Standards

RESNA Standards Committee on Wheelchairs (including Scooters) (WCS)

Officers
Chair Peter Axelson Beneficial Designs, Inc.
peter@beneficialdesigns.com
Vice Chair William Ammer Ammer Consulting
bill@ammerconsulting.com
Secretary Denise Axelson Beneficial Designs, Inc.
denise@beneficialdesigns.com
These standards affect wheelchair users, caregivers and organizations representing the technical needs of persons with mobility impairments, Assistive Technology Practitioners and Assistive Technology Suppliers of Wheelchairs and mobility devices, the Food and Drug Administration that manages wheelchairs as medical devices, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) and Medicare Pricing, Data Analysis and Coding (PDAC) who establish coding guidelines and establish policy for the provision of mobility technologies, manufacturers of wheelchairs, scooters and mobility devices, and researchers, designers and test laboratories of mobility devices.

Work Program
RESNA WC-1 Wheelchairs – Volume 1: Requirements and Test Methods for Wheelchairs (including Scooters)
This standard applies to manual and powered wheelchairs, including scooters, and accessories for wheelchairs and scooters. It specifies vocabulary, disclosure requirements for testing, and test methods and methods of measurement for: static stability; wheelchair and seat dimensions; static, impact and fatigue strength testing; flammability requirements; test dummy specifications; and set-up procedures.

The standard includes the following sections:
• Section 1: Determination of static stability
• Section 5: Determination of dimensions, mass and maneuvering space
• Section 7: Method of measurement of seating and wheel dimensions
• Section 8: Requirements and test methods for static, impact and fatigue strengths
• Section 11: Test dummies
• Section 13: Determination of coefficient of friction of test surfaces
• Section 15: Requirements for information disclosure, documentation and labeling
• Section 16: Resistance to ignition of upholstered parts – Requirements and test methods
• Section 20: Determination of the performance of stand-up type wheelchairs
• Section 22: Set-up procedures
• Section 26: Vocabulary

RESNA WC-2 Wheelchairs – Volume 2: Additional Requirements for Wheelchairs (including Scooters) with Electrical Systems
This standard applies to powered wheelchairs, including scooters, and accessories for wheelchairs and scooters. It specifies test methods and requirements for: dynamic stability; brake effectiveness; energy consumption; maximum speed, acceleration and deceleration; obstacle climbing ability; climatic testing; power and control system; and electromagnetic compatibility. The standard includes the following sections:
• Section 2: Determination of dynamic stability of electrically powered wheelchairs
• Section 3: Determination of effectiveness of brakes
• Section 4: Energy consumption of electrically powered wheelchairs and scooters for determination of theoretical distance range
• Section 6: Determination of maximum speed, acceleration and deceleration of electrically powered wheelchairs
• Section 9: Climatic tests for electrically powered wheelchairs
• Section 10: Determination of obstacle-climbing ability of electrically powered wheelchairs
• Section 14: Power and control systems for electrically powered wheelchairs – Requirements and test methods
• Section 21: Requirements and test methods for electromagnetic compatibility of electrically powered wheelchairs and motorized scooters

