Are you across the changes in the Premises Standard?

We care about compliance.  So due to the release of the new Premises Standard that came into effect on 1st May 2011 we have put together an innovative feature to guide you through the do's and don'ts for lift installations.

This Premises Standard is designed to eliminate discrimination against those with a disability and covers a wide range of building elements including: access, signage, tactile indicators as well as disability and passenger lifts.

For further details we have included some frequently asked questions on compliance issues on the FAQ page under the Technical tab of our website.

For a full size version of this document it is available on our website home page under News or please email: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it to request a copy.

Pros and Cons of a Platform Lift for Disability Access

Resolving a disability access issue where over 2 metres of vertical travel are required our 4m Platform Lift could be the most cost effective solution.

The 4m Platform Lift is a disability compliant platform lift that is supplied with its own shaft, as shown in the attached photo.

Through identifying the pros and cons of this type of lift you can assess its suitability to your access needs.

• No pit required – this lift can be installed directly to the floor, which means no expensive costs for excavation.
• No machine room – as the control system is incorporated within the shaft, there is no need for a separate machine room.
• No lift car – this is a big cost saver although without a lift car the platform is restricted to 0.15m/s travel. 
• Minimal head room, only 2.3m – compared to a lift with an enclosed car.
• Safety features – all extreme edges of the platform have safety edges which immediately stop the lift when touched. The speed is limited and the control system is hold-to-run type. It is also equipped with an emergency stop, alarm and auto-dial emergency telephone.
• Shaft - the 4m Platform Lift comes as standard with free standing metal shaft structure with either solid or glass infill panels, allowing for a variety of finishes and installation locations.
• Power supply – the 4m Platform Lift comes as standard with 415V 3-phase power supply or 240V 1-phase as an option.

Platform Lift Company attend Association of Consultants in Access Australia (ACAA) conference

Our employees story - In April, 2010 the Platform Lift Company had the privilege to attend the Association of Consultants in Access Australia (ACAA) Conference in Tweed Heads as an exhibitor. As I was reasonably new to the access industry I was unsure what to expect from the conference/tradeshow.

Firstly I was very grateful for the wonderful location and accommodation. You cannot beat Tweed Heads in Autumn.

The other trade show exhibitors were very professional in their approach and I was surprised at the time and effort some of the exhibitors went to, clearly they believe that the ACAA Conference is an important Association within the industry.

As the days progressed I had many opportunities to speak with the attendees of the conference. They included access consultants, providers to access industry, council access officers and many others who have an interest in access issues. People were amazing in sharing their stories of how they had become involved in disabled access; many had disabilities themselves or family members which had bought them to the conference. It was the first time I looked at how difficult access for anyone with a disability was and it astounded me at how little thought we as a society give to this issue and the many obstacles faced by the aging and disabled persons in our communities.

I came away from the conference with a new view of our world and a deep respect for those who continue to lobby our governments and organizations for access rights for a very important sector of our population.

Whilst the conference addressed some serious issues, there were some great times to mix and enjoy the company of some wonderful and many inspiring people. I would recommend this conference to people who have an interest in disabled access or would like to contribute to this Association in some way.

ACAA can be reached through their website: www.access.asn.au.

Access ramps Vs. disabled lifts? How to gain disabled access and maximize useable space

Choosing between a ramp or a disabled lift can be a challenging decision for businesses catering for disabled access. But with a little understanding, this decision can be made right the first time.

In some cases, choice is determined by the architecture of the building. For example, a narrow or high space dictates that an appropriately-sized lift, whether it is a passenger lift or disabled lift, should be used for wheelchair access.

In other disabled access cases, ramps are favoured for their ease of installation however loss of useable space taken up by the ramp must be considered.

Platform Lift Company Managing Director, Clive Hammond says “Ramps can easily become unusable for many customers and patrons if the gradient is too steep, if the surface is slippery in wet conditions or for any other number of reasons. We’ve spoken with many businesses, which had to scrap their existing ramp and consider other options due to common problems the main one being loss of useable space.”

Some basic guidelines to follow when choosing a disabled access option are:

• Get an accessibility expert, rather than a local builder or architect to advise you. Accessibility experts understand the current range of options and technologies and can advise on the best fit for your business.
• Ask your currently disabled patrons and customers about their preferences and experiences. Most will be willing to provide feedback on what they prefer. Local community groups are often the easiest way to do this.
• Contact your local council or Federal authority for guidelines and compliance with building codes and the Disability Discrimination Act (DDA).

