Can a non-WC19-compliant wheelchair be retrofitted to include the four securement points?
This is certainly possible and is allowed by WC19, at least with regard to retrofit attachment of four suitably strong securement points. However, since, for most wheelchairs, some modifications to the design of the wheelchair frame and/or materials is necessary to achieve the required dynamic strength, providing a retrofit kit of four bolt-on securement points will generally not be sufficient to comply with even the frontal-crash test requirements of WC19. Thus, while there is probably a safety advantage to adding easily accessible securement points to the strongest points on the frame of non-WC19-compliant wheelchairs, this will probably not result in complete compliance with WC19 and is therefore unlikely to be done for reasons of liability. At this time, only one wheelchair manufacturer is offering a retrofit kit to convert a wheelchair with securment points.
