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Wheelchair suitability for transport

With the advent of several wheelchairs coming onto the market please see a few helpful hints on how to correctly identify a wheelchair that meets the existing regulations for a patient transportable wheelchair.

The chairs must meet ISO 7176-19:20 which is the industry standard.

How to check if a chair is to standard

The quickest way to check if a wheelchair meets the crash testing standard is by checking the wheelchair manual. Often but not exclusively there is a section towards the rear of the manual on transporting the wheelchair on a vehicle. 

Wheelchairs with a stability bar across the rear handles must always be booked as a “webbing strap chair”. As the bar forms part of the wheelchair integral strength it must not be removed.

If a chair displays the karabiner clamp sign below, this does not indicate that the chair is crash tested for a patient transportation seat, this only denotes the wheelchairs suitability to be attached to a vehicle either by a RIP seat or webbing straps.

 
Electric wheelchairs

Electric wheelchairs must always be secured via the 6 point webbing system.

The tie down points can differ hugely in their position, some are coloured differently to make them stand out and will be located at different points on the chair.

It is imperative that the user manual is consulted before attempting to book an electric wheelchair to check that the chair is crash tested for use as a transportation seat and conforms to ISO 7176-19:2008.

Alternatively if you look on the manufacturers’ website for your make and model of chair you should be able to find the information there.

Example 1	Example 2