What is the best option for stair repair? Pour new concrete or repair stairs with HandiTreads? Have you recently made a decision to repair your stairs? Have they been deteriorating or deemed unsafe by a family member or neighbor? What if you had concrete stairs that were structurally sound, but the surface was pitted with […]
If you are a business owner or are responsible for the safety and well-being of your employees and are in need of information on how to minimize slipping or falling, then you have come to the right place. This article will provide you with some simple, key procedures that can and should be implemented right […]
At last, summer has arrived! This is the time of year for families and friends to grab their swimsuits, suntan lotion, and towels and get into the water. We at Handi-Ramp, north of Chicago in Libertyville, are lucky as there are many aquatic options within a few hours’ ride. It is relaxing and fun to […]
North Dakota is the new Texas when it comes to fuel extraction. Deep within the Earth’s crust is a highly sought-after goldmine centering on abundant shale deposits which must be extracted through a process called hydraulic fracking. This extraction has companies locked in a battle to tap into the multimillion-dollar market. The Fracking Process Hydraulic […]
Like humans older dogs are more prone to diseases and problems as they get older. While you should be taking your dog to the vet for regular checkups, as most dog owners leave long gaps between each checkup (usually a year), it’s worth keeping an eye on your dog’s health yourself in case anything crops […]
Our hearts go out to the many in Oklahoma who have lost loved ones and to those recovering after the storm. With severe weather bringing horrendous tornadoes to Oklahoma, many residents are now beginning to clean up after two days of sheer shock. While thousands of people were able to seek shelter from the […]
If you look back over the last 100 years, you’ll see that there have been a number of positive steps towards the creation of an equal and fair society. There have been a number of laws passed to ensure that people from different faiths and of different genders are treated with the respect that they […]
For thousands of years, brave young men and women have put their lives on the line to defend our freedom, and for thousands of years the vast majority of those who return home must attend to varying degrees of injuries. Topping the list of the most common injury is an amputation, with many of our […]
Weather Changes – In Boston as Well as Anywhere – Think of Safety – Think of HandRails Imagine yourself invited to an important fund-raiser at one of the top hotels in Boston. You bought a brand new designer gown weeks ago, and just recently purchased a pair of new heels, which happen to be the […]
Slip, trip, and fall accidents make up a large proportion of industrial accidents, and cause serious injuries in homes across the country. While it may seem simple to just “watch where you’re going,” people living or working in areas with a high risk of slip, trip, and fall accidents can use other, more surefire measures […]
No Loading Dock at the Strip Mall Recently, a real estate developer came to us with a serious problem he was facing. He was a signature away from leasing a strip mall in the Southeast and was looking at three potential tenants. However, these tenants had one common issue that would prevent the deal from […]
Now that the Midwest weather has begun to warm up and flowers bud, many of us have started to think of home improvement projects for the year. Various home improvement companies will generate TV and radio ads to promote assorted products. As it turns out, Las Vegas will be hosting the largest housing hardware products […]
In three of our previous segments, we’ve introduced the question of what portable ramp is right for me, and introduced a seven part series to better help you understand ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) requirements. So far we’ve covered what the ramps use or purpose is, and more importantly what the rise you’re trying to […]
Many companies rely on forklift operators to complete everyday tasks for them. Companies put their operators through substantial training to ensure each and every task is completed correctly. Forklift operator training is important, but there are also forklift safety accessories a company can use to keep their operators and forklifts as safe as possible. Companies […]
New Products Are Born from New Industries: The Fracking Ramp Have you ever had an idea for developing a new product? Maybe its something you drew up years ago and never followed up, or it’s someone else’s idea and you’re following up on it. Nevertheless, we have a great story to share with you about […]
Deer Thrive in Suburban Environs Late last week I received a call from a customer located in a far northern suburb of Chicago IL – not too far from where Handi-Ramp is based. If you are unfamiliar with the far northern areas, we are famous for Six Flags Great America, and Gurnee Mills Mall, the […]
Much has been written about owning a new puppy, but much less spoken of are the demands presented by owning a dog in its senior years. Modern advances in veterinary care mean that more and more dogs are living to a ripe old age – and although these senior years can be just as rewarding, […]
A Visit From Mom I received a call earlier in the week from a customer in Texas whose mother is visiting later this spring. Due to the home’s architecture there is a sunken living room that sits a few feet below the house’s foundation requiring two stairs between the family room and kitchen. Her mother […]
Companies, particularly in the manufacturing industry, spend millions of dollars a year maintaining and improving workplace safety standards. A team of researchers in England recently broke down four key factors that affect workplace safety and outlined how to improve them. Grouping the Factors The factors that influence workplace safety, like many other things in human society, are […]
