1 The Standards Institution of Israel  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Israeli Standard – SI 1279 part 1  
Av, 5762 – August 2002  
 
Wheelchairs: Hand propelled chairs  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
This Standard replaces Israeli Standard  
SI 1279 part 1 of March 1999  
 
This Standard, excluding its amendment and additions,  
is identical to European Standard EN 12183 -99 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Descriptors : wheelchairs, patient transport equipment, manually operated devices, aids 
for disabled, medical equipment.  
  2 SI 1279 PART 1 (2002)  
 
This Standard was prepared by the follo wing panel of expert committee members:  
Shlomo Gross, Shula Chen, Yitzhak Markman, Israel Sabish, Zvika Smolansky (chair), 
Nadav Shefer . 
 
This Standard was approved by the following panel of technical committee 1414  
members  – transport methods for disabled  and patients : 
Federation of Israeli Chambers of Commerce  –  Zeev Toran  
Government Hospitals  – Shulamit Chen   
Technion, Biomedical Engineering Faculty  – Zvik a Smolansky 
(assistant chair)  
The Israel Consumer Council  – Pessach Nadir  
The Manufacturers Associa tion of Israel  – Yossef Yitzikowitz  
Hevrat Haovdim  – Arie Bakar  
Magen David Adom  – Adi Bareket  
The Standards Institution of Israel – Industry Division  – Israel Sabi sh 
Defence  Ministry  – Ezra Hovav  
Health Ministry  – Nadav Shefer  
IDF – Medical Corps  –  Guy Laskovsky  
 
 
Eti Golan coordinated the preparation work for the Standard.  
 
 
The Standard or parts  thereof should be check ed to ensure they are official.  
An official Standard or amendment sheet (in its entirety or in part ) is effective 60 days 
from publicat ion of notification regarding its registration, except if the notification 
determines a later effective date . 
NB: A document published in the records as an amendment sheet can be a separate 
amendment sheet or an amendment integrated into the Standard .  3 SI 1279 PART 1 (2002)  
Introduction to the Israeli Standard  
This Israeli Standard is European Standard EN 12183 of 1999, which was approved in 
English as part of the Israeli Standard  with changes and additions.  
 
The following are presented  in Hebrew : 
- The Appl ications of the Standard  paragraph with changes and additions.  
- Details of the changes and additions to parts  of the European Standard.  
 
The European Standard is presented  in its original form in English.  
 
For the reader’s convenience, Appendix A  – the Hebr ew translation of the standard  is 
presented .   
 
This Standard is part of a series of standards dealing with wheelchairs . The  series  parts  are: 
SI 1279 part 1 – Wheelchairs: Hand propelled wheelchairs.  
SI 1279 part 2 – Wheelchairs: Electrically powered  whee lchairs, electric scooters and 
their charges . 
 
1.  Application of the Standard (paragraph 1 of the European Standard with  
changes and additions).  
This Standard details the requirements and test methods for hand propelled wheelchairs 
designed for use by one  person whose mass does not exceed  114 kg (250 pounds).  
The wheelchairs which this Standard applies to include the types of  wheelchairs 
described  in standard EN ISO 9999: 1998 as detailed below:  
 
122103 – Manual attendant -controlled wheelchairs . 
122106 – Bimanual rear -wheel -driven wheelchairs . 
122109 – Bimanual front -wheel -driven wheelchairs . 
122112 – Bimanual lever -driven wheelchairs . 
122115 – Single side driven non -powered wheelchairs  –  
     Wheelchairs driven by one arm or one arm and one leg . 
122118 – Foot -driven wheelchairs .  4 SI 1279 PART 1 (2002)  
This Standard also details the requirements and test methods for hand propelled 
wheelchairs with electrical accessories.  
This Standard does not apply to the following:  
- Wheelchairs designed for special purpose s such as sports, shower s and toilet s; 
- Wheelchairs especially designed or adjusted to the needs of people with specific  
disabilities;  
- Standing wheelchairs.  
- Hand propelled wheelchairs with a driving kit added.  
 
Remark:  
Application of this Standard is limit ed to wheelchairs for use rs weighing  up to 114 kg 
(250 pounds), because  testing the conditions for use by users with larger mass  requires 
additional research .  5 SI 1279 PART 1 (2002)  
Details of the changes and additions to paragraphs of the European Standar d 
 
2.  Normative references  
- See the Normative references  paragraph of the European Standard.  
- The following Israeli Standards replace some of the European standards detailed  in 
the Normative references:  
The standard mentioned 
in the European Standard  The I srael Standard replacing it  
EN 12184 -1999  SI 1279 part 2 – wheelchairs: electrically powered  wheelchairs, 
electric scooters an d their charges .  
ISO 7176 -1 SI 1799 part 1 – wheelchairs: determination of static stability . 
ISO 7176 -3 SI 1799 part 3 – wheel chairs: determination of effectiveness of brakes . 
ISO 7176 -8 – 1998  SI 1799 part 8 – wheelchairs: requirements and test methods for static, 
impact and fatigue strengths . 
ISO 7176 -11 SI 1799 part 11 – wheelchairs:  test dummies .  
ISO 7176 -13 SI 1799 part 13 – wheelchairs: determination of coefficient of friction 
of test surfaces . 
ISO 7176 -15 SI 1799 part 1 5 – wheelchairs:  requirements for information 
disclosure, documentation and labeling . 
ISO 7176 -16 SI 1799 part 1 6 – wheelchairs:  resistance to ignition  of upholstered 
parts  – requirements and test methods . 
 
- The following Israeli Standard shall  be added to this paragraph:  
  SI 891 - Wheeled child conveyances . 
 
6.  Design requirements.  
6.1.2  Test method for footrests . 
 Table 1 – Force to be applied to fo otplates . 
 The following changes apply to the table:  
 In the last line, the value of 100 kg does not apply and is replaced by 114 kg.  
 
7.  Performance requirements.  
The following is added to the beginning of this paragraph:  
In the tests detailed below whic h require  a test dummy, wheelchairs for users 
weighing up to 114 kg must be tested with test dummies whose mass is  100 kg.   6 SI 1279 PART 1 (2002)  
  
7.1 Requirements for wheelchair static, impact and fatigue strength s. 
 The following addition applies to thi s paragraph:  
 Apart from paragraph 10.5 – Drop test.  
 
- Paragraph 7.8 as detailed below shall  be added after paragraph 7.7:  
 
7.8 Resistance to obstacles . 
A test dummy is prepared as detailed in Israeli Standard SI 1799 part 11, with the 
following changes:  
In dummies with a mass of 100 kg, 75 kg and 50 kg, the bottom part of the leg is 
replaced with  two parts  whose shape allows  contact with the footrests , e.g.: iron 
blocks measuring  75x150x40mm, each weighing ( 3.5±0.5) kg with their centre of 
gravity at a hei ght of (20±2) mm above the footplate.   
In wheelchairs for users weighing up to 114 kg, test dummies with a mass of 100 kg 
are used.  
If the wheelchair has pneumatic wheels, they must be pumped to the maximal 
recommended pressure.  
The wheelchair s must be tes ted on a device as described  in Israeli Standard SI 891, in 
the paragraph dealing with testing the operating force, with the following change:  
The chair must be rotated 500 times.  
At the end of the test, there should  be no visible cracks, breaks, tears or 
distortion  and the wheelchair must  function  properly when moving and folding .