TiLite
®
OM000007 - Rev. B
7
E. DESCENDING A FLIGHT OF STAIRS
WARNING
TiLite does not recommend that its wheelchairs be transported up or down stairways with the
user in the wheelchair.
However, TiLite recognizes that wheelchair users may, on occasion, have no other choice. Only if
you have no alternative, you should follow these steps to descend a flight of stairs.
1. NEVER attempt to negotiate more than one step unless you have two (2) able-bodied adult
assistants.
2. ALWAYS position the chair and rider facing down the stairs, with one assistant at the rear (facing
down the stairs) and one at the front of the chair (facing the rider).
3. The assistant at the rear of the chair is in control of this procedure. He or she must tilt the chair
back to its balance point on the rear wheels and roll it to the edge of the first step. NEVER
attempt to lift a wheelchair by lifting on any removable (detachable) parts, including upholstery.
4. The second assistant at the front must stand at the third step from the top and firmly grasp a
non-detachable part of the front frame with both hands. The second assistant must lower the
chair one stair at a time by letting the rear wheels roll over the stair edge. Each assistant then
carefully moves down to the next stair.
5. Repeat steps 1 through 4 for each stair, until you reach the ground level.
6. When you reach the ground level, the first assistant should carefully lower the front casters to the
ground.
If you ignore these Warnings, you may fall, tip over or lose control of the wheelchair and seriously
injure yourself or others or damage the wheelchair.
WARNINGS REGARDING FALLING AND TIPPING OVER
A. CENTER OF GRAVITY—STABILITY AND BALANCE
WARNING
Most falls or tip-overs occur when you go beyond the center of gravity of you and your
wheelchair. TiLite wheelchairs are designed to remain stable and upright in normal daily use and
activities so long as you do not exceed the center of gravity.
Every movement you make in your chair, and the rapidity with which you move, will have an
affect on your center of gravity. The more you shift your body weight and the greater the speed at
which you shift it, the greater the impact on your center of gravity in your chair.
There is a point where your wheelchair will tip forward or backward or to the side—which is a
function of your center of gravity in the chair—its center of balance and stability. The type of chair,
the setup of your chair, the options on your chair and the changes you make to the setup or
options will all affect the center of gravity and therefore the stability of the chair. As the stability
decreases, the risk of a fall or tip-over increases.
Set forth below is a list of various types of adjustments that you may be able to make to your
wheelchair, depending on the wheelchair model you own, and a brief description of how those
adjustments will affect your center of gravity:
Summary of Contents for Rigid Aero Z Series
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