Rank: Guest 
|
Posted By Buzz
Anyone willing to share their storage / battery charging policy in these schemes?
|
|
|
|
|
|
Rank: Guest
|
Posted By Lisa_
No storage at night in common areas. Charging must be done in the persons individual dwelling. We also have restrictions on size etc in lounges. A couple of our premises have external storage buildings but these are only when the residents have been willing to include the cost in their service charge and there is sufficient space.
To be honest it has been a nightmare !
|
|
|
|
|
|
Rank: Guest
|
Posted By Robert K Lewis
Lisa
AKA a issue of diversity that LAs and HAs thought would not happen and would prefer to let it go away they hope.
Certainly if any housing provider is going to restrict charging provision in any way then they are acknowledging the residence is not suitable for the tenant and thus the tenant needs to be re-housed or a disability facilities grant be made for adaptations. Banning scootrs of any size is an absolute no no!
Interestingly some posters on this forum may have picked up on the fact that IOSH has a Council Working Party on Diversity in progress at this moment. I am chairing this working party and we are looking at the training for H&S practitioners in this area among many other issues. Any person with relevant information/experiences they wish to share can contact me by email at any time.
Bob
|
|
|
|
|
|
Rank: Guest
|
Posted By Buzz
Interesting Lisa, if you allow them to store in the common areas in the day, but not at night, where do they put the scooters at night, and why can't they put them in this place during the day?
Bob - I might be interested in your training. However, I can't seem to see your e-mail, if might be because of being logged in at work.
Can you e-mail me more details on the training?
|
|
|
|
|
|
Rank: Guest
|
Posted By FAH Message for Robert Lewis I've been working on putting together a short course on disability and it's impact in the workplace - I recently asked for people to act as guinea-pigs to attend a pilot session of 2 days. You may have seen it on this forum? I'd send you an email but yours isn't available [like mine]. If you'd like to drop me an email on hswa74-client2@yahoo.co.uk I'd be happy to discuss this. Frank Hallett
|
|
|
|
|
|
Rank: Guest
|
Posted By FAH
Oops - yes it is accessible Robert. I've copied my previous post to you.
Frank Hallett
|
|
|
|
|
|
Rank: Guest
|
Posted By Robert K Lewis
Frank
You have email:-)
Always wanted to say that!!:-)
Bob
|
|
|
|
|
|
Rank: Guest
|
Posted By peter gannaway
I have a leaflet for residents who wish to use a scooter in any of our sheletered schemes if it helps. It includes insurance advice which we insist on as well as fire precautions. Please advise e-m.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Rank: Guest
|
Posted By peter gannaway
further to my previous comment, I understand scooters are not deemed to be disability aids but rather life style choices, which affects our obligations under DDA less strict. Motorised wheel chairs are certainly disability aids.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Rank: Guest
|
Posted By Robert K Lewis
Peter
I would be a trifle wary about classing mobility scooters as merely lifestyle choices as many disabled persons use them, I certainly do as well as my wheelchair and crutches
Bob
|
|
|
|
|
|
Rank: Guest
|
Posted By Mark Eden
Buzz
We are in the process of building an outside charging facility/shelter for mobility scooters at a sheltered housing scheme. This has come about after a visit from the local Fire Safety Officer and the number of scooters parked outside residents flats and on charge at the time.
His main concern was the fire risk whilst on charge and that they may also cause an obstruction in the event of evacuating the building.
We have had a couple of residents shout about the DDA legislation, but as the RRO is covered by criminal law and the DDA is civil there appears no be no contest.
One other point to make is that the residents are allowed to have their mobility scooters in their apartments but they don't think to ensure they fit through the door before they purchase them
|
|
|
|
|
|
Rank: Guest
|
Posted By Robert K Lewis
Mark
Be careful in the decision that DDA is merely Civil - I believe The criminal code applies in near totality to the DD ACT
Bob
|
|
|
|
|
|
Rank: Guest
|
Posted By Mark Eden
Bob
Have just checked my comment with The Attorney Generals Office DDA is administered under civil law not criminal
Mark
|
|
|
|
|
|
Rank: Guest
|
Posted By Lisa_
Bob - its no so much about the building not being suitable for the tenant it is a fire safety issue. Charging must take place in the residents room, therefore they need to consider the size of appliance when purchasing. We have leaflets explaining all this to our customers and they are provided to anyone who is looking at us as a potential service provider.
If the scooter is a requirement to assist with a DDA need then alterations are covered off as part of our aids and adaptations policy in conjunction with an OT.
We allow the scooters to be out and about during the day as that is when people are using them. The system being that when they go back to their dwelling at the end of the day the scooter goes with them.
Regarding charging in communal areas also has a financial impact on residents not using scooters as the electric costs for communal areas are spread across all customers - it has avoided any heated exchanges on refusals to pay.
We are not saying that you cannot use specialised equipment to enhance your quality of life, we ask for a common sense approach that will not put other lives at risk.
Prior to the introduction of this policy we had scooters being left under stairwells on charge with all-sorts of combustibles stored in the baskets. Trailing cables along corridors which was a major issue for some of our visually impaired tenants. Not forgetting the can of WD40 and lighter fuel that one man insisted on keeping under the seat!
|
|
|
|
|
|
Rank: Guest
|
Posted By Shaun Doyle
As pointed out above the scooters introduces a fire risk especially when on charge. The ignition sources being the battery charging and the fuel being the scooter as usually contains plastics, fiber galss etc. Residents tend to park in the space under a stairs which very often is in a single stair condition!
The scooters very often obstructs the available space for means of escape and persons who may need to use other walking aids.
One recent report is from a fire when a scooter had just been removed form an aircraft hold. The chair and battery shorted out and caught on fire.
If there is a purpose made store with wide doors, good ventilation and automatic fire detection in the building / complex this would be a more reasonable direction? People can park up and walk / use a lift to their apartment. Up to a few years ago they were only walking anyway!
|
|
|
|
|
|
Rank: Guest
|
Posted By Crim
I have some recently gained experience as a new scooter user, having purchased one for myself last month.
I needed a boot scooter, it folds/dismantles and fits in the back of my car. The battery has a carry handle and I take that off and into my house to charge. No problem there.
I studied scooters prior to purchase to ensure I got the right one - I think I did.
If you only allow charging during the day when do the scooter users get to go out - at night time?
I think you should sit dowm with your residents and thrash out a policy covering all aspects of scooter use when indoors. It could be too late for current users, (no pun intended), but would be beneficial in future.
|
|
|
|
|
|
You cannot post new topics in this forum.
You cannot reply to topics in this forum.
You cannot delete your posts in this forum.
You cannot edit your posts in this forum.
You cannot create polls in this forum.
You cannot vote in polls in this forum.