ISO Related Activities
ISO / TC 173 Assistive Products for Persons with Disability / SC 1 Wheelchairs
ISO/TC 173/SC 1/WG 1 Test Methods – Work Program
ISO 7176-1 Wheelchairs – Part 1: Determination of static stability
ISO 7176-2 Wheelchairs – Part 2: Determination of dynamic stability of electric wheelchairs
ISO 7176-3 Wheelchairs – Part 3: Determination of effectiveness of brakes
ISO 7176-4 Wheelchairs – Part 4: Energy consumption of electric wheelchairs and scooters for determination of theoretical distance range
ISO 7176-5 Wheelchairs – Part 5: Determination of dimensions, mass and maneuvering space
ISO 7176-6 Wheelchairs – Part 6: Determination of maximum speed, acceleration and deceleration of electric wheelchairs
ISO 7176-7 Wheelchairs – Part 7: Measurement of seating and wheel dimensions
ISO 7176-8 Wheelchairs – Part 8: Requirements and test methods for static, impact and fatigue strengths
ISO 7176-9 Wheelchairs – Part 9: Climatic tests for electric wheelchairs
ISO 7176-10 Wheelchairs – Part 10: Determination of obstacle-climbing ability of electric wheelchairs
ISO 7176-11 Wheelchairs – Part 11: Test dummies
ISO 7176-13 Wheelchairs – Part 13: Determination of coefficient of friction of test surfaces
ISO 7176-15 Wheelchairs – Part 15: Requirements for information disclosure, documentation and labeling
ISO 7176-20 Wheelchairs – Part 20: Determination of the performance of stand-up wheelchairs
ISO 7176-22 Wheelchairs – Part 22: Set-up procedures
ISO 7176-26 Wheelchairs – Part 26: Vocabulary
ISO 7176-27 Wheelchairs – Part 27: Requirements and test methods for pushrim activated power assisted wheelchairs (PAPAW)
ISO 7193 Wheelchairs – Maximum overall dimensions
ISO 13570-1 Technical Report: Guidelines for the application of the ISO 7176 series on wheelchairs
ISO 13570-2 Technical Report: Wheelchairs – Typical values and recommended limits or dimensions, mass and maneuvering space as determined in ISO 7176-5

ISO/TC 173SC 1/WG 8 Stair Traversing Devices – Work Program
ISO 7176-23 Wheelchairs – Part 23: Requirements and test methods for attendant-operated stair-climbing devices
ISO 7176-24 Wheelchairs – Part 24: Requirements and test methods for user-operated stair-climbing devices
ISO 7176-28 Wheelchairs- Part 28: Requirements and test methods for stair-climbing devices

ISO/TC 173/SC 1/WG 10 Electro-technical Systems – Work Program
ISO 7176-14 Wheelchairs – Part 14: Power and control systems for electrically powered wheelchairs and scooters– Requirements and test methods
ISO 7176-21 Wheelchairs – Part 21: Requirements and test methods for electromagnetic compatibility of electrically powered wheelchairs and motorized scooters, and battery chargers
ISO 7176-25 Wheelchairs – Part 25: Batteries and chargers for powered wheelchairs and motorized scooters – Requirements and test methods

RESNA Standards Committee on Wheelchairs and Transportation (WHAT)

Officers
Chair Larry Schneider University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute
lws@umich.edu
Vice Chair Gina Bertocci University of Louisville
g.bertocci@louisville.edu
These standards affect wheelchair manufacturers, wheelchair tiedown and occupant restraint manufacturers, wheelchair seating manufacturers, vehicle modifiers and manufacturers, and transit providers

Work Program
RESNA WC-4 Wheelchairs – Volume 4: Wheelchairs and Transportation
This standard will include design and performance requirements, test methods, and requirements for manufacturer literature and product labeling for wheelchairs, wheelchair seating systems, and wheelchair tiedown and occupant restraint systems (WTORS) intended for use in motor vehicles. The documents providing specifications for equipment used in the test methods, including the surrogate wheelchair (SWC), the surrogate four-point, strap-type tiedown (4-point SWTORS), and the surrogate wheelchair base (SWCB) may be included as parts of the standard but they may also be published as separate technical reports that are referenced in the various parts of the standard. The standard will include the following sections:
• Section 18: Wheelchair tiedowns and occupant restraint systems for use in motor vehicles
• Section 19: Wheelchairs used as seats in motor vehicles
• Section 20: Wheelchair seating systems for use in motor vehicles

ISO Related Activities
ISO / TC 173 Assistive products for persons with disability / SC 1 Wheelchairs

ISO/TC 173/SC 1/WG 6 Wheelchair restraint systems – Work program
ISO 7176-19 Wheelchairs – Part 19: Wheeled mobility devices for use in motor vehicles
ISO 10542-1 Wheelchair tiedown and occupant-restraint systems – Part 1: Requirements and test methods for all systems
ISO 10542-2 Wheelchair tiedown and occupant-restraint systems – Part 2: Four-point strap-type tiedown systems
ISO 10542-3 Wheelchair tiedown and occupant restraint systems – Part 3: Docking-type tiedown systems
ISO 10542-4 Wheelchair tiedown and occupant restraint systems – Part 4: Clamp-type tiedown systems
ISO 10543-5 Wheelchair tiedown and occupant restraint systems – Part 5: Systems for specific wheelchairs
ISO 10865-1 Wheelchair tiedown and occupant restraint systems for rearward facing wheelchair-seated passengers – Part 1: Systems for accessible transport vehicles designed for use by both seated and standing passengers
ISO 16840-4 Wheelchair seating – Part 4: Seating systems for use in motor vehicles
 

