Equal Access Pty Ltd Accredited Disability Access Consultants was formed by Bruce Bromley in response to a growing recognition, that whilst businesses were being urged to respond to their obligations under the Disability Discrimination Act, that the majority of assistance available was focused almost entirely upon the needs of the individual with a disability without an understanding of the impacts and practicalities for businesses and building designers/ consultants.

We specialise in providing practical, sensible advice on disability access issues, including the Disability Discrimination Act, Building Code of Australia and Suite of Australian Standards, to a variety of organisations in both the public and private sectors.

The DDA, BCA & Australian Standards are highly complex and subject to constant change. Litigation over property access and compliance is increasing at an astounding rate. Property and business owners are subject to substantial and often unexpected liability.

I think it would be fair to say that 95% of all Tactile Ground Surface Indicator installations would be incorrect.

On a daily basis I see installations that are non complying with some to the point of being quite farcical. Unfortunately AS1428.4 in its current form is quite confusing even for specialist consultants. The revision to AS1428.4 DR04020 will be released this year. It clarify's the design and specification or TGSI layouts

As this feature is substantial I have have created a separate page in this newsletter.

TOPICS COVERED

• Eye health in Australia
• Luminance Contrast Issues
• Installation Issues
• Maintenance Issues
• How can I measure Luminance Contrast?

Click Here for more details

Planning for ALL Staff Members Egress

Emergency Evacuation is high priority for ALL people. With the ever increasing likelihood of accidents, fires, flooding and terrorism, emergency evacuation plans need to incorporate all levels of staff abilities.

What happens with a staff member with a disability in an emergency?
How do you assist people of differing needs to ESCAPE?
Who is responsible for assisting staff in an emergency evacuation including visiting individuals?

Universal ESCAPE consults throughout Australia strategically support organisations to plan for the emergency evacuation of ALL staff members, including the development of Personal Emergency Evacuation Plans (PEEP's)

NEXT WORKSHOP
Tuesday 19 February 2008, 10.00AM
Monash Enterprise Centre
5a Hartnett Close, Mulgrave, Vic.

Click Here for more details

CASEY HOMEMAKER CENTRE
Princes Highway, Narre Warren, Victoria.

The Casey Homemaker Centre was opened approximately 2 years ago. There are a number of significant issues with regards to accessibility that I will outline. It appears there has been very little consideration given to accessibility due to the number of issues.

This is a general overview of issues and is in no way a comprehensive access audit.

ACCESSIBLE PARKING SPACE ACCESS
There is no safe route to the footpath from the accessible parking spaces. Upon leaving the carspace wheelchairs must traverse along the roadway in front of the shops (a distance at the farthest space in excess of 60 meters) up to the speed hump and then traverse the speed humps to the footpath.

High volumes of traffic use this access way particularly at weekends. Having wheelchairs and cars sharing this same route is extremely dangerous.

What could have been done better? We would recommend changing the parallel parking adjacent to the footpath to perpendicular (this re planning would also increase the number of parking spaces available) Accessible parking spaces can then be located within the spaces and allow a safe transition to the footpaths.

PEDESTRIAN ACCESSWAY
Running north/south halfway through the site is a pedestrian access path. This access path also crosses the main site entry. The path is coloured dark grey.

There has been no attempt to identify parking aisles or the main entry along this path. The only identification provided is some high mounted signage that states "Pedestrians Give Way to Cars". This is fine if you you are not vision impaired. There was a pedestrian crossing across the main entry that has been blacked out however the coating has worn leaving it partially obscured, this would cause confusion for someone that is visually impaired.

The failure to install TGSIs at the pedestrians and vehicle junctions means a person with a vision impairment can not safely navigate the site.

STEP AT KERB RAMP & KERB RAMP DESIGN.
There is a 50mm step at the junction of the pedestrian path and kerb ramp. The ramp has not been constructed as outlined in AS1428.1. A majority of wheelchair users front wheels would not be able to traverse this step.

Accesways, walkways, ramps and landings shall be constructed with no lip or step at joints between abutting surfaces.
NOTE: A construction tolerance of up to 5 mm is acceptable using rounded or bevelled edges.

The vertical edge of the step has has also been painted black. This would be very hard for a person with a vision impairment to identify and creates a trip hazard.

TGSIS have also not been installed.

PATH GRADIENTS AND CROSS FALLS PART 1
Walkway gradient is 1:26 which comply's with as1428.1 part 5.2 however landings have not been provided as nominated in part 5.2 (a).

The cross fall to this walkway is 1:21, AS1428.1 part 5.6 nominates "The camber and cross fall of ramps and walkways shall not exceed 1 in 40 (see Figure 5)".

This is a significant hazard for wheelchair users due to the potential for over tipping, in addition to the elderly and people that are unsteady on their feet.

PATH FROM BOUNDARY (PUBLIC TRANSPORT)
Side entry path has a gradient of 1:10.7. AS1428.1 nominates the maximum allowed gradient is 1:14.

In addition to the non complying gradient, handrails/balustrades, Tactile Ground Surface Indicators etc have not been installed.

