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DDA Compliance - The Equality Act - Health & Safety Legislation

Adrian B

Afternoon All

Random question of the day in the hope someone has perhaps come across something similar and can advise or point in the right direction.

Has anyone come across any regulations etc., regarding the construction of plant room, switch rooms and perhaps plant compounds that are DDA compliant or accessible?

Is there any requirement to include for DDA accessibility for such areas?  Or perhaps there are regulations or recommendations stating that these areas are not suitable for DDA access?

Either way, does anyone know of any actual guidance on this matter?

Any advice would be hugely helpful, many thanks.

Adrian B 

  • 0

    Hi Adrian,

    I think the Designer/consultants need to consider what the access is actually provided for and then work from there, so what is stated nearly everywhere is:

    The Equality Act 2010 requires employers and bodies providing services to anticipate the need for reasonable adjustments so as not to discriminate against disabled people; this is relevant not only to the occupiers of buildings but also to the planning and building control process.

    So a member of the public or staff accessing a office. sales room sales area, shop, toilet etc, then obvioulsy those djustments with a ramp access over the threshold into a building, disabled access toilet with facilities at lower level, diffrent ironmongry, pull cord alarm etc would be reasonable.

    Now a switch room and a plant room, would one expect a technician/engineer with physical or mental disabilities to actually enter those spaces to carry out work?

    Also its what is forseen use and by whom and reasonable adjustment, not complex adjsutment.

    In my area of work on filling stations where many sites had public toilets, and the DDA Act came out. rather than widen access doors to toilets and provide DDA compliant facilities. As there is no legal requirement to provide a public toilet in a petrol station, the duty holders removed all those toilets to create more space!! Hence issue solved.

    Yes there was a ramp cast to get over the kerb/step at entrance door so that was done, call alarm for somebody that cant put fuel in the car themselves so that was dealt with.

    Now regarding staff, if site has more than one point of sale, one position is lower to deal perhaps with staff that need to sit or be in a wheelchair. But if  there is only one point of sale, no adjustment as safe use and emergency use and evacuation of that facility would indicate must be an able bodied person as they would be a lone worker.

    Sorry cant give you any further help, but you need to consider why and who enters those spaces and make reasonable adjustments.

    Cheers GTB

  • 0 in reply to GTB

    Hi GTB

    Many thanks for spending the time to answer in detail.  Hugely appreciated.

    Regards

    Adrian B

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