Sunny On the West Coast With the weather feeling a bit more like spring in Chicago, it’s easy to forget the West Coast has decent to beautiful weather all year long. If you’ve had a chance to visit San Francisco like I have, you’ll quickly come to realize the lack of clouds and abundance of […]
The Rise and the Run of a Ramp In our two previous segments, we introduced the idea of purchasing a ramp into several different sections and introduced those sections to you. We also offered a variety of options to choose from trying to determine what ramp is best for you. In this part of our […]
Increasing Number of Natural Disasters Over the Years Over the last several years, the world in general has been beset by a series of catastrophic natural disasters. Notables include the Haiti earthquake (2010), Hurricane Katrina (2005), Joplin tornado (2011), California wildfires (2007), and winter storm Nemo (2013). With these disasters, the world has had to […]
Hello, and welcome back. In our previous segment, we introduced the question of how to choose the best ramp to fit your needs, and because of its complexity, we decided to write a seven part series that will review detailed information to better help your decision. Location and Purpose of Your Ramp In this segment, […]
I spoke with a customer earlier this week who had a good question: they live in a single family residence and wanted to know what the right ramp length for them is? Unfortunately, this is a very complex question. Every situation is unique with several factors that must be considered when determining the length of […]
A New Wheelchair Ramp for a New Van While I was watching the news a few days ago, the local newsperson gave estimated statistics for the number of vehicles traveling later this year for the major holidays. Immediately following the news the next commercial was two car commercials promoting their respective 2013 models and “last […]
I was out this weekend with friends at a Karaoke Bar, having a good time and letting go of the weeks’ events. As the get together went along, I was heavily persuaded to get up and sing. Well, little did I know that my singing efforts would turn into a foray of dock history. The […]
Special Aunts I have many aunts. All of them are special and favorite to me. I have many fond memories of them. Many of these memories are of Easter. Of course I remember painting eggs and candy. And years when Easter was warmer and in April, not March. Letting Go but Still Caring One thing […]
Accidents can happen on spring break, even though vacation is a time to relax, have fun and forget your worries. But there are a few cases where having fun can be dangerous, many do not pay attention to what is going on. I witnessed a near slip and fall when I was on traveling in […]
If you’ve ever run into a problem securing a portable pet ramp to the rear door of your vehicle, the following story could change your life. Many vehicles on the road today are not designed to accommodate a portable pet ramp that will assist your pet into the rear seat. If someone were to attempt […]
Imagine walking through a nature preserve, admiring its beauty and lack of street noise. You come up to an area with a wooden staircase leading down to a pond. One foot is planted on the top stair, then a second foot. Before you take another step, you are losing traction, slipping off the stair. By […]
What does the phrase ‘Made in the USA’ mean to you? With Presidents week wrapped up and honorably ending with Washington’s official Birthday, it is always good to take a moment to think about our country, what it stands for, and reflect on being an American. One of the things that makes President’s day a […]
What happens when you place two popular concerts back to back in a major league ballpark and then have a game to play the day after? Quite a lot actually. Last summer at a major league stadium in the Midwest two concerts were held on consecutive nights. When the dust settled, and after the stages […]
With the hint of graduation right around the corner, many high schools and universities have begun the rigorous process of planning one of the biggest events of a student’s life – graduation. First there’s a question of venue – hold it on campus or rent a larger space elsewhere? Second is the question of how […]
Just in time for Valentine’s Day we received a wonderful Valentine from a customer: I love my PetStep rubberized dog ramp. I bought the dog ramp because I live in the mountains where there is rough terrain, decomposing granite, dirt and mud, when it rains and snows. If you travel with your dogs into the […]
Millions of people around the world go through life with an illness or disability without the pleasure of experiencing something most people take for granted. For example, some deal with asthma, preventing them from participating in a marathon. Others are deaf preventing them from hearing the sweet sound of music, and some have an allergy […]
Each day thousands of new babies are born throughout the world, and from the start, we tell ourselves we’ll do everything in our power to keep that child safe. Well, this concept applies to not only humans, but pets as well. When they are adopted and brought into our home for the first time, it […]
When winter arrives, you feel it: a freezing cold, snowy, slushy season. One of the first things many people do is grab that $20 bag of salt at the nearest grocery store. In any given winter, we go through several bags of the clear pellets in hopes of reducing slips and falls by family members, […]
Who do you call if your municipal building (circa early 1900’s) is in need of a new ramp that needs to reach a height of over 12 feet, encompasses over 120 feet of actual ramp surface and meets all ADA requirements? Did I mention that this municipal building was located in Oregon requiring the ramp […]
With the Chicago winter slowly winding down, many residents are readying themselves for another season: graduation. Many people will have a son or daughter, grandson or granddaughter walking across the prestigious stage this coming spring, and because of the achievement, many families will bring their extended families in from around the area, or across state […]
