Guidelines for Access Auditing of the Built Environment Acknowledgements

Guidelines for Access Auditing of the Built Environment
Acknowledgements
Foreword
Glossary of Terms
1 Introduction
2 What is an access audit?
3 Types of Access Audits
4 What to do before the audit
5 Steps to carry out an access audit
6 Structure of an access audit report
7 Conclusion
8 Further Information
References
Appendix 1 Questions prior to audit
Back to overview
5 Steps to carry out an access audit
5.1 The audit process
To get a true reflection of how the building works the audit of the building should take place when the building is fully operational. The auditor must visit the various areas on a number of occasions at different times of the day. An audit may be a journey through the building in a logical sequence. The auditor can observe how the building works in a number of ways including:

observing how customers/staff use the building;
analysis of the physical design of the premises;
consultation with users;
monitoring day to day running (toilet cubicles free from obstruction, does maintenance impede on accessibility, etc.).
The next section will investigate what an auditor should be looking for when carrying out an audit of the physical features of the building. Please note that each bullet point below (section 5.1 to 5.1.5) contains examples of the features that need to be assessed. However, it is not an exhaustive list (e.g Car parking - location, number, dimensions, signage, dished kerbs etc.). There are further features such as lighting, surface finish, distance from entrance that also need to be considered in the design of an accessible car park. As access audits should not look at the building in isolation, section 5.2 will discuss the important features to ensure an accessible service.

5.1.1 External environment - Approach
Getting into the building is one of the biggest obstacles faced by many users. To allow all users easy access the audit must look at:

public transport - nearest bus stops, taxi ranks, urban transport, etc;
approach routes - getting from gate to entrance: signage, lighting, routes free from hazard, the use of tactile paving, location of street furniture, etc;
car parking - location, number, dimensions' signage, dished kerbs, etc;
change of level - Ramps and Steps: gradient, step profile, continuous handrails, colour contrasting nosings, surface, lighting, etc;
entrance - easily distinguishable from rest of building, automatic doors, vision panels, door intercoms, etc.
5.1.2 Vertical and Horizontal Circulation
Circulation throughout a building must be as simple as possible to allow all users navigate around a building safely and with ease. The following should be considered:

Step and ramp design, maximum rise of flights, tactile warnings, clear headroom, open riser avoided, turning spaces, passing bays, etc;
Lifts door opening times, visual and audible announcements, colour contrasting buttons, signage, etc;
Corridors and open plan areas - width, handrails, protruding objects, lighting, use of colour, etc;
Door design - Doorway planning, dimensions and features, powered doors, etc.
5.1.3 Facilities
Once a user enters a building and is able to circulate freely and with ease of use, the next step is to be able to independently access the facilities provided within. Everyone who uses the building must be allowed to use the facilities provided. The following areas should be investigated:

Reception areas - location, queuing systems, counter loop, dual height counters, background noise, etc;
Signage - consistently located, symbols, embossed, colour contrast, typeface, etc;
Accessible WCs - layout, colour contrast fixtures and fittings, alarms, ease of use, etc;
Telephones - location, induction couplers, telephone device for the deaf, etc.
5.1.4 Interior Design
It is vital that the interior design of public service areas caters for the needs of as many customers as possible as without proper detailing/interior design many buildings would simply fail to perform adequately. The interior design of a building can have a positive effect on navigation, ease of use, acoustics and safety, to name but a few. A number of considerations include:

lighting - shadows, glare, variations in light intensity, reflections, etc;
surface finishes - polished surfaces, matt finishes, busy patterns, etc;
colour and luminance contrast - location, navigation, eliminating hazards, etc;
fixtures - easy to operate, size, layout, height, location, etc.
5.1.5 Evacuation/Emergencies
Access and correct design are very important to a building as is access and safety in an emergency situation. No access audit would be complete without considering the needs of all users in an emergency situation and every access audit should investigate:

emergency equipment - location, visual and auditory alarms, signage, evacuation chairs, etc;
safety zones - clearly highlighted with signage, communication systems in place, etc.
For details on management procedures and policies regarding emergencies see section 0.

5.2 How to examine for an accessible service?
While the physical design of the building plays a large part in ensuring an organisation is accessible there are a number of other keys issues to be considered so that services are accessible for all. Some examples are highlighted below.

