top of page
A PROACTIVE APPROACH TO WHEELCHAIR SAFETY
Easily Stop Falls Caused By Unsecured Manual Wheel Locks

— W. Moore

Newnan, GA

I am extremely happy with both the product and the service that I have received since the very first call to inquire about the Safer Locks system. Roe Wall, the company rep has gone out of his way to guide me through every step of the ordering and installation process. The product itself is well constructed and is working flawlessly. Unlike the other automatic wheelchair lock that we were using which only prevented the wheelchair from rolling backward when patient was entering or exiting the chair, and was also subject to slipping, the Safer Lock system is a positive and totally stable lock with no movement in either direction!! I strongly recommend this product to anyone needing to protect a loved one from accidental falls due to failure to remember to lock the manual wheelchair locks, which by the way remain totally usable with this system. The locking system is very compact and almost invisible and is activated immediately when the patient begins to stand up and pressure on the paddles mounted under the set is removed. The system can be overridden by someone who is pushing the chair without patient in it with the two manual release handles mounted under the grips on each handle as each wheel locks independently. Thanks Roe and Safer Locks for helping us during this challenging season of caregiving!

THE SAFER LOCKS STORY: 
A SMALL TOWN DOCTOR ON A MISSION TO PREVENT WHEELCHAIR FALLS
Physician Grady Dugas, the inventor of the automatic wheelchair locking system, saw a crying need for a better wheel lock while treating residents in nursing homes. "Some residents fell repeatedly, often injuring themselves seriously while attempting to get into or out of their wheelchairs. They did not consistently remember to engage the wheelchairs' manual locks. As a result, the wheelchairs would roll away from them as they attempted to stand up or sit down. Often these injuries changed the quality of the rest of residents' lives," said Dr. Dugas.
To help these people, the wheelchair locks had to be automatic.
dr.and.mrs.dugas.jpg
Dr. Dugas and his wife Annie Jo
Dr. Dugas made it his mission to solve the problem. After experimenting with various designs, Dr. Dugas was awarded patent # 5,203,433 for his automatic wheelchair wheel lock system. 
Later, Dr. Dugas joined forces with Bill Hoge, President of United Plastic Molders, Inc in Jackson, Mississippi. With the help of Bill Hoge and the skilled craftsmen of UPM, they developed a lighter and more maintenance-free wheelchair wheel lock design that utilized advanced DuPont polymers. The new design was patented in 1999 and Safer Automatic Wheelchair Wheel Locks, or Safer Locks, was formed. 
Today, the team of dedicated professionals at UPM and Safer Locks continues to fulfill Dr. Dugas' mission to "help prevent wheelchair-related falls and improve the quality of life for all people who use a wheelchair".
bottom of page