Part of the plan to ensure the streets, esplanade and buildings are accessible
Inclusive SA is the South Australian State Government’s Disability Inclusion Plan. ‘A whole-of-government approach based on fairness and respect to improve access and inclusion for people with disability’. (https://inclusive.sa.gov.au/)
South Australian local government councils are required to update their Disability Action & Inclusion Plans. These plans incorporate the needs of the community for the future and ways to reduce te barriers faced by people living with disability. It is the government’s aim to increase accessibility to public and community infrastructure, transport, service information, sport and recreation and the greater community.
This year Tumby Bay, a beautiful coastal township on the Eyre Peninsula in South Australia was granted funding to complete council audits to satisfy requirements of the Disability Access and Inclusion Plan along with other policies.
The District Council of Tumby Bay appointed Architecture & Access to complete the audits. The audit brief was to identify compliant and non-compliant features and required upgrade works for existing infrastructure and buildings along 5 streets and in, 4 council buildings and 4 public toilet areas.
The aim was to ensure the streets, esplanade and buildings provided the most accessible environment for people with disability, the aging population and the fast-growing tourist trade.
Architecture & Access visited the sites and completed an access audit/appraisal to identify both mandatory legislative items and those that would enhance access for a person with disability in the built environment. The audit included the Disability (Access to Premises – Building) Standard 2010 (DAPs). DAPs, a standard developed under the Federal Disability Discrimination Act 1992. The requirements of this standard were implemented into the Building Code of Australa and state-based building regulations.
The data gathered in the audit was incorporated into the site specific audit reports and presented to the council stakeholders.
There are reoccurring themes of non-compliant features in many council audits and offices throughout SA, in both metropolitan and regional areas. The most common issues found during audits include the following:
Streetscapes:
- footpaths with non-compliant gradients and crossfalls
- kerb ramps with non-compliant widths, gradients, and landings
- kerb ramps with directional TGSI’s and not warning TGSI’s
- footpaths lower than shop entrances; steps required to access shops or buildings
- accessible on-street carparks with non-compliant gradients, crossfalls and dimensions, lacking shared space and kerb ramps
- ramps with non-compliant handrails, kerb rail, landings and TGSI’s
Council owned public buidlings:
- non-compliant entrance, door landing and clear opening
- doors lack latchside clearance
- door operational force greater than 20N
- stairs lack nosings and TGSI’s
- stair handrails non-compliant due to configuration, height and extensions
- luminance contrast of doors
- round doorknobs not D-shaped lever handles
- door snibs less than 45mm on accessible doors and sanitary facilities
- doors lack door clear opening of 850mm
- door handles at non-complaint height
- glazed doors lack visual indicators
- light switches in non-compliant locations
- automated door controls in non-compliant locations
- step at door thresholds
- atair nosings lack luminance contrast to tread
- unisex Accessible WC is located through door to single gender sanitary facilities
- unisex Accessible WC lacks door, pan and basin circulation space
- ambulant cubicles not provided with compliant grabrails and pans
- signage lacks braille and raised tactile text for sanitary facilities and fire exits
- lacks Hearing Augmentation in meeting rooms, halls and conference rooms
Public Sanitary and Unisex Accessible WC:
- non-compliant signage
- doors lack latchside clearance
- door operational force greater then 20N
- unisex Accessible WC lack door, pan and basin circulation space
- unisex Accessible WC lack compliant pans, grabrails, toilet paper holder and clothes hooks
- basin lacks compliant taps, knee clearance, soap dispenser and hand dryer
- ambulant cubicles not provided with compliant grabrails, pans, toilet paper holder and clothes hooks
- door snibs less than 45mm on doors for sanitary facilities
The Tumby Bay Council is reviewing the 15 audit reports to formulate a plan to prioritise areas of greatest risk of non-complaince and to determine a budget to rectify now and in the future. The Architecture & Access audit report provided information to assist in the Council’s Disability Action & Inclusion Plan. These plans are to incorporate the needs of the community in the future.
