tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2663413676961554470.post7416412417873315234..comments2024-02-20T16:06:23.734+00:00Comments on Stairlifts: Stairlifts in BirminghamAppel Idohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08305890416312101965noreply@blogger.comBlogger29125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2663413676961554470.post-65564826685080607502012-11-03T19:27:03.781+00:002012-11-03T19:27:03.781+00:00The next example was the failure of the equipment ...The next example was the failure of the equipment but as a result of other possible factors.<br /><br />MailOnline June 15th 2010<br /><br />‘Great grand-mother, 90, dies after being catapulted from faulty stairlift’<br /><br />The report recorded that an inquest was told that a great-grandmother died in hospital just three days after being catapulted 20ft down the stairs in her home in Barnsley by a faulty stairlift. The lady was spun round in the chair and tipped out headfirst after restraining bolts on the seat sheared off.<br /><br />Her family told a hearing in Sheffield that they had reported a ‘whining noise’ and ‘juddering’ with the mechanism a week earlier but the company maintaining the stairlift had not sent out an engineer. <br /><br />The lady’s grand-daughter told the inquest that she was putting the seat belt round her gran, but, before she could do it, the chair swung round and tipped her over, causing her to fall down the stairs from top to bottom.<br /><br />Police attended and were of the opinion that the stairs gradient was too steep for the type of lift. There was evidence of more than five years wear and tear on the machine which had been installed as new in July 2006. An engineer who carried out an inspection after the accident confirmed two of the retaining screws on the seat had sheared off. He also believed that the seat belt had not been regularly used.<br /><br />The inquest heard that Barnsley Council had awarded the contract to a company to supply and fit stairlifts. However, the company had sub-contracted the installation and maintenance to another firm.<br /><br /><br />3<br /><br />Two independent experts told the hearing the seat belt failed but they disagreed as to whether it was the design or the fitting. A director of the company told the court that after the tragedy they had contacted all users of stairlifts on their books and had removed all seat belts and put new ones on which were tightened up.<br /><br />I am not qualified to make, nor do I make any judgement, implied or otherwise. The facts are those from the inquest, as reported in the Daily Mail article. Both companies named in the press are currently trading on the internet.<br /><br />I return to my question – “Are stair lifts safe?”<br /><br />My conclusion – Yes, but follow the key points.<br /><br />C Company – a reputable supplier with proven track record is a must <br />H Have correct professional installation – NO DIY<br />A Arrange a regular service contract to ensure reliability and safety<br />I Insist that kids keep off - keep it locked<br />R Responsible user – care and common sense at all times<br /><br />L Listen to expert opinion<br />I Investigate the options – what is best for you and your staircase<br />F Follow all safety procedures<br />T Take care on every journey<br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Follow the rules and you will be ‘going up in the world’ safely and with confidence.<br /><br />To end on a lighter note.<br /><br />A very little guy, wearing a very little green suit and a very little green hat was seen going up and down on a stairlift in a Birmingham stairlift showroom. When asked what he was doing he explained that he was carrying out an elf and safety inspection! <br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Appel Idohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08305890416312101965noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2663413676961554470.post-53333302588433547252012-11-03T19:25:59.177+00:002012-11-03T19:25:59.177+00:00stairlifts safety continued..
Tragically the resu...stairlifts safety continued..<br /><br />Tragically the result was the instant death of a six year old boy who was playing on a stairlift whilst visiting the home of his great-grandmother. All stairlifts have a key to immobilise the motor and when children are in the house it is essential that the stairlift cannot be activated, Children must never be allowed to play on a lift as if it is something akin to a ride at a fun fair. Currently, U-Tube is carrying a clip entitled ‘Lads mucking about on a stairlift’. The ‘humour’ appears to be a shot of one guy falling off. These idiots are actually young adults! Stairlifts are not designed for ‘mucking about’.<br /> <br />This accident was the direct result of faulty installation by someone who had no idea how to carry out the work. It seems that the boy’s uncle had removed the stairlift from another house and installed it in the new location with no professional assistance or even a manual. In the original installation, the equipment was installed on left side of the stairs. In the new location it was installed on the right. This meant that the obstruction contact strip, an essential safety device, was rendered inoperative. <br /><br />A consultant forensic engineer told the inquest that some of the safety devices were not working properly – “If they had been, we would not be here today.” The boy’s head was pressing against trips which meant that the lift could not reverse and free him. This was another tragedy which could have been avoided by simple common sense.<br />Appel Idohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08305890416312101965noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2663413676961554470.post-19906645608553079292012-11-03T19:23:42.809+00:002012-11-03T19:23:42.809+00:00stairlifts safety continued...
