will ask Gill this evening and Christine tomorrow, also Carole who is one of the infirmiere soignantes who come daily now, for their opinions, but I am well disposed towards the long removable ramps. Especially as they can be used in other places and for other beings, ie elderly dogs who have difficulty getting in and out of the car. :joy:

Again, thanks to all. most useful. :smiley:

10

Bonjour David,
Yes there are I send you the details later (when I get back to my computer) they concern passage widths and level degrees hand rails etc. For private properties like yours there’s no obligation but better for the security of all to respect them.

11

I know the aluminium wheelchair ramps come in 3m lengths as that is what I used.

12

We’ve been wondering about this for our dog and car.we have alu ramps for lawnmower but think they would scratch.

https://www.manomano.fr/catalogue/p/goplus-escalier-pliable-pour-animauxchienchat-escalier-en-plastique-avec-4-marches-feutre-confortable-et-coussinets-antidrapants-charge-max-60kg-beige-56538046?product_id=65633128

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Rough rule of thumb for fixed ramps was ideally 1:20 slope - max of 1:10.

Temporary ramps the longer the ramp the more shallow the slope

3m ramp equates to 30cm of height that is “comfortable” to use for most people

14

Its the rules for public accaess, but those are the rules that would be followed by an entreprise.It might not be what you want, but most entrepries ,I would have thought,will follow that reglementation.

15

Not with a platform lift.

16

My personal opinion is that the regulations re ramps are best followed… in case of accident/incident … when any “error” might negate insurance cover/public liability/whatever…
However, if the difference really is only minimal… really minimal… it might be OK.

I know that our Mairie was “told” it must put in a new slope as the old one wasn’t the correct gradient by today’s norms…

However, to replace it would result in blocking access to the sous-sol… and the difference in gradient was deemed to be so minimal (by someone with some commonsense) that the original slope has now been passed as OK… phew… saved a great deal of money and ruckus…

17

Rather than that I prefer to use a chair owner

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18

That’s exactly in line with my own opinion, 3m, which makes absolute nonsense of the 9 metres that that, otherwise well recommended, builder not only suggested but refused to quote on. Mind you, I shouldn’t have been surprised, he failed to appear on the first arranged meeting and then failed to give his refusal at all, and then only because I met him by chance.

@JaneJones I have not seen steps like that before for animals but would doubt whether they were effective. In my experience some dogs even distrust walking up gentle ramps, let alone mounting and descending steps. If I do buy these ramps for Fran, I’ll let you know how they perform for Opie too. :grinning:. At the moment, at 13, she is still able to get onto the settee, and in and out of the car, but I do have my arm ready if possible for the times that she misses with the back legs. :smiley:

@chrisell When you say

3m ramp equates to 30cm of height that is “comfortable” to use for most people

do you mean people who are able to use the facility by themselves? That is not our case and so I think that as long as I am able, the equivalent of a 3m ramp (ie 2.8 metre ramp + runoff area) is well within our capabilities. Certainly safer than our present method which involves me walking backwards down a slope over very uneven ground. If I was to trip, not only would she run away, but would do it by running me over. :astonished: :rofl:

@Wozza

Yes there are I send you the details later (when I get back to my computer) they concern passage widths and level degrees hand rails etc. For private properties like yours there’s no obligation but better for the security of all to respect them.

Thank you, that’s what I thought.

19

The guidance is just that. It’s the rule of thumb I remember for rough calculations.

The principle is most wheelchair users can manage a 1:20 on their own and 1:10 is generally considered for assisted wheelchair users.

Once you go beyond those it’s your judgement on what you can manage.

20

This is what my mother had. They’re fantastic, but expensive although she didn’t have to pay for it. Wheel on, wheel off.

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