Wheelchair lifts, or Vertical Platform Lifts (VPLs), are designed to ensure the safety of the passenger. If one of the many checkpoints along the chain of safety is breached, the lift will not move. With the redundant safeties available on VPLs it can sometimes appear that everything is fine, but the lift will not run.
Check Your Wheelchair Lift
Here are a few quick things to check prior to calling for service on your wheelchair lift.
- The controls of a platform lift are required to use constant pressure to make the lift run. Make sure you press and hold the control when trying to move.
- Ensure that the emergency stop switch is in the run position. The switch is pulled out to run and is pushed in to stop the lift. Confirm you have pulled the stop switch out. Often times an alarm will sound when the stop is activated.
- The lift will not operate if any gate and/or door is not completely closed. Make certain that all of the gates and/or doors are closed. The door at the destination landing must be closed and locked. A door zone sensor is used to allow the door at the loading floor to remain unlocked until the lift has traveled 2 inches away from that floor. All other doors MUST BE CLOSED AND LOCKED or the lift will not operate.
- On an unenclosed lift, ensure that there are no obstructions under the platform. An under-platform safety device is provided on all unenclosed lifts. If the lift is traveling down and encounters an obstruction it will cease traveling in the down direction. However, the lift will be able to travel up and away from the obstruction. After the obstruction has been removed, the lift will function like normal.
- Ensure that there is power to the lift.
Call a Professional
If you have exhausted these remedies and the lift still will not operate, a service call will be required. Local elevator service providers usually have a technician on call 24 hours a day so you always have service available.