I I . S A F E T Y
Removable Parts
WARNING! Do not attempt to lift or move a wheelchair by any of its removable parts, including the armrests, seat, and front riggings.
Reaching and Bending
Never reach, lean, or bend while driving your wheelchair. If it is absolutely necessary to reach, lean, or bend while seated on your wheelchair, it is important to maintain a stable center of gravity and keep the wheelchair from tipping. Pride recommends that the wheelchair user determine his/her personal limitations and practice bending and reaching in the presence of a qualified healthcare professional.
WARNING! Do not bend, lean, or reach for objects if you have to pick them up from the floor by reaching down between your knees or if you have to reach over the back of the seat. Movements such as these may change your center of gravity and the weight distribution of the wheelchair. This may cause your wheelchair to tip.
WARNING! Keep your hands away from the tires when driving. Be aware that loose fitting clothing can become caught in drive tires.
Transfers
Transferring onto and off of your wheelchair requires a good sense of balance. Always have an attendant or healthcare professional present while learning to prop- erly transfer yourself.
To eliminate the possibility of injury, Pride recom- mends that you or a trained attendant perform the fol- lowing tasks before attempting a transfer:
Turn both caster wheels so that the caster forks point forward to improve wheelchair stability during transfer.
Ensure both manual wheel locks on your wheelchair are engaged. See III. “Your Wheelchair.”
If necessary, remove or flip up one or both |
| |
armrests. See IV. “Comfort Adjustments.” |
| |
Move the leg rests aside; this will help to keep your |
| |
feet from getting caught on the front rigging during |
| |
the transfer. |
| |
Reduce the distance between your wheelchair and | Figure 4. Ideal Transfer Position | |
the object you are transferring onto. | ||
|
WARNING! Before transferring, position yourself as far back as possible in the wheelchair seat to prevent the wheelchair from tipping forward during transfer.
WARNING! Avoid putting all of your weight on the wheelchair armrests and do not use the armrests for weight bearing purposes, such as transfers. Such use may cause the wheelchair to tip, resulting in a fall from the wheelchair and personal injury.
WARNING! Avoid putting all of your weight on the manual wheel locks and do not use the manual wheel locks for weight bearing purposes, such as transfers. Such use may cause equipment damage or personal injury.
WARNING! Avoid putting all of your weight on the front riggings. Such use may cause the wheelchair to tip.
Stylus LS | www.pridemobility.com | 11 |
