
7
GENERAL GUIDELINES PROCEDURE 1
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SAFETY/HANDLING OF RACING
CHAIRS
“Safety and Handling” of the racing chair requires the close
attention of the racing chair user as well as the assistant.
This manual points out the most common procedures and
techniquesinvolvedinthesafeoperationandmaintenance
oftheracingchair.Itisimportanttopracticeandmasterthese
safe techniques until you are comfortable in maneuvering
aroundthefrequentlyencounteredarchitecturalbarriers.
Usethisinformationonlyasa“basic”guide.Thetechniques
that are discussed on the following pages have been used
successfully by many.
Individualracingchair usersoftendevelopskills todealwith
daily living activities that may differ from those described in
thismanual.InvacareTopEndrecognizesandencourages
each individual to try what works best for him/her in over-
comingarchitecturalobstaclesthattheymayencounterhow-
ever,ALLWARNINGSandCAUTIONSgiveninthismanual
MUSTbefollowed.Techniquesinthismanualareastarting
pointforthenewracingchairuserandAssistantwith“safety”
asthemostimportant consideration forall.
Stability and Balance
To assure stability and proper operation of your racing chair,
you must at all times wear your seat positioning strap and
maintainproperbalance.Yourracingchairhasbeendesigned
toremainuprightandstableduringnormalracing/trainingac-
tivitiesaslongasyoudonotmovebeyondthecenterofgravity.
WARNING
DO NOT shift your weight or sitting posi-
tion toward the direction you are reach-
ing as the racing chair may tip over.
Virtually all activities which involve movement in the racing
chairhaveaneffectonthecenterofgravity.
A Note to Racing Chair Assistants
When learning assistance techniques for the Eliminator or
Eliminator OSR, have an experienced assistant help you
beforeattemptingitalone.
WhenyouareassistingwiththeEliminatororEliminatorOSR
remember to use good body mechanics. Keep your back
straightandbendyourkneeswheneverliftingorpositioningthe
Eliminator or EliminatorOSR fortheend-user.
WARNING
DO NOT attempt to lift a racing chair by lifting
on any removable (detachable) parts. Lift-
ing by means of any removable (detachable)
parts of a racing chair may result in injury to
the user or damage to the racing chair.
Also,beawareofanyremovable(detachable)parts.These
mustNEVERbeusedforhand-holdorliftingsupports,as
they maybeinadvertentlyreleased, resultinginpossible
injury to the user and/or assistant(s).
When learning a new assistance technique, have an ex-
periencedassistanthelpyoubefore attempting it alone.
Percentage of Weight Distribution
WARNING
The tautness of the back upholstery, knee
and/or foot position, as well as the user con-
dition directly relate to the stability of the
racing chair. Any change to one (1) or any
combination of the three (3) may cause
the racing chair to decrease in stability.
Manyactivitiesrequiretheracingchairownertoreach,bend
and transfer in and out of the racing chair. These move-
mentswillcauseachangetothenormalbalance,thecen-
terofgravity,andtheweightdistribution oftheracingchair.
Todetermineandestablishyourparticularsafetylimits,prac-
ticebending,reachingandtransferring activities in several
combinationsinthepresenceofaqualifiedhealthcarepro-
fessionalBEFOREattemptingactiveuseoftheracingchair.
Proper positioning is essential for your safety and perfor-
mance of the racing chair.
Hand Caliper Brake
WARNING
NEVER use the hand caliper brake for im-
mediate stops. Using the hand caliper brake
for immediate stops can make the front
wheel lock up (skid) causing the front tire to
blow and go flat. If needing to stop immedi-
ately, grab the wheels with GLOVED hands.
Thehandcaliperbrakeisdesignedformanagingsafeopera-
tionoftheracingchairatspeedsgreaterthanten(10)m.p.h.
Transferring To and From Other Seats
WARNING
BEFORE attempting to transfer in or out of
the racing chair, every precaution should
be taken to reduce the gap distance.
The tautness of the back upholstery, knee
and/or foot position, as well as the user con-
dition directly relate to the stability of the
racing chair. Any change to one (1) or any
combination of the three (3) may cause
the racing chair to decrease in stability.
KNEELING SEAT UPHOLSTERY: Ensure that feet
slide evenly into the foot pouch and avoid
the rear wheel spokes. Ensure that the foot
pouch is securely latched to the back up-
holstery. Otherwise, injury can occur.