Positioning Or Seat Belts; Armrests; Footrests - TiLite Rigid TR Series Owner's Manual

E. POSITIONING OR SEAT BELTS
WARNING
Optional positioning or seat belts are intended ONLY to help you with your posture when sitting in
your chair. If used improperly, positioning or seat belts can cause severe injury or even death. If
your health care advisor has instructed you to use positioning or seat belts, make sure they
instruct you on the proper usage of such belts, and such professional should supervise your use
of such belts to ensure you can use them safely.
1. Belts must fit snugly in order to work properly. However, they must not be so snug they interfere
with your breathing. Your health care advisor should be able to slide his or her open hand flat
between the belt and your body.
2. Make sure you do not slide down in your chair while wearing a belt. If this should happen, you
may suffer chest compression or be suffocated due to pressure from the belt.
3. Do not use a positioning or seat belt unless you are capable of removing the belts easily in an
emergency. If you cannot do this, consult with your health care advisor for other options to help
with your posture.
4. There are devices that help to keep you from sliding down in the seat of your wheelchair, such
as a pelvic wedge. Consult with your health care advisor to find out if you need to use such a
device in conjunction with positioning or seat belts to mitigate the risks described above.
5. NEVER use positioning or seat belts as a motor vehicle restraint. These types of belts are not
intended to protect the wheelchair rider from the forces involved in a vehicle accident, and they
may, in fact, cause you to be injured. TiLite recommends wheelchair users ALWAYS transfer to
appropriate motor vehicle seating when traveling in a motor vehicle.
Note to Attendants/Assistants: NEVER use positioning or seat belts as a patient restraint (a
restraint requires a doctor's order) or on a wheelchair user who is comatose or agitated.
If you ignore these Warnings, you may fall, tip over or lose control of the wheelchair and seriously
injure yourself or others or damage the wheelchair.
F. ARMRESTS
WARNING
Armrests are optional equipment on TiLite wheelchairs. TiLite armrests are detachable and are
not designed to support the weight of your wheelchair. Therefore, NEVER lift your chair by its
armrests. If you do, they may detach, causing you to drop the chair, or you may break the
armrests or cause them to become loose and break at a later time unexpectedly. ALWAYS lift
your chair by grasping the non-detachable parts of the main frame.
If you ignore these Warnings, you may fall, tip over or lose control of the wheelchair and seriously
injure yourself or others or damage the wheelchair.
G. FOOTRESTS
WARNING
Certain footrests are standard equipment with TiLite wheelchairs. Other, more specialized
footrests, are optional equipment. The following rules should be followed with respect to

footrests:

1. ALWAYS allow for AT LEAST 2 inches of clearance between the ground and the lowest point on
the underside of your footrests. If you set your footrests too LOW, they may "catch" on obstacles
you can expect to find in normal use of your chair. If your footrests "catch," the chair may stop
and tip forward.
2. NEVER lift your wheelchair by grasping the footrests. Footrests are detachable and are not
designed to support the weight of your chair. If you do, the footrests may detach, causing you to
drop the chair, or you may break the footrests or cause them to become loose and break at a
later time unexpectedly.
TiLite ® OM000007 - Rev. B
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