What is an absolute “must” just before Christmas?

Of course a visit to the premises of the nearest post office. Because a queue down to the street needs to be anticipated winter clothing is advisable. It was unbelievable, but after a bit of honking even the second handicapped parking space was free and I had the pole position, see Opel Astra on the left.

I even was a bit disappointed, no queue in the cold, and I was so heavily dressed…!!!

After 20 minutes I was outside again, ran over nobody’s feet and didn’t exchange any business cards, that was quicker than in the summer!!!

It would have been almost a perfect mail collection day if they didn’t have had this stoned construction engineer who designed the ramp without barriers, but not without joints (in the meaning of gaps). This drip moulding has a great design

It is quite special if you get stuck in a gully hole on a

stroller-and-wheelchair ramp

and hence break your second leg.

Do I have to present a petition for “jointless drip mouldings on wheelchair ramps” to the German Bundestag (parliament)???

Translator BL

It sounds a little paradoxically, but in spite of my current status as wheelchair user who has an ambivalent feeling towards stairs and steps I am strictly speaking a

Specialist for ladders and treads

(Picture from 2004, I am the one on top!)

Due to these experiences in occupational safety I care very much about the safety and health of other wheelchair users.

It came to my ears that some wheelchair users buy series of old, discarded, unchecked bath lifts in Ebay and spread these everywhere in their houses and flats.

They are placed e.g. next to their beds and are diverted from their intended use as

dangerous rising aid

after they have executed a hopefully respectable wheelchair-floor-transfer.
(The photo does not show my bed.)

In the instruction manual* for

bath lifts

(Aquatec Beluga*)

it is explicitly pointed out not to do this because there is a high risk potential in it.

I can only warn everybody once again to divert bath lifts from their intended use.

A mobile phone around your neck should be the permanent companion, and 3 – 15 cordless telephones standing on the floor are only disturbing the cleaner.

*The AQUATEC BELUGA is solely intended for bathing of persons inside the bath tub. Any other use is not permitted. You must not use the AQUATEC BELUGA as helping aid for boarding or deboarding, rising or dismounting, as underlay, as workshop hoist or for similar purposes. (Source: Aquatec)

How can you call a bath lift Beluga or Orca?
Are we wheelchair users all fat like a whale?
Is there anybody thinking at all?
It’s a cheek!

Click on tag „shower commode chair“!

Translator BL

Until my accident I was working as service technician at Frankfurt Airport for a widely known broom yellow logistician.
The building is one of the largest at the airport with a great view onto the airfield.
In the topmost floor there is a big room,

The Sky Lounge

in which management meetings, press conferences,… are held.
I have been once a year in this room just to inspect a ladder.

On 24.06.2010 I received in the Sky Lounge an official

Farewell!

At this point many thanks again to the initiators of this event.
I still can’t believe what happened there.

I know, I am lagging behind for a few days with this blogpost, but I needed some time to let it sink in.

Translator BL