Early this morning I received a call from a construction company located in Washington D.C. It was a previous customer calling about a ramp project. The ramp was a massive 95 foot ramp, one of the largest we have made here at Handi-Ramp. The customer recalled his great experience with Handi-Ramp me over the phone […]
I awoke before sunrise Monday morning, a.k.a. Super Monday, to find three inches of snow had fallen overnight and encased my vehicle. Luckily, I did not slip and fall walking out the front door, or along my driveway. I have installed HandiTreads on my front steps on top of a threshold ramp. The snowfall this […]
I recently took a flight from Chicago to Las Vegas, and upon arriving at the airport, I met a couple who decided to go on an adventurous vacation to visit some old friends. Both were seasoned travelers and frequent visitors to Las Vegas. The wife was temporarily wheelchair-bound, due to the fact that she had […]
At Handi-Ramp, we’ve been making ramps that bring safety and security to our customers for over 54 years. We bring solutions to the accessibility, safety, and materials handling industries. Our job is to solve customer problems — We provide advice to make your material handling operations run smoother, create handicapped accessibility, or we make your […]
Treads – I leaned a new meaning of a very old word today. Officially, the dictionary lists the definition as “To tread on something, to walk on.” Reading on, I also leaned there are many types of “treads”, including a tire tread, shoe tread, and even the specific way a person walks. Then there are […]
Many times during the year, people with physical limitations travel and stay with family and friends and are often challenged with the lack of accessibility away from home. The solution might be buying a portable ramp, if the need will be frequent. The length of a portable ramp is often not long enough to surmount […]
It was Friday, the start of the weekend and I was looking forward to it. After a slight slip on icy cement sidewalk my mind was on slip, trip and falls all weekend. I work for Handi-Ramp. We sell safety products. Typically when I’m out and about I am scanning for potential improvements that can […]
I just got off the phone with a customer in Pittsburgh who had a “last minute emergency.” Rush delivery on a ramp? Not a problem! We’ve worked with many organizations who needed a ramp meeting ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) requirements. At Handi-Ramp we have ADA ramp experts available to expedite your last minute rush […]
We’ve all been there. The Problem: You are working at a retail or wholesale store. It’s near the end of your shift, and the boss just asked you to move a box of heavy merchandise from one section of the floor to the other. As you struggle to handle the increasing weight of the box […]
A customer called and asked, “I’m interested in how you attained OSHA approval of your safety surfaces, as you claim on your tread plates. Can you provide me documentation on this?” This is a great question. I have reconstructed the process we went through to validate that claim. The OSHA Standard 29 CFR 1910 Subpart […]
During the summer of 2012, we received an e-mail inquiry to provide a wheelchair lift and platform for a gentleman suffering from the first stages of ALS, Lou Gehrig’s disease. His wife, who initiated contact, was very pleased to find out that our company, Handi-Ramp, is based in the Chicago area. She was also thrilled […]
“How long does my wheelchair ramp have to be?” This is a question I am asked several times daily, and unfortunately there is not a simple answer. There are many different factors in determining the correct ramp size, including the rise (distance between the top stair and ground), space available for a ramp vs. space […]
Many people go through life depending on the assistance of others. Such was the idea in this case. An employee at a Chicagoland Institution contacted us about outfitting their restrooms with grab bars for those physically disabled. Upon speaking with a disability expert, the school decided to purchase five grab bars to be used in one […]
Earlier this morning a potential customer contacted Handi-Ramp via phone and explained her situation. This is her story. Her husband, who is wheelchair bound 90% of the day, was lucky enough to have a friend build them a wooden ramp so that he could access their home more easily. Unfortunately, many problems arose after the […]
Truck driving is one of the jobs with the highest slip, trip, and fall rates. As a result, it is an industry with a high cost of workers’ compensation. To ensure the highest safety for its drivers, one of the many safety precautions for getting in and out of the cab is the three point […]
Yard ramps are some of the largest and most impressive ramps used in material handling and industrial applications. They start their lives shiny and new and live a long life, traveling many miles across the country to various locations to help out as temporary loading docks. Portable Dock Ramp Acting as a temporary loading dock, […]
Any disease can become disabling if you let it overcome you. I know someone who has multiple sclerosis. It hasn’t held her back. Another friend got sick at a young age, nearing the prime of her life. She had beautiful hand writing and still does, but after MS it was harder to control. She had […]
My Grandparents have lived in their house for over 50 years. Six months ago, my grandmother tripped and fell down the stairs while carrying laundry up to the bedroom. It was everyone’s worst nightmare, only now it was our reality. My mom and dad got the call around 8pm and there we were heading to […]
We’ve all been there. You spent hours online researching that one item to make this year the best Christmas ever. You’ve carefully measured the area best for it, asked friends about their experience purchasing one, and devoted even more hours thinking about holding it, then coming up with that one reason not to get it. […]
It was a hot August day when Alex answered the phone at Handi-Treads in Libertyville, IL. “Hello, this is Handi-Ramp. How may I help you?” Alex said. “Hello. I am looking for a product called Handi-Tread™. We saw it on your website. It looks like we need your treads.” “Sure, I am happy to help. […]
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