Platform Lift Company is a supplier and installer of platform lifts for disabled access in Australia. Platform Lift Company offers a wide range of high-quality wheelchair lifts that are suitable for most commercial and residential buildings. 

Disabled access makes good business sense

Australian businesses could be missing out on billions of dollars worth of business by not catering for disabled customers by providing disabled access.

Many business owners see disabled patrons as only those in wheelchairs; however, this can be misleading.

It is estimated that almost four million Australians have some form of disability, many of whom find it challenging to enter many premises. Some of these hidden disabilities are people who simply have trouble with walking.

While walking on flat surfaces may be fine, steps can be a strong deterrent for those with sore knees, swollen joints or fragile hips.

Despite this, many Australian businesses still do not have appropriate access for less mobile patrons.

Platform Lift Company Managing Director, Clive Hammond said “the amount of lost dollars could be as much as $2 billion per year”.

Billions of dollars are literally being left at the shopfront because shop owners do not have the appropriate accessibility options in place.

When you also consider the number of elderly Australians or shoppers with prams and strollers the numbers start to add up. It just does not make good business sense to be without some kind of accessibility option.

Despite this, disabled consumers are still facing barriers to access and services on a daily basis. The Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission will prosecute service providers and employers who have not made the necessary adjustments to make their premises accessible to disabled people.

The Platform Lift Company is a supplier and installer of platform lifts for disabled access. The company offers a wide range of high-quality lifts including commercial lifts, domestic residential lifts, dumb waiters, platform lifts and wheelchair lifts.

Platform Lift Company Opens Queensland Office

Platform Lift Company, supplier and installer of disabled and residential lifts, is excited to announce the opening of their new office in Queensland. This office strengthens Platform Lift Company’s commitment to providing optimum levels of customer service to new and existing clients in all areas of Australia.

The new Queensland office will be headed by Kent Phillips, Kent and his team will be responsible for developing new business and working with Platform Lift Company’s Management team to provide superior service to both our new and existing customers along the Eastern seaboard in Australia. Kent is optimistic about the future of Platform Lift Company in the Sunshine State – “Platform Lift Company has a winning combination – I am really excited about the opportunities that lie ahead for growing the business throughout Queensland and taking on this new challenge”.

With its central location in the heart of the Gold Coast, Platform Lift Company Managing Director Clive Hammond feels that the new office is a watershed moment in the development of Platform Lift Company as a company. "The opening of an office in Queensland is a major step forward for Platform Lift Company and highlights our commitment to providing optimum levels of customer service to all of our new and existing clients across Australia. This office ensures we will be able to solidify our position as a leading supplier of lifts for the home and disabled access.

Platform Lift Company’s Queensland office can be contacted on 1300 884 960 or Simon Phillips can be reached directly on his mobile +61 414 975 211 or on This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Alternatively, the Platform Lift Company’s Sydney Head Office can be contacted on 1300 884 960 or at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Platform Lift Company’s Stylish New Home Lifts

Want a residential lift installed within your home with automatic sliding doors in stainless steel, higher lifting load capacities of up to 600kg, lifts within a glass shaft structure, through car lift arrangements and still with low pit and headroom dimensions of any fully automatic home lift available? The residential lift range from Platform Lift Company has all bases covered.

Our residential lifts only require a pit depth of 150mm and headroom of 2650mm. These low pit and headroom dimensions are popular with builders, designers and architects, because of the ease of incorporating the Platform Lift Company designs into their projects.

With our residential lift range, you are not stuck with standard finishes and sizes - there is a vast choice of different models to choose from in the residential lift range from Platform Lift Company.

Platform Lift Company’s home lifts have a vast finishes range including flooring selection, various types of stainless steel colours and textures, mirrors, glass and over 200 RAL colours can be easily accommodated or the lift car can be fully customised to suit your taste and application. The limitations are endless and can only be stopped by your imagination.

Every residential lift is designed and built to meet or exceed strict lift and building safety guidelines with the our lifts featuring many of the same construction materials as commercial lifts that will ensure long lasting reliability.

Options, space efficiency and design flexibility - the residential lift range from Platform Lift Company has it all!

Platform Stair Lift Disabled Access For All Areas: The Sydney Opera House

So you think you have a difficult space to achieve disabled access? Platform stair lifts can provide an economical and space saving solution to areas where a vertical lift is not suitable. They can also be custom made to run round curved surfaces and bend round corners.

The Sydney Opera House for example is a difficult building for disabled persons to fully enjoy, with its tight heritage controls and series of varying levels and curved internal spaces. The Platform Lift Company who specialize in disabled and residential home lifts have installed two curved stair lifts giving access to the concert halls.

