Inclusive Environments Flashcards
What building regulation relates to usability of buildings?
Part M - Access to and use of buildings
What legislation contributes to creating inclusive environments?
- The Equality Act 2010
- BS 8300 Design of an accessible and inclusive built environment.
- Approved Doc M (access to and use of buildings)
- Approved Doc k (protection from falling, collision and impact).
What is the Equality Act 2010?
The Equality Act 2010 legally protects people from discrimination in the workplace and in wider society. It replaced previous anti-discrimination laws with a single Act, making the law easier to understand and strengthening protection in some situations.
What are the nine protected characteristics of the Equality Act 2010?
- 1-Age
- 2-Disability
- 3-Gender reassignment
- 4-Race
- 5-Religion or belief
- 6-Sex
- 7-Sexual orientation
- 8-Marriage and civil partnership
- 9-Pregnancy and maternity
What is BS8300 ?
Design of an accessible and inclusive built environment.
What is the definition of an inclusive environment?
An inclusive environment recognises and accommodates differences in the way people use the built and natural environment. It facilitates dignified, equal and intuitive use by everyone
What did the Equality Act incorporate ?
- the Equal Pay Act 1970
- the Sex Discrimination Act 1975
- the Race Relations Act 1976
- the Disability Discrimination Act 1995
- the Employment Equality (Religion or Belief) Regulations 2003
- the Employment Equality (Sexual Orientation) Regulations 2003
- the Employment Equality (Age) Regulations 2006
- the Equality Act 2006, Part 2
- the Equality Act (Sexual Orientation) Regulations 2007
What are the features of a disabled parking space ?
- Clear signage
- Ease of access
- Good lighting
- Accessible payment machines
- Alternative payment methods
- Concessions allowing for the extra time needed by disabled people
- Enforcement of accessible bays
What is meant by the term unconscious bias ?
Unconscious (or implicit) bias is a term that describes the associations we hold, outside our conscious awareness and control. Unconscious bias affects everyone.
Unconscious bias is triggered by our brain automatically making quick judgments and assessments. They are influenced by our background, personal experiences, societal stereotypes and cultural context. It is not just about gender, ethnicity or other visible diversity characteristics - height, body weight, names, and many other things can also trigger unconscious bias.
What is the Bank of Scotland V Allan 2009 Case Law ?
The Court of Appeal found a bank to be in breach of the reasonable adjustment duty, because its main branch in Sheffield was not accessible to wheelchair users. Even if banking services could be accessed in alternative ways, such as over the internet, the policy of the Disability Discrimination Act was to provide a service as close as reasonably possible to that available to people generally, which included physical access to branches. The court awarded an injunction requiring the bank to install a lift to give wheelchair access, and awarded compensation.
What factors would you consider under inclusive environments ?
- Welcoming to everyone
- Responsive to people’s needs
- Intuitive to use
- Flexible
- Offer choice when a single design solution cannot meet all user needs
- Convenient so they can be used without undue effort or special separation and so that they maximise independence
Under the Equality Act 2010, what parties have duties? What are those duties?
- Service Providers: Under Section 20 of the Act have duties to make reasonable adjustments which are anticipatory to the needs of disabled people at large, evolving and ongoing. Therefore designs and provisions need to be developed in anticipation of a wide variety of potential user’s / visitor’s needs.
- Employers: Under Section 20 of the Act have duties to make reasonable adjustments which are reactive not anticipatory.
Adjustments only have to be made if they are reasonable to do so. What’s reasonable depends on things such as; how practical the changes are, the size of the organisation, cost of making the changes, if any changes have already been made.
Why is the Equality Act important ?
The Act makes it unlawful to discriminate against someone on the grounds of any of these characteristics: age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage or civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion/belief, sex (gender) and sexual orientation. These are often referred to as protected characteristics.
What can service providers / employers do to make buildings more accessible?
Change policy:
- E.g if only students are allowed to part cars in student car park, a university could change its policy for this to allow disabled individuals to park in all car parks so they can be closer to where they classes are.
Change a physical feature:
- Change steps to ramp, or add ramp to one side.
- Make doorway wider.
- Offer more signage and lighting for visually impaired individuals.
Provide extra aids or services:
- Install Induction Loop System. Hearing provision used by electromagnetic communication between a source and individuals hearing aids.
- Provide information in alternative formats - braille etc.
- Extra staff assistance.
What is BS8300? What does it include?
- It is a large document but includes how to ensure buildings are accessible and includes requirements and best practise suggestions such as:
- Inclusive design strategy - An effective way of ensuring that the principles of inclusive design are applied and integrated from the outset of a project is by producing an inclusive design strategy. Such a strategy is an effective way of demonstrating to the client, contractor, user groups and others involved in the development of the project, how the inclusive strategic vision will be developed and implemented over the course of the project.
- Design and access statement: a concise report accompanying certain applications for planning permission and applications for listed building consent. They provide a framework for applicants to explain how the proposed development is a suitable response to the site and its setting, and demonstrate that it can be adequately accessed by prospective users. Design and access statements can aid decision‑making by enabling local planning authorities and third parties to better understand the analysis that has underpinned the design of a development proposal.
- Pedestrian surfaces: e.g An access route should have a firm, slip‑resistant and reasonably smooth surface. Cobbles, bare earth, sand and unbonded gravel should not be used.
- Vertical movement: e.g Treads and risers should be solid and opaque. Riser profiles should be such that people who drag their feet do not trip when ascending.