In Stoke-on-Trent,...stairlifts safety continued...<br /><br />In Stoke-on-Trent, a stairlift owner tragically died in an avoidable accident on the stairs. The lady, who was only fifty-five, was found dead by her daughter, an appalling experience for anyone and she has my sympathy. It seems that her mother had fallen, resulting in her head becoming trapped between the wall and the stirlift rail. The headline could have implied that somehow the stairlift was a factor in the accident, but this was not the case. An inquest was told that In spite of her severe physical problems, the lady never used the stairlift and walked on the stairs, having expressed the fear that she would lose the use of her legs. Clearly, her stairlift was not to blame. Had she used the lift, the accident may not have happened. With the greatest of respect, it has to be noted that she had been in the habit of the regular excessive consumption of alcohol. The coroner ruled that to be a factor in the accident, not the stairlift.<br /><br />It hardly requires an A level in the blindingly obvious to know that the installation of a stairlift must never be a task for an amateur. We all try our hand at DIY, with variable success, but I am left incredulous by the next incident, reported in ‘The Shropshire Star’ (July 2007)<br /><br />Appel Idohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08305890416312101965noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2663413676961554470.post-3393662526279622702012-11-03T19:21:10.168+00:002012-11-03T19:21:10.168+00:00stairlift safety continued..
Statistically, the a...stairlift safety continued..<br /><br />Statistically, the answer is yes, they are, provided that some obvious conditions are applied. As with any mechanical device, from an aircraft to a tin-opener, freak accidents can and do occur. The incidence of accidents involving stairlifts, seen against the number of installations, happily seems to be very rare indeed. The horrific fact is that such accidents which have happened were probably avoidable, had the correct procedures and safe-guards been applied. Stairlifts are safe but, as with any equipment, the rules must be stringently applied by both the industry and the user. Manufacturers and suppliers cannot legislate for what happens once the equipment is installed and in the hands of the user. <br />It is essential to buy the right quality product from an experienced and reliable supplier, with an expert maintenance and service engineer on hand locally for a quick response to any problem. The dearest or the cheapest are not necessarily the best; there is no such thing as a ‘free-lunch’ where safety is the primary issue. <br />Let us take an analytical look at some accidents which have appeared in the headlines implicating stairlifts.<br /><br />continued .......Appel Idohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08305890416312101965noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2663413676961554470.post-20528047895557271502012-11-03T19:19:29.754+00:002012-11-03T19:19:29.754+00:00Going Up in the World – are stair lifts safe? Whet...Going Up in the World – are stair lifts safe? Whether you live in the Birmingham area, or elswhere - you are now reassured....<br /><br />To most people, the expression ‘going up in the world’ usually applies to personal ambition. It may imply promotion at work, financial enhancement or steps up the social ladder.<br />For others, with impaired mobility, going up in the world can literarily mean the ability to move safely up and down stairs from one level of the house to another. Falls in the home, especially on stairs, account for a large proportion of injuries or even deaths each year. When restricted mobility, or breathing difficulties, makes climbing and descending stairs not just a struggle, but a very real hazard, tens of thousands of people benefit from the installation of a stairlift. I have experienced the trauma felt by an elder member of my family, following a simple fall, resulting in a seriously broken leg. She lives on her own and we all knew that a difficult staircase was going to present a worry. The gentle suggestion that a stairlift may be a good idea, resulted in this question - ‘Are stairlifts safe?’ Never having had cause to think about such an issue, I decided to try to find the answer so that I could offer some informed opinion.<br /><br />continued .....Appel Idohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08305890416312101965noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2663413676961554470.post-14876542693347373212012-11-03T19:15:50.569+00:002012-11-03T19:15:50.569+00:00Hello Sanjays. We assume your mother is in Birming...Hello Sanjays. We assume your mother is in Birmingham. You have given us a wonderful opportunity to publish here a brilliant and informative article written this week by our team on this very subject of stairlifts safety - <br /><br />It follows .... (spread over more than one comment because of its length)<br /><br />Appel Idohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08305890416312101965noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2663413676961554470.post-46862095987452773722012-11-01T09:52:38.138+00:002012-11-01T09:52:38.138+00:00Can you tell me how safe are the stairlifts please...Can you tell me how safe are the stairlifts please? My mother is very old and not very strong. Is it ok for her?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2663413676961554470.post-74722020299177955042012-10-14T10:36:54.177+01:002012-10-14T10:36:54.177+01:00Hi Keovff, sorry for the delayed response. How muc...Hi Keovff, sorry for the delayed response. How much do stairlifts cost? Straight reconditioned ones can be less that a thousanad pounds.Go much less and you may get an old one with a short guarantee. Some fiorms advetise price these days from even £400 - but that is either a 'porky' or they are not providing anything worthwhile for that. Be careful. New ones can be between £1100 and £3,000 - that's a big gap I know, but it depends on what make and how hard you negotiate. Plus of cours the length of guarantee which can be up to five years.<br />Curved stairlifts prices have come down a lot - they can be from £2,500 upwards again depending on the same facts.<br />When your relative is ready let us know and we'll will arrange a quote (or several from different makers) and guide them through the process before they make a decision. But it makes more sense than moving house.Ann, Directorhttp://www.castlecomfortstairlifts.co.uknoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2663413676961554470.post-3377811895598166822012-10-08T15:21:23.948+01:002012-10-08T15:21:23.948+01:00very good!very good!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2663413676961554470.post-15462370777608047282012-09-09T20:20:39.770+01:002012-09-09T20:20:39.770+01:00How much do stairlifts cost in Birmingham ... mor...How much do stairlifts cost in Birmingham ... more or less? We have a cousin there and she is thinking of moving because they cannot climb stairs. Cheaper to buy a stairlift than move perhaps.<br /><br />KeovffAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2663413676961554470.post-48523774197377387752012-09-06T11:49:26.353+01:002012-09-06T11:49:26.353+01:00I am grateful to this blog for the info. I live in...I am grateful to this blog for the info. I live in Birmingham and I'm interested in a stair lift for my husband because it could improve accessibility problems in our home. My husband has arthritis and I think it would improve our quality of life.<br />I wonder if Castle Comfort offers a personalized service and how long it would take for the installation of a stairlift?<br />Thank you very much.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2663413676961554470.post-47377279697466505212012-09-05T08:08:06.119+01:002012-09-05T08:08:06.119+01:00Thanks to this blog i recalled at great football m...Thanks to this blog i recalled at great football match that i had the pleasure of seeing when the Birmingham won at Arsenal FC. That was good, but the other important things coming from Birmingham than sporting successes, are the stairlifts that Castle Comfort provide to all citizens... even Arsenal fans!