RESNA Standards Committee on Wheelchair and Related Seating (WRS)

Officers
Chair Allen Siekman Allen Siekman Consulting 
allen@ebold.com
Vice Chair Patricia Karg University of Pittsburgh
tkarg@pitt.edu
Secretary Evan Call EC Service, Inc. 
evan@ec-service.net

These standards affect wheelchair users, caregivers and organizations representing the technical needs of persons with mobility impairments, Assistive Technology Practitioners and Assistive Technology Suppliers of Wheelchairs and Seating Devices, the Food and Drug Administration that manages wheelchairs as medical devices, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) and Medicare Pricing, Data Analysis and Coding (PDAC) who establish coding guidelines and establish policy for the provision of mobility technologies, manufacturers of wheelchairs, scooters and seating devices, and researchers, designers and test laboratories of wheelchair seating devices.

Work Program
RESNA WC-3 Wheelchairs – Volume 3: Wheelchair Seating
Wheelchair seating as a sub-specialty of rehabilitation services involves the selection and provision of wheelchair seating products to provide improved body support to the wheelchair user. This standard applies to all wheelchair seating and postural devices. It specifies test methods or methods of measurement for: vocabulary; the physical and mechanical characteristics; and static, impact and load strength testing. The standard will include the following sections:
• Section 1: Vocabulary, reference axis convention and measures for body posture and postural support surfaces
• Section 2: Determination of physical and mechanical characteristics of devices intended to manage tissue integrity – Seat cushions
• Section 3: Postural support devices – Test methods for static, impact and repeated load strength

ISO Related Activities
ISO / TC 173 Assistive products for persons with disability / SC 1 Wheelchairs

ISO/TC 173/SC 1/WG 11 Wheelchair seating – Work program
ISO 7176-7 Wheelchairs – Part 7: Measurement of seating and wheel dimensions
ISO 7176-16 Resistance to ignition of upholstered parts – Requirements and test methods
ISO 7176-26 Wheelchairs – Part 26: Vocabulary
ISO 16840-1 Wheelchair seating – Part 1: Vocabulary, reference axis convention and measures for body segments, posture and postural support surfaces
ISO 16840-2 Wheelchair seating – Part 2: Determination of physical and mechanical characteristics of devices intended to manage tissue integrity – Seat cushions
ISO 16840-3 Wheelchair seating – Part 3: Determination of static, impact and repetitive load strengths for postural support devices
ISO 16840-5 Wheelchair seating – Part 5: Test methods for determining the pressure relief characteristics of devices intended to manage tissue integrity – Seat cushions

RESNA Standards Committee on Support Surfaces (SS)

Officers
Chair David Brienza University of Pittsburgh
DBrienza@pitt.edu
Vice Chair Evan Call EC Service, Inc.
evan@ec-service.net
Secretary David McCausland
davem@therohogroup.com

This work will impact persons that use hospital beds, manufacturers of hospital beds and support surface overlays, home healthcare companies that distribute this type of equipment, hospitals, long term care facilities and other entities that purchase and use this type of equipment, and insurance companies and government organizations that pay for this type of equipment.