5.2.1 Access Team
For change to be effective it needs to permeate all levels of the organisation. To improve accessibility, the first step should be to establish an internal working team of staff across different sections, who will be responsible for all accessibility matters. If an organisation has an access team in place, the auditor should work closely with this team. A number of interviews (formal or informal) could take place with this team to explore:

management issues of the built environment/access issues of the organisation;
the role of team;
the current accessibility issues;
the consultation process with local disability/access groups.
5.2.2 Management of the built environment
According to the NDA (2002) 'Good management can improve the accessibility of even a badly designed building'. Management must consider access and safety in the day to day running, maintenance work and retrofitting. An organisation can do this by a number of methods but one good way is to have polices and procedures in place (to simplify this process the NDA has developed an Access Handbook Template[4]). The auditor must investigate whether or not these policies/procedures are in place. This can be done by observation, interview or by examining documentation.

It is also important that the auditor observes whether management has considered access and safety in emergency situations and has implemented sufficient plans to cover all users of the building including people with disabilities. Evidence of this may be found in the organisation's safety statement, training records, Personal Emergency Egress Plans (PEEPs) or the organisation's access handbook. Consultation with staff is another method of examination. Finally if evacuation chairs are in place it is important to investigate if staff have been trained in their use.

5.2.4 Information and publicity
For an organisation to be accessible need it to show that the communication needs of people with disabilities have been planned for. Evidence of this may be in the form of documented policies and procedures (communication strategy[5]), information published in a variety of formats, or procedures in place for effective communication in consultation processes, seminars or meetings. While beyond the scope of a built environment audit, a public access terminal/website audit is important to identify if the communication needs of everyone have been met.

5.2.4 Policies, Practices and Procedures
Policies, practices and procedures play an important role in ensuring an organisation is accessible. Examples of how accessibility may be incorporated into an organisation's policies, practices and procedures include:

Equality policy: These policies generally include statements on the organisation's commitment to equality/diversity across the nine equality grounds, including disability. Agencies produce these policies arising from the Employment Equality Act 1998 and the Equal Status Act 2000. The policies should explicitly refer to the reasonable accommodations of employees and customers with disabilities;
Access statement: Some organisations find it helpful to outline their accessibility commitments in a stand-alone policy also. This policy will again be based around equality/disability legislation and cover all aspects of their service provision including training, customer services and information provision, and the built environment;
Complaints procedure: It is important that the organisation has an accessible, transparent complaints procedure in place to ensure complaints from all customers can be tracked and monitored. The process should be easy to use and complaints officers should be trained to deal with customers who may feel they have been discriminated against;
Customer Charter/Action Plan: This should detail the standards of service that a customer of an organisation can expect when accessing their services. The Charter should be based on the '12 Principles of Quality Customer Service for Customers and Clients of the Public Service' (http://www.bettergov.ie). It should include a focus on the accessibility of the service to people with disabilities.
All the above policies should be developed in consultation with employees and/or customers with disabilities.

5.2.5 How staff and management deliver the service
The staff and management who deliver the service are key to making the organisation accessible. For example, a staff member who understands users' needs and knows how to meet and greet someone with a disability will make a person with a disability feel more comfortable and at ease. It is important to assess whether staff have been trained in Disability/equality training and that staff have a positive attitude towards disability and accessibility.

A number of staff may be trained in accessibility training. This training would cover topics such as access issues; how to use induction loops, Telephone Device for the Deaf (TDD) etc.; sign language; hearing awareness; clear lip speaking; guiding people with vision impairments etc.

5.3 Feedback
The final step in the access audit process is to provide feedback to the client. A number of methods can be adopted and it is important that the feedback mechanism has been discussed between all parties at the briefing stage.

One method is to provide the client with a draft report of the findings and arrange a meeting to discuss further. Alternatively the client could receive a final report and an 'access audit companion' from the access auditor. The 'access audit companion' would act as a reference for the client on current best practice and standards. Another approach would be to provide a report and present the findings to all key stakeholders within an organisation. This allows for further discussion and feedback.

[4] For further details see section 8.6

[5] A communication strategy should outline how the organisation communicates with its customers. It should identify key customer groups and the preferred communication channel for each. In particular it should outline the organisation's policy in relation to the provision of information in alternate formats for people with disabilities