<br /> <br />Keep up the good work Keith and AnnLeonoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2663413676961554470.post-9538157284846983242012-09-04T09:29:35.326+01:002012-09-04T09:29:35.326+01:00Please send quote for stairs lift for our mosque m...Please send quote for stairs lift for our mosque main staircase. I spoke to you earlier but have lost the details. You can email me at the address i gave you.<br /><br />thanking you<br />JanghirAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2663413676961554470.post-45375762392817098072012-08-09T10:41:11.056+01:002012-08-09T10:41:11.056+01:00@ruben
I don't have the exact figures to hand...@ruben<br /><br />I don't have the exact figures to hand but I do know a lot of our customers who travel to our stairlift showroom in the North West Midlands actually come from around Birmingham, and being Englands second city population wise it is probably the second biggest base of customers we have for stairlifts after London.<br />You can work out the figures approximately by looking at our home page to check the total stairlifts installed from the counter at the bottom of the page. And note the population figure also. Then divide the population of Birmingham into the UK figure and multiply by the stairlifts figure to get the figure for stairlifts in Birmingham. This of course is the approximate figure and was obtained by gathering data from the biggest stairlifts manufacturers in the UK so we won't have installed every single one of those lifts personally, (but still quite a few of them!)Appel Idohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08305890416312101965noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2663413676961554470.post-48806407857115249852012-08-03T02:09:09.015+01:002012-08-03T02:09:09.015+01:00How many stairlifts have you now installed in the ...How many stairlifts have you now installed in the Birmingham area?<br /> <br />Albertrubenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15584540983060928600noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2663413676961554470.post-81223136402214835512012-03-27T21:26:56.721+01:002012-03-27T21:26:56.721+01:00ਦੇ ਰੂਪ ਵਿੱਚ ਬਰਮਿੰਘਮ ਦੇ ਇੱਕ ਵੱਡੇ ਪੰਜਾਬੀ ਬੋਲ poulat...ਦੇ ਰੂਪ ਵਿੱਚ ਬਰਮਿੰਘਮ ਦੇ ਇੱਕ ਵੱਡੇ ਪੰਜਾਬੀ ਬੋਲ poulation ਹੈ ਅਸੀ ਬਾਹਰ ਗੱਲ ਕਰਣਾ ਚਾਹੁੰਦੇ ਹਾਂ ਕਿ ਕੈਸਲ ਸਹੂਲਤ Stairlifts ( ਸਟੋਕ ਵਿੱਚ ਸਾਡੇ ਸਿਰ ਦਫ਼ਤਰ ਅਤੇ Digbeth ਵਿੱਚ ਇੱਕ ਮਕਾਮੀ ਖੇਤਰੀ ਦਫ਼ਤਰ ਵਿੱਚ , ਬਰਮਿੰਘਮ ਅਸੀ ਵੱਖਰਾ ਸੰਸਕ੍ਰਿਤੀਆਂ ਦੇ ਬਾਵਜੂਦ ਸ਼ਹਿਰ ਵਿੱਚ ਹਰ ਕਿਸੇ ਦੀ ਸੇਵਾ ਲਈ ਤਿਆਰ ਹਨ . ਏਕਹਮਾਰੇ stairlift ਇੰਜੀਨੀਅਰਾਂ ਦੀ Banngladeshi ਮੂਲ ਦੀ ਵਾਸਤਵ ਵਿੱਚ ਅਨੁਵਾਦ ਦੇ ਨਾਲ ਮਦਦ ਕਰ ਸੱਕਦੇ ਹਾਂ ਜੇਕਰ ਉੱਥੇ ਸੰਚਾਰ ਦੇ ਨਾਲ ਕੋਈ ਸਮੱਸਿਆ ਹੈ .<br /><br />We are pleased to be able to comment in Indi text and Punjabi that people of Birminham of all cultures and origins are welcome to contact us if there is a need in the family for a stairlift. One of our stairlifts engineers is in fact of Bangladeshi origin and has offered to assist at any time with translations if necessary.<br /><br />Keith Simpson, Castle Comfort Stairlifts, Birmingham.Appel Idohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08305890416312101965noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2663413676961554470.post-46562901305360045872012-03-27T21:20:56.858+01:002012-03-27T21:20:56.858+01:00के रूप में बर्मिंघम के एक बड़े पंजाबी बोल poulatio...के रूप में बर्मिंघम के एक बड़े पंजाबी बोल poulation है हम बाहर बात करना चाहते हैं कि कैसल सुविधा Stairlifts (स्टोक में हमारे सिर कार्यालय और Digbeth में एक स्थानीय क्षेत्रीय कार्यालय में, बर्मिंघम हम विभिन्न संस्कृतियों के बावजूद शहर में हर किसी की सेवा के लिए तैयार हैं. एकहमारे stairlift इंजीनियरों की Banngladeshi मूल की वास्तव में अनुवाद के साथ मदद कर सकते हैं अगर वहाँ संचार के साथ कोई समस्या है.Appel Idohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08305890416312101965noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2663413676961554470.post-40184115052810585682012-02-05T07:59:15.698+00:002012-02-05T07:59:15.698+00:00Spot on anon ...
