WCS: Wheelchair Transportation Safety Standards ANSI/RESNA SOWHAT

Background

A draft proposal for a voluntary standard for wheelchairs that could be used as a seat in a transport vehicle was prepared in 1992 and circulated to an Ad hoc group of school authority transportation directors, private transporters, members of RESNA's Wheelchair Standards Subcommittee, several consumer groups, Restraint Task Group members of the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE), wheelchairs and securement manufacturers and interested researchers. An Ad Hoc planning group met on Dec. 13, 1993 in Cleveland to review the proposal and determine whether sufficient need existed, and if funds could be potentially raised to support the proposal. The planning group unanimously supported the concept and agreed to support an aggressive three-year development plan. It was further agreed that the work should be done under the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) umbrella, as a subcommittee within the RESNA Technical Guidelines Committee, the body that developed all US standards for regular production wheelchairs. RESNA had been designated by ANSI as the standards development body for products for the people with disabilities. It was also declared that an effort should be made to harmonize with similar standards being developed within the International Standards Organization (ISO). A number of the people on the planning group had been working directly as members of the ISO working group.

The first formal meeting of the Subcommittee on Wheelchairs and Transportation (SOWHAT) took place on March 4, 1994. The meeting endorsed a broadly based membership representing eight constituencies with operating procedures following the ANSI requirements. A three-year work plan was agreed upon, complete with a fund-raising plan to raise approximately $350,000. Douglas Hobson of the University of Pittsburgh was elected Chair, Larry Schneider of University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute (UMTRI), secretary, and Mike Wagner of Alpha Transportation, treasurer and head of fund raising. Terry Voy of the Bureau of School Administration and Accreditation, Indiana Department of Education was also elected as member-at-large of the Executive Committee. UMTRI was designated as the repository for the funds management.

The structure established to carry out the three-year work plan called for the larger oversight (full) committee to meet semi-annually, with the smaller research group reporting to the larger committee, based upon developments taking place at the research and standards writing level. The research group meets twice annually between meetings of the oversight subcommittee. Recommendations brought forth at the fall committee meetings are discussed and decided upon by subcommittee members. The following is the rationale statement that is guiding the work of SOWHAT.

Rationale

"Providing effective occupant protection in a motor-vehicle crash is a systems problem that involves the vehicle, the vehicle seat, and the occupant restraint system. Recognition of the importance of the vehicle seat to effective occupant restraint has increased significantly in recent years, and manufacturers of automotive seats are now required to perform extensive dynamic testing to ensure that the production vehicle complies with government crashworthiness and occupant protection criteria. Not only must the seat be secured so that it does not add to the loads on the occupant during a crash, but it must be designed and constructed to provide support for the occupant under impact loading and during rebound, thereby controlling occupant kinematics in order to optimize the performance of restraint systems and minimize occupant contact with interior vehicle components. Furthermore, the seat must be designed so that it does not significantly contribute to occupant injuries in a crash.

For people with disabilities who are unable to transfer from their wheelchairs when traveling in motor vehicles, the wheelchair must serve as the vehicle seat and after-market equipment must be installed to secure the wheelchair and provide occupant restraint. The design and performance of wheelchair tiedown and occupant restraint systems (WTORS) is addressed in a separate document in the form of an SAE recommended practice. The purpose of SOWHAT- ANSI/RESNA standard is to further promote occupant safety and reduce the risk of injury for motor-vehicle occupants who remain seated in their wheelchair during transit. This is accomplished by applying basic occupant protection principles to the development of design and performance criteria for wheelchairs that will be used as seats when their occupants are traveling in a motor vehicle.

For purposes of the transport wheelchair standard, a wheelchair is considered to be a seating system comprised of a frame, a seat, and wheels that is designed to provide support and mobility for persons with physical disabilities. This term encompasses standard manual wheelchairs, powered wheelchairs, power-based wheelchairs, three-wheel scooter-type wheelchairs, and specialized seating bases. A transportable wheelchair is one that complies with all the requirements of this standard and is therefore considered to provide a reasonable measure of safe and effective seating during vehicle ingress/egress, during normal transportation, and during a vehicle collision.

In preparing the SOWHAT standard, it has been recognized that there are many makes, models, and styles of wheelchairs in use, and that few, if any have been designed to serve as a seat in a motor vehicle. It is the purpose of this document to encourage the design, testing, and use of transportable wheelchairs that comply with this standard and that will therefore enable and enhance effective wheelchair securement and occupant restraint in a frontal collision, offering comparable crash performance to that provided by the OEM vehicle seat. While the primary concern is to reduce the potential for injury to wheelchair-seated occupants that may be involved in a frontal vehicle crash, the standard also addresses issues of wheelchair performance related to vehicle access, maneuverability, and stability under normal operating conditions. It is also anticipated that achievement of improved occupant protection through effective wheelchair securement will result in increased comfort and security for wheelchair-seated occupants during normal travel.

