Common safety hazards and countermeasures of electric wheelchairs

Common safety hazards and countermeasures of electric wheelchairs
In today’s society, electric wheelchairs provide great convenience for people with limited mobility. However, the hidden safety hazards behind them cannot be ignored. This article will deeply analyze the common safety hazards of electric wheelchairs in terms of batteries, mechanical structures, control performance and use environment, and propose corresponding solutions, aiming to attract the attention of users, sellers and manufacturers, and jointly create a safe use environment.

I. Battery-related safety hazards
(I) Battery overheating and short circuit risks
Common battery types for electric wheelchairs include lead-acid batteries and lithium batteries. Regardless of the type of battery, overheating may occur during use due to overcharging, aging of internal battery components, poor heat dissipation and other factors. Battery overheating will not only accelerate battery aging and shorten battery life, but may also cause battery bulging, leakage, and even fire or explosion and other serious safety accidents. For example, on October 18, 2016, a residential building in Mentougou District, Beijing, exploded when an electric wheelchair battery was charging, causing the homeowner’s wife to die of carbon monoxide poisoning.
In addition, the battery short circuit may be caused by aging of the internal circuit of the battery, poor contact or impact by external force. The short circuit will generate huge current and heat at the moment, causing serious damage to the battery and the circuit system of the wheelchair, and at the same time bring serious safety hazards.
(II) Battery bulging and leakage problems
Battery bulging is usually caused by abnormal chemical reaction inside the battery or damage to the battery shell. The bulging battery will not only affect the normal placement and use of the wheelchair, but also may cause the battery to rupture due to increased internal pressure, which will lead to dangerous situations such as leakage. Battery leakage will corrode the metal parts of the wheelchair, damage the circuit system, and may even cause chemical damage to the user’s body, such as skin burns.
(III) Insufficient battery life and unstable voltage
As the battery is used for a longer time or due to battery quality problems, the battery life of the electric wheelchair may gradually decrease. When the battery life is insufficient, the user may get into trouble far away from the charging facilities, especially in some unfamiliar or complex environments, which will bring great inconvenience and safety hazards to the user. Moreover, unstable battery voltage will affect the normal operation of the wheelchair motor, causing the wheelchair to travel faster and slower, affecting the control performance and easily causing accidents.

2. Safety hazards of mechanical structure

(I) Failure of brake system

The brake system is one of the key safety devices of electric wheelchairs. However, the brake system is prone to various failures during long-term use, such as brake failure, brake rope breakage, excessive wear of brake pads, etc. If the brakes suddenly fail during driving, it will be difficult for the user to control the speed and stop the wheelchair in time, and it is very easy to collide with other objects or pedestrians, causing serious consequences. For example, when some elderly people use electric wheelchairs to go downhill, the wheelchair accelerates and slides down due to brake failure, and eventually rolls over, causing injuries to the elderly.

(II) Tire wear and rupture
The tires of electric wheelchairs will wear out after long-term use. If the user fails to detect and replace severely worn tires in time, the tires may slip, run off or burst during driving, especially on slippery roads or at high speeds. These situations will greatly increase the risk of wheelchair loss of control and threaten the user’s life. In addition, tire rupture may also cause the wheelchair to tilt or bump suddenly, causing the user to fall off the wheelchair and cause secondary injuries.
(III) Looseness or damage of other mechanical parts
In addition to the brake system and tires, other mechanical parts of electric wheelchairs such as handles, armrests, foot pedals, motor fixing devices, etc. may also become loose or damaged due to long-term use or collision. The looseness or damage of these parts will not only affect the comfort and stability of the wheelchair, but may also cause direct harm to the user during driving, such as the armrest breaking, causing the user to fall due to unstable arm support.

