How Safe are Stairlifts?

Having a stairlift installed in your home should make a real difference to your life – giving you back the freedom to enjoy parts of your home that may have become a struggle.

When you look at having a stairlift installed, you’re going to have many questions. One of those questions will probably be ‘are stairlifts safe’?

After all, when you have a stairlift installed  it should mean your home opens up to you again, allowing you back into rooms you may have long struggled to get to. What you don’t want is a feeling of danger or insecurity – that’s why we think it’s vital that your stairlift is safe, secure and comfortable.

In this article we're going to look at the steps we take to make our stairlifts safe.

Construction and Testing

Ultimately, safety is all about standards.

The most important step in making a stairlift safe is just that – making it. That’s why we don’t use pre-built components. Instead we measure the staircase and then build bespoke parts to ensure everything fits together and works the way it should.

On top of this, we have a rigorous testing regime. Every design and every major component is tested for 25,000 return journeys, the equivalent of 10 years use.

We test throughout the manufacturing process with every individual unit tested to capacity before it can leave the factory. If a staircase requires curved rails, then these are tested for ride quality before they are allowed to be shipped.

Speed

One key to a safe stairlift is the speed it travels at. For a safe and comfortable ride, you need to get the speed right.

That’s why all of our stairlifts move at 0.1 meter per second. To put that into context, the average straight staircase in the UK is 4.14 metres, which means a one way trip would take 41.1 seconds.

Our extensive testing has shown that this speed is safe both for straight and curved staircases.

Designing for Safety

Making a stairlift safe isn’t just about quality construction or speed of travel – while those elements are important, there’s still more to be done to ensure your safety.

That’s why our stairlifts are built with various additions to keep you safe and secure. These include arm rests, foot rests, seat belts and a host of other safety features. Our experts will ensure that your stairlift will have the right safety features for your staircase.

Every staircase is different, which means every stairlift we make is different. Whatever the design, safety is always a top concern.

Discover More

To find out more about how we work to make our bespoke stairlifts safe for you to use, and comfortable to boot, call us on 0808 250 6032 - or alternatively contact us online today!