We recently specified an exterior vertical platform lift for the Denver Montclair International School Gymnasium in place of an ADA ramp option. The lift will be used for wheelchair access as well as food delivery. Most lifts are generally 36” x 54” in size and come in two different access options; adjacent and straight-through. All seem to have a weight capacity between 550 and 750 lbs. The standard lift height is 53”, with the maximum being 171”. Lifts can also come with an optional landing gate that will be needed if the lift is, for example, adjacent to a stair landing.
Depending on the application, vertical lifts may come fully-assembled but are obviously the more expensive option. A wide variety of standard and optional safety features are available for commercial lifts such as emergency stop controls and alarm buttons, and they are often keyed to comply with code requirements. Most lifts can also be programmed to stop at three separate points along their tracks. Like residential lifts, most commercial lifts also offer a battery backup option.