3. Safety hazards of control performance
(I) Risk of loss of control caused by improper operation
The operation of electric wheelchairs requires certain skills and familiarity, but some users may use the wheelchair directly without professional training or reading the operating instructions carefully. For example, excessive operation when starting, turning, accelerating or decelerating can easily cause the wheelchair to lose control, collide or roll over. In addition, some electric wheelchairs are equipped with auxiliary operating devices such as remote controls. If the user makes a mistake when operating the remote control, it may also cause abnormal movement of the wheelchair and cause danger.
(II) Unreasonable speed setting
Some electric wheelchairs have a large speed adjustment range, but if the user sets the speed too high, especially when driving in crowded, complex road conditions or narrow spaces, it is difficult to control the speed and direction of the wheelchair in time, which is prone to accidents. Moreover, too high a speed will increase the vibration and impact of the wheelchair during driving, causing greater damage to the mechanical structure and battery and other components of the wheelchair, and reducing the service life and safety of the wheelchair.
(III) Lack of safety protective gear
Unlike electric vehicle drivers who need to wear safety protective gear such as helmets, many electric wheelchair users do not have the habit of wearing any safety protective gear during use. Once an accident such as rollover or collision occurs, the user’s body will be directly impacted and injured, especially the head, limbs and other parts, which can easily cause serious fractures, concussions and other injuries.

4. Safety hazards in the use environment
(I) Risk of rollover caused by uneven road surface
When electric wheelchairs encounter uneven ground, stones, cracks, steep slopes or potholes, they are prone to rollover due to their narrow body and high center of gravity. For example, in some old residential areas, park trails or near construction sites, the road conditions are often poor, and these places are high-incidence areas for electric wheelchair rollover accidents. Once rolled over, the user is likely to be trapped under the wheelchair or squeezed by the wheelchair, causing serious physical injuries or even endangering life.
(II) Collision and squeezing hazards in narrow spaces such as elevators
When electric wheelchairs enter and exit elevators or move in elevators, due to the limited space of the elevator, the operating flexibility of the wheelchair is limited, and it is easy to collide and squeeze with the elevator door, elevator wall, other passengers or objects. If the user fails to control the speed and direction of the wheelchair in time when entering the elevator, or the people and items in the elevator are not placed reasonably, it may cause consequences such as damage to the wheelchair, injury to the user, and damage to the elevator equipment. In addition, when the elevator suddenly stops running or malfunctions, it will also cause psychological panic and safety hazards to the user in the wheelchair.
(III) Risks of use in severe weather conditions
There are many safety risks in using electric wheelchairs in severe weather conditions such as rainy days, snowy days, and strong winds. Rainwater may cause short circuits in the wheelchair’s circuit system, motor failures and other problems, affecting the normal driving of the wheelchair; at the same time, slippery roads will reduce the grip of the tires and increase the possibility of the wheelchair slipping and losing control. Snowy days will cause the road surface to freeze, further increasing the difficulty and risk of wheelchair driving. In windy weather, wheelchairs are easily blown by strong winds, making it difficult for users to control the direction of the wheelchair, and may even be blown over, causing accidents such as falls.

5. Hidden dangers of lack of safety awareness and supervision
(I) Users’ weak safety awareness
Many electric wheelchair users do not pay enough attention to safe use and have a fluke mentality. For example, some users will walk on the road at will, competing with motor vehicles and non-motor vehicles, ignoring that the electric wheelchair itself does not belong to the category of motor vehicles and non-motor vehicles recognized by road traffic safety laws and regulations, and its safety performance cannot meet the requirements of driving on the road. This behavior not only endangers their own safety, but also brings great safety hazards to other traffic participants. In addition, users may also fail to inspect and maintain wheelchairs on time, modify wheelchairs at will, etc. These behaviors will further increase the safety risks of electric wheelchairs.
(II) Inadequate supervision by family members
For some elderly or disabled people with limited mobility and weak self-protection ability, supervision and care by family members are crucial. However, some family members may fail to provide adequate safety education and effective supervision to users due to lack of knowledge of electric wheelchair safety or negligence. For example, family members fail to remind or help users to wear seat belts correctly, check the safety of wheelchairs, or allow users to go to some dangerous areas to use wheelchairs alone, etc. These situations may lead to accidents.
(III) Imperfect market supervision
At present, the quality of products in the electric wheelchair market is uneven. In order to pursue profits, some unscrupulous merchants produce and sell counterfeit and substandard electric wheelchair products that do not meet safety standards. The supervision of the production, sales and use of electric wheelchairs by regulatory authorities is relatively weak, and there is a lack of strict market access mechanisms and quality inspection standards, which has led to some electric wheelchairs with safety hazards entering the market, posing a threat to the life safety of users.

