Category: Dealers News

There has been a new code update released in relation to Vertical Platform Lifts in Canada. A summary of the changes that impact RAM product offerings are:

1. Historically the code for residential was B613 and commercial was B355. B355 has now supersede3d B613 and includes residential comments.
2. 4.2.1 – Travel. It is a little vague on whether unenclosed lifts above 98in for residential are allowed or not. It simply says that it may be exceeded where alternative options are not practical. We will continue to offer residential lifts that are unenclosed up to 14ft until we know otherwise.
3. 8.3.5 was added and asks for any enclosed lift to have a two-way comms device installed. This would impact our pricing and equipment requirements. These communication devices are optional on residential lifts from our review.
4. Inclusion of 8.5.11 via 8.5.1 in the requirement for electrically protective devices description means that for commercial lifts we will need to have a different style of top cover switch or manual crank switch to prevent power being applied during manual crank operations. This will only affect Canadian commercial units.
5. Section 7.7.3 – any platform that is sized or intended for wheelchair + attendant will require a carriage gate.
6. In terms of competitive situation, the use of B355 for private residences now requires an enclosure on any lift that penetrates a floor. Previously this was not the case in B613 ….in essence this would seem to make Telecabs from Savaria non-code compliant. Section 4.4.4 in B613 seems to have allowed them in the past.

 

These changes would only be in effect for a jurisdiction that has adopted the 2015 code. Ontario is the only region that has adopted so far but this will change over time.

 

RAM would encourage you to review the code yourself and discuss with your local authorities to ensure you understand their interpretation and whether/ when they are adopting this edition of the code.

 

If you have questions or concerns please contact RAM to discuss.

The primary code that governs vertical platform lifts in the USA is ASME A18.1. This code had an update enacted in 2014. Many regions/ jurisdictions have not adopted this code update yet but RAM has undergone a review of the code to assess any impacts to the products we offering to our dealers and their end user clients.

 

Although there are a number of changes and RAM would encourage you to review them with your local authorities the primary impact to our product offering is:

 

Section “2.10.10: Means shall be provided to permit authorized personnel to raise or lower the platform manually in the event of power failure, unless standby (emergency) power complying with requirement 2.12 is provided. The means to raise of lower the platform shall be capable of moving the platform to a landing and of being access and operated without working directly above the platform.”

This section relates to the commercial section of the code (section 2) and the impact is essentially that the standard method of accessing the manual crank on Trus-T-Lift™ would be a code violation on any lift that is enclosed or having travel larger than 60in.

RAM already has a solution for this in the 90 Deg Manual Crank option we have developed. This is a patent pending design and is a very economical option for meeting the code.

This requirement is only applicable in regions where the local authority has adopted and is enforcing the 2014 version of the code but we feel that this is a good option for any enclosed lift, even if it is residential and we would highly recommend you add this to your equipment order after discussing the benefits with your clients.

 

RAM’s Crystal Home Elevator product often gets specified by designers, architects, and other professionals at home development companies and builders.

 

There is a website called www.houzz.com that RAM has recently been reviewing. This site has a very interesting combination of inspiration (photos of projects), advice from columnists, directories of professionals, rating systems, and products.

 

If you are looking to ways to target home builders and architects in your region for home elevators this may be a very useful tool. You may also wish to join as a professional in the elevating device domain so that the builders can also find you!

 

Happy Hunting!

 

There is an interesting site that focuses on Aging in Place Technology and they provided an interesting summary of some recent Pew Research that is very relevant if you are working in seniors products:

 

“The device divide is striking.  The needle has barely moved since the last Pew survey when it comes to tablets and smart phones. Smart phone device developers and retailers are not smart about selling them to seniors, even those with money and a college education.  Overall adoption among the 65+ for each is still only 18%, and even for those with $75,000 or more in income, only 42% have smart phones. Compare that to the general population with that income level – it is 76%. Ditto with tablets – the needle has not budged – 18% overall of the 65+ own a tablet – and of those with higher incomes, only 39% thought it was worth it.”

 

For products that RAM offers this is not the only segment we market to but it is an important one as they are the end users in many cases.

 

Foo for thought!

In most cases a residential lift is not inspected, therefore we try to make the installation as cost effective as possible for the client without compromising their safety.

 

It is important to note the following:

 

RAM Manufacturing Ltd. recommends every installation have an upper landing gate with interlock supplied by the manufacturer or at minimum an upper interlock for customer supplied gate or door. This is regardless of travel height!

 

If you are ordering a 72” lift it must include an Upper Gate or Interlock for customer supplied gate and it must include a car gate or at minimum an 18” toe plate (although we have guidelines on when a toe plate is not enough as well in the following product bulletin Toe Plate Safety Bulletin)

 

All 96”, 120”, 144” and 168” lifts must include an upper landing gate and car gate on unenclosed installations, or interlocks only for customer supplied doors in an enclosed application.

 

In addition to the above it is important that you check your local codes to see what your jurisdiction requires.

 

Safety must come first on each installation.

This is a wonderful guideline produced by the United Spinal Association. In our Vertical Platform Lift business many of the clients have mobility challenges and this might help you get a picture of how to interact with out being awkward.

 

It might also help new staff in your firm if you are already a pro!

 

http://www.unitedspinal.org/pdf/DisabilityEtiquette.pdf

This was an interesting article on what could potentially help you with your website rankings for SEO if you are using video content.

Link

 

Although RAM does not do all of these things we certainly agree that getting relevant content to what people are looking for is the name of the game and it doesn’t always have to be resource intensive.

 

If you want more information on RAM’s marketing programs for dealer partners please find them at the link below:

http://portal.trustram.com/dealers-area/marketing-programs/

 

How does Youtube affect you as a dealer?

http://betabeat.com/2014/05/brand-will-flee-to-youtube-facebook-is-a-graveyard-for-organic-reach/

To: All Dealer Partners,

 

We have decided to re-brand part of our product line up to help make it easier for our customers to understand our offerings.

 

The “Crystal B355 Lift” will now be known as “RAM’s Commercial Traction Lift” or “CT-Lift”. The CT-Lift product will comply with both B355 and ASME A18.1 codes so it is also not really appropriate to call it a “B355” lift product only.

 

We will be trying to only refer to “Crystal” for our Residential Elevators going forward. This will be likely be tough to break the habit internally but we would really like to ask for your assistance when speaking with clients for previously installed products and any products they purchase in the future.

We will also be branding LULA Elevators as simply “RAM LULA Elevators” and we will try to avoid calling it Crystal when discussing these products with Clients.

 

If you have any questions about the branding please come and ask me and I will do my best to explain any nuances. Essentially, we are working with the concept of “One Chassis – Many Cars” since they are all based on the Traction Drive System but then configured in different ways.

 

We now have pages specifically dedicated to the CT-Lift product and LULA on our website, a new brochure and a quote inquiry form for this product. There have been a number of changes to various webpages but the most important ones to be familiar with so you can advise clients are as follows:

 

http://portal.trustram.com/commercial-products/commercial-elevators/

 

http://portal.trustram.com/commercial-products/commercial-lifts/commercial-traction-lift/

 

http://portal.trustram.com/quote/

 

http://portal.trustram.com/commercial-traction-lift-quote-form/

 

 

You can also find brochures for the RAM CT-Lift and the RAM LULA Elevator products at:

 

http://portal.trustram.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/RAM-CTL-Brochure-Rev-1.pdf

 

http://portal.trustram.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/RAM-LULA-Brochure.pdf

 

 

We do not have any hard copies of these brochures at this time.