Ms. Jodie De Ruvo, author of www.candoability.com.au has said “stairlifts are fantastic as they allow access to areas that wheelchairs cannot reach”. As a wheelchair user she feels they have enhanced her life and are “extremely easy to operate”.

Having the ability to travel through difficult stair areas including mid landings and corners opens up more areas of the facility to all patrons. Stair lifts are often considerably more economical than vertical lifts, and can be stored around corners and out of sight, keeping the stairway clear of obstructions.

The Disability Access Lift Products and their Market

The disabled lift market, like all markets, is continually subject to change due to changes in DDA, BCA or Australian Standards compliance and advances in wheelchair technology for example, so it is important to keep your company’s products in line with these changing demands.

Through reviewing client needs and keeping up to date with competitors’ products Platform Lift Company have made some alterations to their range of products in order to grow and maintain their position as a leader in this niche market.

Platform Lift Company recently introduced the MRL (or Machine Room-Less) lift to service the residential and commercial market. Fully manufactured in Italy to the highest level of quality and offering flexible finish options with a modest price structure. The Access Plus hydraulic lift offers smooth and reliable operation with a fully enclosed lift car and sliding doors. The Access Plus offers a compliant & functional car platform size of 1100 x 1400mm to meet the requirements of the DDA and BCA.

The 4m Platform Lift has long been a favourite among architects and engineers with its high quality and flexible construction fitting into all types of environment. It includes a free-standing shaft in your chosen RAL colour, or alternatively a glazed or stainless steel finish is available.

Our 2m Platform Lifts are open lifts rising vertically up to 2m and can be installed internally or externally.

Our 1m step lifts fit into our product range by providing travel of up to 1m and can be installed both internally and externally.

Finally the Platform Stairlift has been a very successful product as it is a cost effective way of providing access where a vertical rise is not possible. There are minimum stair width constraints of course, but the platform stairlift provides solutions that our other lifts cannot.

4m Platform Lift advantages – very limited building works required

The 4m Platform Lift from Platform Lift Company is a good solution for a single travel up to 4 meters in public access buildings and up to 12 meters in a private residence. This is one of our most popular wheel chair lifts.

The A type is perfect solution for existing and new buildings as minimum building works are required to have the lift installed which reduces the total lift cost to your project.

The 4m Platform Lift comes with its own self supporting shaft and only needs fixing points at the base level and at the top door level. No shaft is required to be built by the builder which can be costly to a building project.

At the base of the lift we only require a 50mm pit. The lift can also be installed on an existing slab providing it is approved by a structural engineer. All that is required is a 50mm high ramp provided by Platform Lift Company or a ramp by the builder. This ramp is only required at the door entry.

By installing the lift on the existing slab reduces building cost as no concrete cutting, excavation, formwork, steel reinforcement and concrete is required to create the pit.

The minimal headroom of the 4m Platform Lift is an advantage being only 2240mm so it fits under most ceiling levels, meaning no additional works are required to cut out existing ceilings.

The shaft can also be extended to tie into false ceilings in an inexpensive and easy way, meaning no expensive bulkheads are required to be built.

Standard power requirements for the 4m Platform Lift is 415V 3-Phase with 240V single phaseas an option. The lift comes as standard with in-car emergency batterey lowering should the mains power fail.

Overall building works are minimal  for the 4m Platform Lift which is of great benefit, especially when installing in an exisiting building.

Cama C6 wheelchair stair lifts for curved stairs – Limited building works required

The Cama C6 Wheelchair stair lifts from Platform Lift Company are a good solution for transporting 1 person in a wheelchair or 1 person in the sitting position to go up the stairs of premises.

The C6 Wheelchair stair lift is designed to go on stairs that change direction, i.e. Stairs that go around the corner or have a landing in the middle.

The C6 lifts are great for existing and new buildings as minimum building works are required to have the lift installed. The lifts fold up so they take up minimum area of a building. Once used they can fold up against the wall and only sit 395mm off the wall. They can be installed on stairs that are inside or outside the building.

We usually require a solid wall at one side of the stairs which can be concrete, core filled block work, double brick, steel or timber. If the wall is in steel or timber the wall must be able to take to loads of the lift.

If there is no support wall at either side of the stairs, the lift can be supported off steel posts at an additional cost. The steel posts need to be fixed into concrete stairs in most cases, but other materials may be used providing they can handle the lift loads.

Power is required to the lift and is only 240V single phase . The power can go at the top or bottom of the stairs. The lift is powered by batteries so if mains power fails the lift can still operate.

