The History of the Wheelchair Ramps

Tuesday, October 29th, 2019, 5:47 pm , Posted by MED +

Wheelchair ramps are commonplace today. We see them at hospitals, banks, malls, restaurants and many other types of businesses. We also see them in private residential homes. But, it wasn’t always this way. With the invention of the wheelchair, there became a need for people to access spaces with their wheelchair. This led to the intention of the wheelchair ramp.

Over time, wheelchair ramps have been designed in a number of ways – they can be permanent, semi-permanent or portable. In this blog, we will take a look at the history of the wheelchair ramp and discuss the ongoing need to provide greater accessibility for people with disabilities and mobility issues.

The History Of The Wheelchair Ramp

The invention of the ramp dates back to ancient Greek times as a tool to drag ships and materials. It’s been used to help build some of the most famous structures in history. Emily Nonko from theatlantic.com explains:

“The ramp is believed to have moved the materials that built the Egyptian pyramids and Stonehenge. The ancient Greeks constructed a paved ramp known as the Diolkos to drag ships across the Isthmus of Corinth. In 1600, Galileo hailed the inclined plane as one of the six simple machines in his work Le Meccaniche.”

Here is a timeline of the history of the wheelchair ramp and its evolution over time:

AD525: The first evidence of a wheelchair being used in China, establishing the need for a wheelchair ramp.
1600s: Ramps were used in ancient Greece to move large objects.
1900s: The ramp was rethought and was used as part of the design of Grand Central Station in New York City to help people move through the station more efficiently. It was initially meant to move large amounts of people and travellers with luggage.
1940s and 1950s: After the end of the Second World War, people began to realize the importance of accessibility ramps. Many veterans returned home from the war with mobility-related injuries that required them to be in a wheelchair and use other mobility devices. Accessibility was an issue that needed to be addressed in society.
1950s and 1960s: People started to advocate for greater accessibility in public spaces. People wanted more accessible sidewalks and within the city and greater access to buildings.
1990: It wasn’t until 1990, with the passing of the Americans with Disabilities Act, or ADA that the wheelchair ramp because commonplace in construction planning and design.
2005: The Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act(AODA) was passed. This required businesses in Ontario to be accessible to people with disabilities by 2025.

Wheelchair Ramp Regulations

Even though there are no specific laws in place in Canada regarding wheelchair ramps, there are building code requirements found in the Canadian National Building Code (CNBC). The Ontario building code is compliant with these regulations. For all new permanent wheelchair ramps built today, they must follow these guidelines:

Wheelchair ramps must have 1 inch of rising for every 12 inches of ramp.
The ramp must be at least 36 inches wide.
The landing of the ramp should typically be 60 inches by 60 inches.
A ramp must have handrails if it rises more than 6 inches or if the ramps extend 72 inches horizontally.

Accessibility Is Important To Canadians

Many businesses provide accessible ways to access their building but there are still improvements to be made to ensure there is universal access to public places in Ontario. Wheelchair ramps play a large role and will continue to play a large role in society for decades to come.

In Accessibility and inclusivity in Canada: A closer look, on rickhansen.com, author Sonia Woodward provides some very telling statistics about accessibility:

1 in 5 Canadians are expected to have a disability by 2036
9 out of 10 Canadians think accessibility is a human right
95% of Canadians believe accessibility is very important when planning new construction

While the wheelchair ramp plays an important role in helping people with disabilities and mobility issues, there is still work to be done to make Canada more accessible.

Explore Wheelchair Ramp Solutions

At MED+, we offer a large selection of wheelchair ramp solutions to provide you with greater accessibility at home or when out on the go. Check out our wheelchair ramp products:

Modular Ramps

Portable Ramps

Threshold Ramps