WCS: Wheelchair Transportation Safety Standards Section

This website provides access to meeting announcements, meeting minutes, reference documents and working drafts of standards for each working group involved with developing wheelchair transport safety standards under the auspices of ANSI/RESNA and ISO.

Background

The first formal meeting of the RESNA Standards Subcommittee on Wheelchairs and Transportation (SOWHAT) took place on March 4, 1994. The meeting endorsed a broadly based membership representing eight constituencies. A three-year work plan was agreed upon, complete with a fund-raising plan to raise approximately $350,000. In 1998, a work item on seating for transport wheelchairs was also assigned to the SOWHAT. In 2000,the SAE-Restraints Task Group, which had developed the SAE-J2249-WTORS, was combined with the SOWHAT due to the commonality of membership and purpose.

Anyone can participate in one or more working groups. However, voting on draft standards is limited to those who have attended or otherwise participated in working group meetings, and are thereby designated as "active" participants. The ANSI/RESNA operating guidelines, which govern the conduct of ANSI- designated working groups, are available through a link from the ANSI/RESNA page.

April 19, 2000, WC-19-Wheelchairs Used as Seats in Motor Vehicles was approved by ANSI as a voluntary U.S. national standard. The industry standard contains design, performance testing and information disclosure requirements for wheelchairs intended for use as seats in motor vehicles.

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

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

Future SOWHAT Efforts

International Participation

Throughout the life of the SOWHAT and SAE Restraints Task Group, many of its members have actively participated in the parallel efforts within the WG-6 of the International Standards Organization (ISO). As a result of extensive information sharing, there is close harmonization between the ANSI/RESNA-WC-19 standard and the ISO 7176-19, Wheelchairs intended for use in Motor Vehicles and the ISO 10542-1/2 WTORS (Wheelchair Tiedown and Occupant Restraint Systems)

Participation

Those interested in becoming ANSI/RESNA SOWHAT members, active or email only, should contact Larry Schneider, email: lws@umich.edu. Those interested in becoming ISO WG-6 members should contact Aleid Hekstra, e-mail: edpc@handicom.nl.

		This website provides access to meeting announcements, meeting minutes, reference documents and working drafts of standards for each working group involved with developing wheelchair transport safety standards under the auspices of ANSI/RESNA and ISO. Background The first formal meeting of the RESNA Standards Subcommittee on Wheelchairs and Transportation (SOWHAT) took place on March 4, 1994. The meeting endorsed a broadly based membership representing eight constituencies. A three-year work plan was agreed upon, complete with a fund-raising plan to raise approximately $350,000. In 1998, a work item on seating for transport wheelchairs was also assigned to the SOWHAT. In 2000,the SAE-Restraints Task Group, which had developed the SAE-J2249-WTORS, was combined with the SOWHAT due to the commonality of membership and purpose. Anyone can participate in one or more working groups. However, voting on draft standards is limited to those who have attended or otherwise participated in working group meetings, and are thereby designated as "active" participants. The ANSI/RESNA operating guidelines, which govern the conduct of ANSI- designated working groups, are available through a link from the ANSI/RESNA page. April 19, 2000, WC-19-Wheelchairs Used as Seats in Motor Vehicles was approved by ANSI as a voluntary U.S. national standard. The industry standard contains design, performance testing and information disclosure requirements for wheelchairs intended for use as seats in motor vehicles. Title: Volume I/Section 19: Wheelchairs used as seats in motor vehicles Source: RESNA, 1700 N. Moore St, Suite 1540, Arlington, Virginia 22201-1903 Phone: 703-524-6686, Fax: 703-524-6630, TTD: 703-524-6639 email: info@resna.org, Web address: http://www.resna.org Future SOWHAT Efforts International Participation Throughout the life of the SOWHAT and SAE Restraints Task Group, many of its members have actively participated in the parallel efforts within the WG-6 of the International Standards Organization (ISO). As a result of extensive information sharing, there is close harmonization between the ANSI/RESNA-WC-19 standard and the ISO 7176-19, Wheelchairs intended for use in Motor Vehicles and the ISO 10542-1/2 WTORS (Wheelchair Tiedown and Occupant Restraint Systems) Participation Those interested in becoming ANSI/RESNA SOWHAT members, active or email only, should contact Larry Schneider, email: lws@umich.edu. Those interested in becoming ISO WG-6 members should contact Aleid Hekstra, e-mail: edpc@handicom.nl. Additional Background Information

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.

Background

Future SOWHAT Efforts

International Participation

Participation

Additional Background Information