6. Measures to solve the safety hazards of electric wheelchairs
(I) Strengthen battery maintenance and management
Use the original matching charging equipment and avoid overcharging. It is generally recommended to control the charging time within 8-10 hours, or charge according to the requirements of the battery manual.
Check the battery regularly, including whether the battery appearance is bulging, leakage, whether the battery connection line is loose, aging, whether the battery fixing device is firm, etc. If there is any abnormality, the battery should be replaced or repaired in time.
Keep the battery clean and dry, avoid contact with water or conductive materials, and prevent the battery from short circuit.
For electric wheelchairs that are not used for a long time, the battery should be recharged every 1-2 months to extend the battery life and prevent the battery from being damaged by over-discharge.
(II) Regularly check and maintain the mechanical structure
Perform a simple inspection of the brake system before use every day, such as checking whether the brake is sensitive and whether the brake rope is loose. Regularly go to a professional maintenance point to conduct a comprehensive inspection and adjustment of the brake system, and replace brake pads, brake ropes and other components when necessary.
Regularly check the tire pressure and wear, and clean up the debris in the tire pattern in time. When the tire is severely worn or cracked, the tire should be replaced in time, and the tire pressure should be ensured to meet the requirements.
Check other mechanical parts of the wheelchair such as handles, armrests, foot pedals, motor fixtures, etc. every week to check whether they are loose, damaged or deformed. If there is a problem, tighten, repair or replace them in time to ensure that the mechanical structure of the wheelchair is complete and stable.
(III) Improve control performance and safety awareness
Before using an electric wheelchair, users should carefully read the product manual and be familiar with the operation methods, performance parameters and precautions of the wheelchair. It is best to receive professional operation training and master the correct operation skills, such as smooth starting, constant speed driving, safe turning, etc.
Set the wheelchair’s driving speed reasonably, and control the speed within a safe range according to the use environment and your own situation. In an environment with dense crowds, complex road conditions or narrow space, you should appropriately reduce the speed, stay alert, and be ready to respond to emergencies at any time.
It is recommended that users wear safety protective gear, such as helmets, wrist guards, knee pads, etc., especially in some more dangerous occasions or when traveling long distances, to increase safety. At the same time, wheelchair manufacturers can consider equipping some necessary safety gear or safety devices in product design, such as airbags, to improve the safety performance of the product.
(IV) Optimize the use environment and regulatory system
The government and relevant departments should increase the construction and renovation of road facilities and barrier-free environments in public places, ensure that the road surface of places such as sidewalks and park trails is flat and barrier-free, and set up reasonable ramps and speed bumps to provide safe and convenient conditions for electric wheelchairs to travel.
Strengthen the maintenance and management of public facilities such as elevators to ensure the safe operation of elevators and sufficient space to accommodate electric wheelchairs. At the same time, set up obvious safety signs and operating prompts in the elevator to remind users to pay attention to safety.
Relevant departments should formulate and improve the production, sales and use standards and regulations for electric wheelchairs, strengthen the supervision of the electric wheelchair market, and severely crack down on the production and sale of counterfeit and shoddy products. Establish a strict market access mechanism, requiring electric wheelchair manufacturers to have corresponding qualifications and production conditions, and products must undergo strict quality testing and certification, and can only enter the market after meeting safety standards. In addition, we should strengthen safety education and publicity for electric wheelchair users, improve the safety awareness of users and the public, and jointly create a safe use environment.

In summary, the safety of electric wheelchairs is related to the life safety and quality of life of users, and needs to attract widespread attention from the whole society. By strengthening the maintenance and management of batteries, mechanical structures, control performance, etc., improving the safety awareness of users, optimizing the use environment and regulatory system, etc., we can effectively reduce the safety hazards of electric wheelchairs, make electric wheelchairs truly a safe and convenient means of travel for people with limited mobility, and create a safer and more comfortable living and travel environment for them.