There is room in the stairlifts ...Spot on anon ...<br /><br />There is room in the stairlifts industry for a new player - a big one making them because at present the whole stairlift business is controlled by a handful of producers. May Birmingham be the place -<br />engineering skills are everywhere there.Appel Idohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08305890416312101965noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2663413676961554470.post-25107167609362245152012-02-05T07:47:46.174+00:002012-02-05T07:47:46.174+00:00There's certainly a lot of interesting facts a...There's certainly a lot of interesting facts about Birmingham here. Maybe with such a big engineering heritage one of the stairlift firms can make use of the local skills making vehicles and set up a factory making stairlifts which is transport of a different kind.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2663413676961554470.post-17068994823856965942011-06-30T19:25:54.267+01:002011-06-30T19:25:54.267+01:00Since 'occtherapy1979's comment appeared h...Since 'occtherapy1979's comment appeared her here in April we have had an increased flow of enquiries (more than normal) from the Birmingham area for stairlifts. Many of these Midlands-based people mentioned that they had been told to call us by their occupational therapist. Irrespective of whether the ethics allow a health professional to recommend a company - we'd just like to say to 'occtherapy1979' - whoever and whereevr exactly you are - thank you.Keithhttp://www.castlecomfortstairlifts.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2663413676961554470.post-36456920987915860592011-04-25T13:49:44.626+01:002011-04-25T13:49:44.626+01:00Working in the NHS we are not supposed to recommen...Working in the NHS we are not supposed to recommend particular stairlift firms. However after giving a choice of three different ones to patients in several instances, I discovered that on each occasion - they picked the same one - Castle Comfort Stairlifts. They made their decision for different reasons and I belive it was a mixture of price, attitude and service. I think I can safely recommend Castle Stairlifts straight off in the future.<br /><br />Birmingham-based OTUnknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00870722407462195507noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2663413676961554470.post-83601454411182273392010-11-12T12:34:19.907+00:002010-11-12T12:34:19.907+00:00Stairlifts choice? ther are millions of firms and...Stairlifts choice? ther are millions of firms and sites on the web - so we went for our instints and used Castle Stairlifts - thy have loads of good reviews.. and all went really well<br /><br />Brereton family<br /><br />West BromwichAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2663413676961554470.post-33929750163764483242010-10-26T23:19:36.036+01:002010-10-26T23:19:36.036+01:00The advice regarding early response to those showi...The advice regarding early response to those showing symptoms of a stroke is excellent. Every second counts. Most emergency services will respond immediateley with an authorative declaration such as 'people assisting the person believe they have diagnosed a stroke' Do not spend time describing the tell-tale signs.Dr Neil Stirling MB ChBhttp://www.stairliftsdoctor.co.uknoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2663413676961554470.post-80858432096960207362010-08-20T21:59:05.638+01:002010-08-20T21:59:05.638+01:00Where to shop for a Stairlift in the Midlands - th...Where to shop for a Stairlift in the Midlands - that is the question? <br />whether it is nobler to buy a Stairlift at Castle Comfort Stairlifts or to suffer the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune at a large conglomerate ?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2663413676961554470.post-324758648404765842010-06-01T20:21:54.915+01:002010-06-01T20:21:54.915+01:00It took one word from our former family GP Dr Stir...It took one word from our former family GP Dr Stirling that we should use Castle Comfort - (his base company in my home town of Stoke) for my aunt's stairlift. We rang the Birmingham office and the job was sorted in no time. Good stuff!Unknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00737965757036781453noreply@blogger.com