The provisions of this standard should not be used to discourage people with disabilities from using motor vehicle transportation, or to limit access to, and availability of, motor vehicle transportation to wheelchair user."
This last sentence was added upon recognizing that there is the potential, under certain circumstances, for transport authorities not following the requirements of ADA to use the standard to limit access to transport vehicles. In order to gain a sense as to what the standard will address, the following is the verbatim Scope statement from the current draft of the standard.

"This ANSI/RESNA standard supplements ANSI/RESNA Wheelchair Standards (WC/01 through WC/18) and specifies general design requirements, test procedures, and performance requirements for manual and powered wheelchairs that can be considered to offer suitable and safe forward-facing seating for disabled passengers traveling in transit, paratransit, school bus, over-the-road coaches, and personally licensed vehicles. The standard applies to the securement of wheelchairs by four-point strap-type tiedown systems that are occupied by child- and adult-sized disabled passengers restrained by belt-type occupant restraints. The standard applies to a wide range of wheelchair types and styles, including manual wheelchairs, powerbase wheelchairs, three-wheeled scooters, tilt-in-space wheelchairs, and specialized mobile seating bases with removable seating inserts. It applies primarily to wheelchairs as purchased from the OEM manufacturer, but also has application to wheelchairs that are retrofitted for use as a motor-vehicle seat by the addition of after-market add-on components".

The standard places particular emphasis on design requirements, test procedures, and performance criteria related to frontal impact performance. However, it also includes design and performance requirements for wheelchairs with regard to accessibility to motor-vehicles and stability during normal vehicle travel. The standard specifies strength and geometric requirements for wheelchair securement points and occupant restraint anchorage points on the wheelchair. It also provides requirements and information for wheelchair accessory components, seat inserts, and postural support devices with regard to their design and use in motor vehicles."

In addition to the general requirements indicated above, several additional key features required for a transport wheelchair are that it shall:

have at least four permanently labeled securement points that can withstand the forces of a 30 mph, 20 g impact,
have specific securement point geometry that can receive a securement end fitting hook of a specified maximum dimension,
be equipped with anchor points for an optional integrated pelvic belt, such that the wheelchair and pelvic belt will withstand a 30 mph, 20 g impact,
provide a standard interface on the pelvic belt to connect to a vehicle-anchored shoulder belt.

Current Status

WC-19-Wheelchairs Used as Seats in Motor Vehicles was APPROVED by ANSI on April 19, 2000 and is now a voluntary U.S. national standard.

Title: Volume I/Section 19: Wheelchairs used as seats in motor vehicles

Source: RESNA, 1700 N.Moore St, Suite 1540, Arlington, Virgina 22201-1903
Phone: 703-524-6686 Fax: 703-524-6630 TTY: 703-524-6639
email:info@resna.org http://www.resna.org

Future Efforts

Unfortunately, this version of the WC-19 standard do not address all the issues and concerns. For example, it does not address rear or side vehicle impacts or rollover situations. Securement methods and devices other then strap-type securement devices are only partially addressed. These discrepancies will need to be addressed by future additions to the standards. Most standard developments efforts are incremental and the work is rarely completely done in the initial standard. Field experience with the standard invariably reveals shortcomings or limitations, and thereby clarifies the focus for revision or expansion.

The SOWHAT now will focus on docking technologies, seating devices for use in motor vehicles, and possibly non-frontal impact conditions. The Phase-II work agenda will be finalized at its June, 1999 meeting.

In an effort to educate potential users about the rationale and application of the standards, the SOWHAT group have agreed that a comprehensive guideline manual should also be prepared and made available as part of the program of work. It is planned that this will be released within six months from the completion date of the ANSI/RESNA WC-19 standard.