Work Program
In 2006 the RESNA Assistive Technology Standards Committee on Support Surfaces began its work. There is a need for the development of test methods that will differentiate the performance of different support surface technologies and constructions and their influence on the occupant’s body.
A RESNA standard is being developed to define test methods of support surface characteristics that affect tissue integrity. Test methods are standards, guidelines, or criteria for evaluating those support surface characteristics that affect tissue integrity. Tissue integrity is the maintenance or restoration of tissue viability, with focus on preventing loss of existing tissue integrity and healing of wounds (i.e., “breaks” in tissue integrity).
This standard will include test methods for the following characteristics:
• Pressure (interface, distribution, contact area, spatial gradient and weight support capacity)
• Friction (coefficient of friction and localization)
• Shear (externally applied, spatial – rate of change in pressure gradient, sliding resistance, the ability of the surface to transfer shear forces to the patient)
• Environment/ Microclimate (heat dissipation/transfer, moisture vapor transmission, temperature control, impact of temperature on surface, sanitization – cleaning and bacterial control)
ISO Related Activities
ISO / TC 173 Assistive products for persons with disability / SC 1 Wheelchairs
 

RESNA Standards Committee on Assistive Products for Persons with Vision Impairments and Persons with Vision and Hearing Impairments (VI)

Officers
Chair Billie Louise Bentzen Accessible Design for the Blind
bbentzen@accessforblind.com
Vice Chair William Crandall Smith-Kettlewell Eye Research Institute
bc@ski.org

These standards affect people who are blind or have limited or low vision, including those with both vision and hearing loss. Tactile Walking Surface Indicators (TWSI) manufacturers will be able to be confident that they have products that comply with international standards, and will be able to compete in the international market for TWSIs. Transportation engineers and U.S. regulators will be confident that TWSIs installed for the benefit of people who are visually impaired in the US will be usable by visitors from other countries.

ISO Related Activities
ISO / TC 173 Assistive products for persons with disability

ISO/TC 173/WG 7 Provisions and means for orientation of visually impaired persons in pedestrian areas – Work program
This International Standard specifies the requirements for the design and installation of tactile indicators installed on walking surfaces to assist in safe and independent mobility of persons with vision impairments (persons who are blind and persons with low vision). The necessary functions of tactile indicators are tactile contrast, visual contrast and illumination. This standard mainly describes the requirements for the tactile contrast. The requirement for visual contrast and illumination will be specified in a separate part of this standard.
ISO 23599 Assistive products for persons with vision impairment – Tactile walking surface indicators
ISO 23600 Assistive products for persons with vision impairments and persons with vision and hearing impairments – Acoustic an tactile signals for pedestrian traffic lights
 

RESNA Standards Committee on Adaptive Sports Equipment (ASE)

Officers
Chair Peter Axelson Beneficial Designs, Inc.
peter@beneficialdesigns.com
Secretary Denise Axelson Beneficial Designs, Inc.
denise@beneficialdesigns.com

These standards affect users and organizations representing the technical needs of persons with mobility impairments including, Adaptive Sports Equipment Suppliers, Adaptive Ski Programs, Assistive Technology Practitioners, manufacturers of Sit-skis, Mono-skis and Bi-skis (SMBs), and researchers, designers and test laboratories of SMBs.

Work Program
RESNA ASE-1 Adaptive Sports Equipment – Volume 1: Winter Sports Equipment
This standard includes requirements and test methods for adaptive sports equipment. Currently, the standard contains one section addressing adaptive winter sports equipment (sit-skis, mono-skis, and bi-skis). Additional sections pertaining to other types of adaptive sports equipment will be developed and incorporated with future revisions. The standard includes the following section:
• Section 1: Requirements and test methods for sit-skis, mono-skis and bi-skis

ISO Related Activities
None
 

RESNA Standards Committee on Emergency Stair Travel Devices for Individuals with Disabilities (ESTD)

Officers
Chair Glenn Hedman University of Illinois Chicago - Assistive Technology
ghedman@uic.edu
These standards affect individuals with mobility impairments, caregivers and organizations representing the technical needs of persons with mobility impairments, life safety operators, building owners and managers, life safety technology designators, code development and enforcement professionals, and manufacturers, researchers, designers, and test laboratories of emergency. stair travel devices.
Work Program
The standard will cover devices used for travel along stairs during emergency evacuations. This standard will not cover stair-climbing devices, incline platform lifts, or stairway chairlifts. It will specify vocabulary, methods of measurement, test methods and requirements for: dimensions and weight; seating and positioning; performance measures; strength and durability testing; operating limitations; and disclosure requirements.