At what stage should accessibility be considered in building projects?
Since the introduction of the Disability Access Certificate requirements in January 2010, O’Herlihy Access Consultancy has received a number of questions concerning what stage accessibility/Universal Design should be considered during building projects. The following is some helpful guidance.
- Should access be considered at project inception? According to the Disabled Persons Transport Advisory Committee (DPTAC) in the UK, Access for people with disabilities should be a condition of any investment and should be considered from project inception. They also note that access/inclusive design should be considered at all stages of projects including the strategic brief.
- Should access be considered at a planning stage? In the UK, Access Statements are required as a way of demonstrating that design, refurbishment and product selection decisions have, or will, address the obligations of reasonableness introduced by the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 (UK legislation).
- Should access be considered long before applying for a Disability Access Certificate (DAC)? For many projects considering access at this stage maybe too late. For example, you may have planning permission for steps at the entrance, but might not have taken into account the provision for half landings or tactile warnings at top and bottom of the steps and the implications on overall landing size. You might have also located your accessible WC within the main WC lobbies and to change this at this stage may require a total change in layout which could affect the overall size of the building thus impacting on your planning permission and your Fire Certificate Application. Therefore it is important to consider access well in advance of applying for a DAC.
- Should Access be considered at all stages of the project? Accessibility must be considered at all stages of the project to ensure the project is designed, constructed and handed over to meet the requirements of all users. Some examples of where access must be considered include:
- At project briefing stage, an access strategy will ensure all stages of the design and build consider accessibility.
- At construction stage, monitoring of construction will ensure appropriate co-ordination between key trades and that the construction takes place in accordance with the access requirements of the design.
- At fit out stage, co-ordination between the architect and the mechanical services engineer is vital to ensure lighting, alarm systems, public address systems, door entry systems etc. are accessible for all
- During handover, guidance/handover information can ensure the client considers accessibility in the procurement of seating; tables etc.
If you would like further information or assistance in this area please contact us on 01-4151285 or [email protected] and we will be delighted to help.