Transportation Safety Resources:

Transportation for Individuals with Disabilities (U.S Department of Transportation)
Transportation Vehicle Guidelines (U.S. Access Board, also known as the Architectural and Transportation Barriers Compliance Board)

ANSI/RESNA Subcommittee on Wheelchairs and Transportation (SOWHAT)

Overview and Status Report

Background

Rationale

Current Status

Future Efforts

Transportation Safety Resources:

		ANSI/RESNA SOWHAT ANSI/RESNA Abbreviations Key RESNA Standards Organization's Policies and Procedures ANSI/RESNA Subcommittee on Wheelchairs and Transportation (SOWHAT) Overview and Status Report Background A draft proposal for a voluntary standard for wheelchairs that could be used as a seat in a transport vehicle was prepared in 1992 and circulated to an Ad hoc group of school authority transportation directors, private transporters, members of RESNA's Wheelchair Standards Subcommittee, several consumer groups, Restraint Task Group members of the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE), wheelchairs and securement manufacturers and interested researchers. An Ad Hoc planning group met on Dec. 13, 1993 in Cleveland to review the proposal and determine whether sufficient need existed, and if funds could be potentially raised to support the proposal. The planning group unanimously supported the concept and agreed to support an aggressive three-year development plan. It was further agreed that the work should be done under the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) umbrella, as a subcommittee within the RESNA Technical Guidelines Committee, the body that developed all US standards for regular production wheelchairs. RESNA had been designated by ANSI as the standards development body for products for the people with disabilities. It was also declared that an effort should be made to harmonize with similar standards being developed within the International Standards Organization (ISO). A number of the people on the planning group had been working directly as members of the ISO working group. The first formal meeting of the Subcommittee on Wheelchairs and Transportation (SOWHAT) took place on March 4, 1994. The meeting endorsed a broadly based membership representing eight constituencies with operating procedures following the ANSI requirements. A three-year work plan was agreed upon, complete with a fund-raising plan to raise approximately $350,000. Douglas Hobson of the University of Pittsburgh was elected Chair, Larry Schneider of University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute (UMTRI), secretary, and Mike Wagner of Alpha Transportation, treasurer and head of fund raising. Terry Voy of the Bureau of School Administration and Accreditation, Indiana Department of Education was also elected as member-at-large of the Executive Committee. UMTRI was designated as the repository for the funds management. The structure established to carry out the three-year work plan called for the larger oversight (full) committee to meet semi-annually, with the smaller research group reporting to the larger committee, based upon developments taking place at the research and standards writing level. The research group meets twice annually between meetings of the oversight subcommittee. Recommendations brought forth at the fall committee meetings are discussed and decided upon by subcommittee members. The following is the rationale statement that is guiding the work of SOWHAT. Rationale "Providing effective occupant protection in a motor-vehicle crash is a systems problem that involves the vehicle, the vehicle seat, and the occupant restraint system. Recognition of the importance of the vehicle seat to effective occupant restraint has increased significantly in recent years, and manufacturers of automotive seats are now required to perform extensive dynamic testing to ensure that the production vehicle complies with government crashworthiness and occupant protection criteria. Not only must the seat be secured so that it does not add to the loads on the occupant during a crash, but it must be designed and constructed to provide support for the occupant under impact loading and during rebound, thereby controlling occupant kinematics in order to optimize the performance of restraint systems and minimize occupant contact with interior vehicle components. Furthermore, the seat must be designed so that it does not significantly contribute to occupant injuries in a crash. For people with disabilities who are unable to transfer from their wheelchairs when traveling in motor vehicles, the wheelchair must serve as the vehicle seat and after-market equipment must be installed to secure the wheelchair and provide occupant restraint. The design and performance of wheelchair tiedown and occupant restraint systems (WTORS) is addressed in a separate document in the form of an SAE recommended practice. The purpose of SOWHAT- ANSI/RESNA standard is to further promote occupant safety and reduce the risk of injury for motor-vehicle occupants who remain seated in their wheelchair during transit. This is accomplished by applying basic occupant protection principles to the development of design and performance criteria for wheelchairs that will be used as seats when their occupants are traveling in a motor vehicle. For purposes of the transport wheelchair standard, a wheelchair is considered to be a seating system comprised of a frame, a seat, and wheels that is designed to provide support and mobility for persons with physical disabilities. This term encompasses standard manual wheelchairs, powered wheelchairs, power-based wheelchairs, three-wheel scooter-type wheelchairs, and specialized seating bases. A transportable wheelchair is one that complies with all the requirements of this standard and is therefore considered to provide a reasonable measure of safe and effective seating during vehicle ingress/egress, during normal transportation, and during a vehicle collision. In preparing the SOWHAT standard, it has been recognized that there are