Click on images for larger version

Click on images for larger version

OPEN HANDRAILS, CONTRASTING STAIR NOSINGS & TGSIs

There are significant issues with regards to this stair/ balustrade and handrails. In addition TGSIs and contrasting stair nosing's have not been installed.

Handrails are non complying. Due to the number of non complying issues I will not be identifying them individually, rather I will identify the relevant sections of the BCA/ AS1428.1

AS1428.1 Part 6 HANDRAILS AND GRABRAILS
AS1428.1 FIGURE 9 CONSTRUCTION OF HANDRAILS
AS1428.1 FIGURE 17 STAIRWAY HANDRAIL LOCATION AND EXTENSIONS
AT END OF STAIRWAY
BCA D2.16 Balustrades or other barriers

AS1428.1 9.1 STAIR CONSTRUCTION
Where required, the following requirements apply to stair construction:
(c) A strip, not less than 50 mm and not greater than 75 mm, shall be provided on the tread at the nosing with a minimum luminance contrast of 30% to the background.

AS1428.4 PART 2.2 TACTILE GROUND SURFACE INDICATORS (TGSIs)
2.2.3 Warning indicators
2.2.3.1 Application
Where required to be installed by the regulatory authority, warning TGSIs shall be
provided as applicable to the following, in accordance with Clauses 2.2.1 and 2.2.2:
(d) Step(s).
(e) Stairs.

PATH GRADIENTS AND CROSS FALLS PART 2
Walkway gradient is 1:28 which comply's with as1428.1 part 5.2 however landings have not been provided as nominated in part 5.2 (a).

The cross fall to this walkway is 1:17, AS1428.1 part 5.6 nominates"The camber and cross fall of ramps and walkways shall not exceed 1 in 40 (see Figure 5)".

This is a significant hazard for wheelchair users due to the potential for over tipping, in addition to the elderly and people that are unsteady on their feet.

Click on images for larger version

Click on images for larger version

HAZARDS

AS1428.1 Part 5 WALKWAYS, RAMPS AND LANDINGS
5.1 General
5.1.1 Circulation space
Accessways, walkways, ramps and landing shall have—
(b) an unobstructed vertical clearance of not less than 2000 mm,

AS1428.4 Part 2.2.3.1 Application
Where required to be installed by the regulatory authority, warning TGSIs shall be provided as applicable to the following, in accordance with Clauses 2.2.1 and 2.2.2:
(h) Any overhead impediments or hazards other than a doorway, with less than
2000 mm clearance in an accessible open public space with no clearly defined
continuous accessible path of travel, e.g., wall-mounted objects such as fire
hose reels and drinking fountains.

There are a number of locations around the site that contain overhead and wall mounted hazards. These should be clearly identified with TGSIs.

In addition path widths in a number of areas do not comply.

Click on images for larger version

Click on images for larger version

HALLAM HOTEL,
Princes Highway, Hallam, Victoria.

In our last newsletter I raised some access issues of the Hallam Hotel, in particular their newly constructed access ramps

The good news is they have reworked the ramps, the bad news is they still do not comply to AS1428.1 & .4 .

A 300mm row of TGSIs have been installed on the ramp at the top instead of a 600mm row setback 300mm from the top.

TGSIs are still on the ramps near the landing, these are not required.

The bottom landing has a "L" shaped row of 300mm TGSIs, these again are not required.

The finishing point of the ramp now extends further into the car aisle. There is a 300mm row of TGSIs at the bottom of the ramp instead of a 600mm row 300mm from the start.

The handrails & kerb rails still do not meet the requirement of AS1428.1.

£4,000 for disabled student through DDA

A disabled student, denied the right to access the stage to receive a symbolic handshake in his graduation ceremony, has been awarded £4,000 for injury to feelings against Canterbury Christ Church University.
In one of the first higher education cases under the education provisions of the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 to be decided in court, the landmark ruling was supported by the Disability Rights Commission.

Craig Potter, 28, from Kent, and a wheelchair user, graduated in 2004 at a ceremony at Canterbury Cathedral. While other students were able to receive a handshake on the dais from the Chairman of Governors, Craig had to be content with a mere greeting at the bottom of the steps instead because no ramp had been provided to allow access to the stage. Craig Potter said:

I was not treated on equal terms with my peers. I wanted to go up on that stage at Canterbury Cathedral like everyone else during my graduation and get my symbolic handshake from the Chair of Governors.

The judge agreed that this would have been possible and the University's failure to provide temporary ramps meant they discriminated against me as a disabled person. I am very pleased and feel vindicated by this result.

Equal Access Pty Ltd Disability Access Consultants provide free of charge a library of CAD details for use when designing accessible amenity areas to AS1428.1

A full listing of manufacturers and suppliers of products that provide accessibility to the Built Environment are available in the "Specifiers" section of the website. Items listed include Tactile Ground Surface Indicators, Signage, Fittings, Fixtures, Flooring, Lifts & Door Controllers.

Click Here for more details