The Access Manual: Designing, Auditing and Managing Inclusive Built Environments

This manual covers the design, improvement, maintenance and management of accessible environments. It shows you how to provide and run buildings, services, and employment facilities to enable independent and convenient use by everyone. The Access Manual was first published in November 2003 and has been used by architects and facilities managers needing to meet the requirements of new legislation in 2004. It was well received by design, management, access, and health professionals. This is a fast–moving area and there are now several additional pieces of legislation and guidance central to inclusive design and making buildings accessible to all. This 3 rd edition follows the same structure and approach and updates three main areas: The Equality Act 2010 Building Regulations: Approved Documents to Parts M (2013) and K (2013) British Standards:  amendment and updating of BS8300   The authors have also updated the material on access auditing, providing additional examples and sample access audit reports and access statements. With its comprehensive information on standards, legislation and good practice, The Access Manual: designing, auditing and managing inclusive built environments, 3 rd edition ensures you can: be fully aware of the issues involved in accessibility and inclusive design understand your legal obligations and the guidance available  commission access audits create and manage an access improvement programme maintain accessibility in buildings and working practices understand access issues in the design of new buildings

About the authors ix Foreword by Malcolm Hankey xi Acknowledgements xiii About the Website xv Introduction 1 Objectives of the manual 2 Chapter 1 Inclusive design 5 An inclusive approach 5 Principles of inclusive design 7 Benefits 8 How environments are used 9 Access appraisals 14 Access statements 16 Case study – Canada Water Library 22 Chapter 2 Legislation and regulations 27 Introduction 27 Equality Act 2010 28 Planning legislation 56 Building Regulations 59 Occupier Liability Acts 70 Human Rights Act 1998 73 Case study – The Vine Trust barge 74 Chapter 3 Standards and guidance 77 British Standards 77 Other sources of good practice guidance 81 Chapter 4 Access management 89 Introduction 89 Access audits 90 Access management 109 Case Study – Bramall Music Building 117 Chapter 5 Design criteria 121 Introduction 121 External environment 122 Entrances 136 Horizontal circulation 150 Vertical circulation 159 Facilities 185 Communication and wayfinding 209 Emergency egress 228 Appendix A General acceptability criteria 235 Access audit checklists 235 How to use the checklists 235 Appendix B Information sources 259 Guidance 259 Legislation, standards and codes 261 Useful organisations 262 Index 265