many makes, models, and styles of wheelchairs in use, and that few, if any have been designed to serve as a seat in a motor vehicle. It is the purpose of this document to encourage the design, testing, and use of transportable wheelchairs that comply with this standard and that will therefore enable and enhance effective wheelchair securement and occupant restraint in a frontal collision, offering comparable crash performance to that provided by the OEM vehicle seat. While the primary concern is to reduce the potential for injury to wheelchair-seated occupants that may be involved in a frontal vehicle crash, the standard also addresses issues of wheelchair performance related to vehicle access, maneuverability, and stability under normal operating conditions. It is also anticipated that achievement of improved occupant protection through effective wheelchair securement will result in increased comfort and security for wheelchair-seated occupants during normal travel. The provisions of this standard should not be used to discourage people with disabilities from using motor vehicle transportation, or to limit access to, and availability of, motor vehicle transportation to wheelchair user." This last sentence was added upon recognizing that there is the potential, under certain circumstances, for transport authorities not following the requirements of ADA to use the standard to limit access to transport vehicles. In order to gain a sense as to what the standard will address, the following is the verbatim Scope statement from the current draft of the standard. "This ANSI/RESNA standard supplements ANSI/RESNA Wheelchair Standards (WC/01 through WC/18) and specifies general design requirements, test procedures, and performance requirements for manual and powered wheelchairs that can be considered to offer suitable and safe forward-facing seating for disabled passengers traveling in transit, paratransit, school bus, over-the-road coaches, and personally licensed vehicles. The standard applies to the securement of wheelchairs by four-point strap-type tiedown systems that are occupied by child- and adult-sized disabled passengers restrained by belt-type occupant restraints. The standard applies to a wide range of wheelchair types and styles, including manual wheelchairs, powerbase wheelchairs, three-wheeled scooters, tilt-in-space wheelchairs, and specialized mobile seating bases with removable seating inserts. It applies primarily to wheelchairs as purchased from the OEM manufacturer, but also has application to wheelchairs that are retrofitted for use as a motor-vehicle seat by the addition of after-market add-on components". The standard places particular emphasis on design requirements, test procedures, and performance criteria related to frontal impact performance. However, it also includes design and performance requirements for wheelchairs with regard to accessibility to motor-vehicles and stability during normal vehicle travel. The standard specifies strength and geometric requirements for wheelchair securement points and occupant restraint anchorage points on the wheelchair. It also provides requirements and information for wheelchair accessory components, seat inserts, and postural support devices with regard to their design and use in motor vehicles." In addition to the general requirements indicated above, several additional key features required for a transport wheelchair are that it shall: have at least four permanently labeled securement points that can withstand the forces of a 30 mph, 20 g impact, have specific securement point geometry that can receive a securement end fitting hook of a specified maximum dimension, be equipped with anchor points for an optional integrated pelvic belt, such that the wheelchair and pelvic belt will withstand a 30 mph, 20 g impact, provide a standard interface on the pelvic belt to connect to a vehicle-anchored shoulder belt. Current Status WC-19-Wheelchairs Used as Seats in Motor Vehicles was APPROVED by ANSI on April 19, 2000 and is now a voluntary U.S. national standard. Title: Volume I/Section 19: Wheelchairs used as seats in motor vehicles Source: RESNA, 1700 N.Moore St, Suite 1540, Arlington, Virgina 22201-1903 Phone: 703-524-6686 Fax: 703-524-6630 TTY: 703-524-6639 email:info@resna.org http://www.resna.org Future Efforts Unfortunately, this version of the WC-19 standard do not address all the issues and concerns. For example, it does not address rear or side vehicle impacts or rollover situations. Securement methods and devices other then strap-type securement devices are only partially addressed. These discrepancies will need to be addressed by future additions to the standards. Most standard developments efforts are incremental and the work is rarely completely done in the initial standard. Field experience with the standard invariably reveals shortcomings or limitations, and thereby clarifies the focus for revision or expansion. The SOWHAT now will focus on docking technologies, seating devices for use in motor vehicles, and possibly non-frontal impact conditions. The Phase-II work agenda will be finalized at its June, 1999 meeting. In an effort to educate potential users about the rationale and application of the standards, the SOWHAT group have agreed that a comprehensive guideline manual should also be prepared and made available as part of the program of work. It is planned that this will be released within six months from the completion date of the ANSI/RESNA WC-19 standard. Transportation Safety Resources: Transportation for Individuals with Disabilities (U.S Department of Transportation) Transportation Vehicle Guidelines (U.S. Access Board, also known as the Architectural and Transportation Barriers Compliance Board)

This site has been developed and is maintained by: The Rehabilitation Engineering Research Center (RERC) on Wheeled Mobility and the RERC on Wheelchair Transportation Safety. Both RERCs are sponsored by grants from the National Institute on Disability Research and Rehabilitation (NIDRR), Washington, D.C.