When buying a stair lift you need to check for certain safety features such as the stop sensors. Most manufacturers design stair lifts with built in sensors that will detect potential obstructions when ascending or descending the stairs, and stop the stair lift preventing an accident.
These sensors can be mounted on the footrest or the carriage and normally check for obstructions on the stairs or on the stairlift rail in front of and underneath the stair lift.
Potential hazards that can be detected by sensors include:
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Pets - climbing stairs of waiting at the bottom or top of stairs
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Children - climbing stairs of waiting at the bottom or top of stairs
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Objects that have fallen from the landing
Some sensors can also detect if the users legs slip from footrests and will stop stairlift to prevent any potential injury.
Due to the importance of safety issues it is important that you are fully aware of the safety sensors that are included and how they operate when choosing a stairlift retailer. This is especially important if you have pets or have children / grandchildren visiting you home.