Ceiling Track Hoist – Best Layout
Find the Optimum Layout for Ceiling Track Hoists
Best practice when designing the ideal Ceiling Hoist Track layout (for example from bedroom to bathroom) is to decide on the zones where transfer needs to occur, both now and potentially in the future (remember furniture may move as the user gets older or requirements change).
This is the starting point and allows the design for the Overhead Hoist Track (or Ceiling Hoist Track) design to be put together whether it be the bedroom to bathroom, the school classroom, the swimming pool or the hospital ward.
In the bedroom it will most likely be the bed and a transfer zone (the area where the user will be transferred in or out of a wheelchair). In the bathroom the zones to be considered will be the Bath or Showerchair, Fold Down or Integrated Changing Table, WC and Transfer Area.
The most common and flexible solution is to have an H system (sometimes called an XY system) in both the bedroom and bathroom that connects using an automatic gate.
Common Mistakes when Designing Ceiling Hoist Track Layout
- The H System need to cover the entire room – This is often a misconception. Although an H system that covers the majority of the room will be an advantage and provide future flexibility, often there is fitted furniture or areas of the room that will never require hoisting and be keeping the hoist track within a certain size will ensure a small track profile can be used.
- A Steel Support Beam will need to be installed – Although sometimes this is necessary, often any expensive steel structures can be avoided by talking to your hoist provider early on in the process. Normally if access can be made to the joists or structure above the finished ceiling then steels will not be required.
- Gates or Connecting H Systems are difficult to operate – This is not the case. Gone are the days of noisy mechanical gates where a moving rail on an H system had to be manually forced into place. The gate on the OT200 is operated by a magnetic switch, is fully electric and a quiet, reliable way of transferring from one room to another quickly, safely and efficiently.
- Ceiling Hoist Track from room to room leaves an ugly hole above the door – OpeMed offer a range of options when track runs from the bedroom into the bathroom. The most aesthetically pleasing solution is to have full height doors and the compact OT200 Ceiling Hoist Track form part of the door header. This means when the door is open the Overhead Hoist passes through, and when the door is shut there is no noise or light pollution.
- My Bathroom is Small but an H System has been recommended – An H system does provide flexibility but a turntable should also be considered. The OpeMed turntable is fully automatic and a choice of upto 16 different exits can be chosen during the design stage. Often the ensuite bathroom is small and it is the WC and shower requiring hoisting access so a Turntable can cover both these areas even if on different sides of the Bathroom. The OpeMed track curves are the smallest on the market and combined with a turntable can provide the optimum layout.
- I have an old existing Ceiling Hoist and I will need to replace the whole installation and start again – This is not true and often your existing ceiling hoist track can be reused. The OT200 can be adapted to work on the majority of Ceiling or Overhead Disability Hoists installed in the last 20 years. Replacing the motor for a new one will mean you have a new warranty, avoid expensive spare parts and don’t require the track to be taken down and a new one installed.
