Singapore legislation
Regulation 97E
of Road Traffic (Motor Vehicles, Construction and Use) Rules
Regulation 97E
Boarding lifts and ramps
Subregulation 1
A vehicle shall —
be fitted with at least one boarding lift or one boarding ramp; or
carry at least one portable ramp.
Subregulation 2
A boarding lift or boarding ramp fitted to a vehicle —
shall have a safe working load of not less than 300 kilograms;
when subject to a uniformly distributed mass equal to 125% of the safe working load for a period of not less than 10 seconds, shall not suffer any permanent deformation or damage when the load is removed;
shall have its maximum safe working load marked in a position which is clearly visible to the operator of the lift or ramp; and
shall not allow the vehicle in the normal course to be driven away, unless the lift or ramp is at its normal position of vehicle travel.
Subregulation 3
Any boarding ramp fitted to a vehicle shall comply with the following requirements:
the surface of the ramp shall not be less than 800 millimetres in width;
no part of the surface of a ramp and no part of the vehicle shall present an obstruction greater than 15 millimetres in height measured along a plane parallel to, and above, the surface of the ramp, and in the direction of travel of a reference wheelchair when moved into or from the vehicle; (c)with the vehicle on a flat surface, in the normal condition for a wheelchair user to board or alight, and with the ramp extended and sitting on a kerb of 150 millimetres in height measured vertically from and parallel to the ground, the surface of a ramp shall have a slope measured over the surface of not more than 7° relative to the ground;
at the intersection of the surface of the kerb and the surface of the ramp, the surface of the ramp shall have a slope of not more than 15° relative to the ground over a distance of not more than 150 millimetres (measured along the surface of the ramp and parallel to the direction of travel of a reference wheelchair when it is moved from the kerb and onto the ramp surface); (e)at any point other than the intersection referred to in sub-paragraph (d), the surface of the ramp shall have a slope of not more than 15° relative to the ground over a distance of not more than 150 millimetres (measured along the surface of the ramp and parallel to the direction of travel of a reference wheelchair when it is moved into the vehicle) and rising to a height of not more than 15 millimetres (measured above and parallel to the surface of the ramp);
with the vehicle on a flat surface and in the normal condition for a wheelchair user to board or alight, the ramp shall be capable of being extended to, and of sitting on, that surface, and in this position, the surface of the ramp shall have a slope measured over the surface of not more than 20° relative to the ground;
a ramp shall be free of any sharp edge or other protrusion capable of causing injury; and
around and abutting each of the edges of a ramp, there shall be a band of colour of not less than 50 millimetres in width which shall contrast with the remainder of the ramp surface.
Subregulation 4
Any boarding lift fitted to a vehicle shall comply with the following requirements:
a lift platform shall not be less than 750 millimetres in width and not be less than 1,200 millimetres in length (excluding the device referred to in sub-paragraph (b)(i));
unless a boarding lift platform is in the lowered position and resting on a surface from which a wheelchair user can board, the following shall apply:
along any side of the lift platform from which a wheelchair user will move on to, or move from, the lift platform, a device of a height not less than 100 millimetres measured vertically above the surface of the lift platform shall operate automatically as the lift is raised above the lowered position;
when the lift platform is raised to a position which can allow a wheelchair user to move from the lift platform to the floor of the vehicle, the device referred to sub-paragraph (i) shall permit the wheelchair user unobstructed access to the floor of the vehicle;
along any other side, there shall be a device or structure of a height not less than 25 millimetres measured vertically above the surface of the lift platform; and
part of the vehicle structure may fulfil the requirements in sub-paragraph (i) or (iii) throughout the operating range of the lift provided that any gaps in the structure are unlikely to cause injury while the lift is in motion;
the vertical operating speed of a lift platform shall not exceed 0.15 m/s;
with the vehicle on a flat surface and in the normal condition for a wheelchair user to board or alight, the lift shall be capable of being lowered to and of sitting on that surface;
where the vertical travel of the lift platform exceeds 500 millimetres, at least one side of the lift platform shall be fitted with a handrail which —
if fitted to the lift platform, shall be at a height of not less than 650 millimetres or more than 1,100 millimetres measured vertically from the surface of the lift platform; or
if the handrail does not move with the lift platform, shall provide a grasping point for a wheelchair user at a height of not less than 650 millimetres or more than 1,100 millimetres measured vertically from the surface of the lift platform throughout the range of the vertical travel; and
around and abutting each of the edges of a lift, there shall be a band of colour of not less than 50 millimetres in width which shall contrast with the remainder of the lift surface.
Subregulation 5
Any power-operated boarding lift or power-operated boarding ramp fitted to a vehicle —
shall be capable of operation —
by means of a control situated in the driver’s cab; or
by means of a control situated adjacent to the lift or ramp which shall only be capable of operation by means of a master control situated in the driver’s cab;
shall produce an audible signal when in operation;
shall be capable of manual operation, failing which a portable ramp shall be provided;
where the vehicle is fitted with more than one lift or ramp, shall provide for at least one lift or ramp to be capable of manual operation, failing which a portable ramp shall be provided; and
shall not be capable of operation when the vehicle is in motion.
Subregulation 6
Any power-operated boarding ramp shall be fitted with a safety device which stops the movement of the ramp if —
the ramp is subject to a reactive force not exceeding 150 N in any direction; and
that motion could cause injury to any person.
Subregulation 7
Where a power-operated boarding lift fitted to a vehicle can only be operated by means of a control situated in the driver’s cab, sensors shall be provided.
Subregulation 8
The sensors referred to in paragraph (7) shall be capable of stopping the movement of the lift platform if it comes into contact with any thing or person while it is in motion.
Subregulation 9
Where a power-operated boarding lift is fitted to a vehicle, and there are areas of that lift which are not visible to a person operating the lift, the lift shall be fitted with a stop control which is within easy reach of any user of the lift and which can be operated with the palm of the hand.
Subregulation 10
Where the operation of a power-operated boarding lift is stopped by the sensors referred to in paragraph (8) or the stop control referred to in paragraph (9), the lift platform must be capable of being reversed.
Subregulation 11
Where a portable ramp is carried in a vehicle, the ramp —
shall not be easily moved when it is being used by a wheelchair user and it is in the normal position for the wheelchair user to board or alight from the vehicle;
shall be provided with a stowage position in a position where it is readily available for use;
shall be capable of being securely stowed in the stowing position so as to minimise the risk of injury to any person; and
shall comply with the requirements in paragraphs (2)(a), (b) and (c) and (3) as if references to “boarding ramp” were references to “portable ramp”.
Subregulation 12
In this rule “master control” means a control which enables another control to activate the relevant system, but which is not itself alone capable of activating that system.