DISABILITY ACCESS SERVICES

'Enabling your clients to access your services easily'

The Disability Discrimination Act 1995 places certain duties on employers and service providers in order to end discrimination against disabled persons in the areas of employment, service provision and education.

Positive Steps Access Audit aims to assist service providers in meeting the legal requirements of the DAA, our audit assesses the following:

• Access and egress into and out of the building.
• Provision of car parks and access for mobility scooters.
• Policies and procedures in relation to management on site of car parking bays for disabled persons, provision of facilities etc.
• Provision of facilities within the building including WC's, reception, passenger lifts etc.
• Arrangements for evacuating the premises in the event of an emergency situation.
• Measurements of doors, staircases, lighting etc. will be taken and audited against BS 8300 and Part M of the Building Regulations.
• A full report will be produced and include actual findings, any recommendations required to be made, priority rating, approximate costings, photographs and diagrams.

'Assisting in designing out accessibility issues at the planning stage'

Positive Steps can provide guidance on new build designs and proposed floor plans in order to reduce any potential accessibility issues during the construction phase, we do this by carrying out an Access Plan Appraisal.

The Appraisal is designed to:

• Identify whether the current dimensions from the plans provided meet the recommended design criteria within Part M of the Building Regulations and BS 8300.
• Enable the client to determine the measures needed to meet the requirements of the Disability Discriminations Act 1995.

AREAS COVERED WITHIN THE REPORT

• Summary of the planned appraisal and general improvements to be made.
• Detailed information on the building appraised.
• Recommendations following the appraisal including suggested design criteria.
• Conclusion.

It should be noted that unlike an Access Audit certain areas would not be considered and this would include building management, surfaces used, adequacy of lighting, colour and tonal contrast etc.

Access Appraisals are particularly useful for new build projects and refurbishments.

'Assisting in designing out accessibility issues'

Under Part M of the Building Regulations 2004 a requirement is placed on persons in control of the design and build of premises to produce an Access Statement when:

• Plans are submitted for approval.
• When building notice is given.
• When details of a project are given to an Approved Inspector.
• When the project relates to the change of use of the premises.
• The design does not replicate the guidance contained in the Approved Document M.
• Constraints within a site or an existing building require a proposed design to demonstrate that it is the best or most appropriate solution available.

The provision of an Access Statement will assist the local authority Building Control Surveyor or Approved Inspector to assess what provision has been made to maximise accessibility and usability of the building.

Positive Steps Access Statements are split into four stages

• Stage 1 includes the preparation of the Access Statement during the project brief stage ('The Strategic Access Statement').
• Stage 2 builds on Stage 1 and provides more detailed information on the size, scale, potential uses and development of the project ('The Access Statement at Planning').
• Stage 3 builds on the previous two statements and identifies in more detail the nature of the design in terms of guidance and publications used; details of design issues which deviate from good practice and reasons why ('The Access Statement at Design').
• Stage 4 this Statement draws on all three previous Access Statements and demonstrates commitment to the ongoing suitability of measures which have been introduced, policies to ensure the suitable maintenance internally and externally, details of a suitable management approach ('The Occupancy Access Statement').

Full consultation will be carried out with the client during each stage of the Access Statement in order to ensure that the client's vision for their project is met.