Wireless lift controls are provided at the top and bottom of the stairs meaning no unsightly trunking on the wall or expensive hidden conduit runs.

Overall building works can be minimal for the Cama C6 to be installed which can reduce the total lift cost considerably.

Cama C7 wheelchair stair lifts – Limited building works required

The C7 Wheel chair stair lifts are a good solution for transporting 1 person in a wheelchair or 1 person in the sitting position to go up the stairs of a premises.

The C7 Wheelchair stair lifts is the model that is designed to go on stairs that are straight and go in one direction

The C7 lifts are great for existing and new buildings as minimum building works are required to have the lift installed and they can fold up so they take up minimum area of a building. Once used they can fold up against the wall and only sit 300mm off the wall. They can be installed on stairs that are inside or outside the building

We usually require a solid wall at one side of the stairs which can be concrete, core filled block work, double brick, steel or timber. If the wall is in steel or timber the wall must be able to take to loads of the lift.

If there is no support wall at either side of the stairs, the lift can be supported off steel posts at an additional cost. The steel posts need to be fixed into concrete stairs in most cases, but other materials may be used providing they can handle the lift loads.

Power is required to the lift and is only 240V single phase . The power can go at the top or bottom of the stairs. 

Wireless lift controls are provided at the top and bottom of the stairs meaning no unsightly trunking on the wall or expensive hidden conduit runs.

Overall building works can be minimal for the Cama C7 to be installed which can reduce the total lift cost considerably.

Disabled Access Platform Lifts – Service and Maintenance to ensure Longevity

As with any mechanical product with moving working parts, to ensure their longevity and reliability, they need to be looked after and that entails ongoing preventative maintenance.

It is estimated up to four million Australians have some form of disability, ranging from wheelchair bound individuals to those who simply have trouble with walking due to age or short term injury. Should these people find themselves in a situation where access is denied due to a faulty or non working platform lift, especially so in public places, it can be distressing and embarrassing for both the person denied access and the lift owner.

Today, as a result of the baby boom following the Second World War, we now have the highest aged population comparatively (in the developed world) and this trend will remain unchanged until well into the middle of the 21st Century. This hard fact means that we all may come to rely on a Platform Lift for our own access requirements at some point in the future.

With government legislation ensuring that access is afforded to everyone in public places, if you have gone to the expense of installing an access Platform Lift, it is equally important that you ensure its longevity and reliability with service and maintenance visits.

The Platform Lift Company opened in Australian in October 2006 having been established in the UK in 2001.

Located on the Northern Beaches in Sydney and to date (March 2011) having installed over 300 platform lifts throughout Australia, their Service Department ensures that from the date your platform lift is installed there is a number of service agreement options available to meet the budget of most customers. The first year of the platform lift is covered under warranty, and thereafter, we look to ensure the reliability and longevity of the platform lift with ongoing service contracts.

Working closely with manufacturers in Sweden, Denmark, UK and Ireland our Service Department has a good and efficient working relationship in the supply of parts and technical changes within the industry, so ensuring that when faults do arise with the Platform Lifts we can have them resolved as quickly as possible.

Platform Lift Company to develop ISO 9001:2008 Quality Management Systems

The Platform Lift Company is committed to exceeding customer expectations through the implementation and continuous improvement of our Quality Management System.

Absolute customer satisfaction is the expectation, and will be achieved through supplying a superior product, on-time and at a competitive price.

Improved product, service quality and consistency is what our customers will get time and time again.

This certification will give us a competitive edge over other companies that don’t have a system in place.

Staff competence, training and development will be maintained, which will help to keep the business at the forefront of its industry.

PLC is committed to be ISO 9001:2008 accredited by mid 2011.

The importance of well managed freight to ensure on time delivery.

Well managed freight is essential for on-time delivery and can maximise turnover by enabling a larger number of products to be installed annually. With a product like disabled and residential lifts of which there is very limited manufacturing in Australia, the transportation can take a minimum of 9 weeks by sea freight. The Platform Lift Company installs a lift in an average of 4 days, thus totalling 10 weeks from the point of purchase to the first happy customer using their fully functional lift.

So when the Swarovski store in the new Westfields-Centrepoint Tower for example, required a fully installed lift within 8 weeks, well managed air freight was essential to complete the installation before the store opened.

Sea freight being the most economical way of international transportation can cost up to 5 times the air freight rate per kg.  Freight is also seasonal with the period between September and early February being especially tight for space. The Platform Lift Company decided to employ a freight specialist to manage this process and ensure deliverance of our lifts to our clients on time.