Review of
Design Manual :
Barrier Free Access
Objective of Study
Update current Requirements
Clarify ambiguities
Bring in latest technology
Methodology of Study
Overseas studies

Australia, UK, USA, Norway & Japan
Opinion survey
Direct consultation
Rationalization
Arrangement of New DM
Mandatory Section
 Performance Objectives
 Obligatory Design Requirements
Best Practice Section
 Design Considerations
 Recommended Design Requirements
Key Changes
Extent of application and exemption
Access requirements to auditorium and
back-of-stage facilities
Provisions of disabled car parking
spaces
Tactile warning strips and guide paths;
braille signs and maps, audible & visual
signals
Doors
Key Changes
Illumination levels in common areas
Colour contrast/ luminous contract
Assistive provisions for persons with visual
or hearing impairment
Lifts
Toilets
Design guidelines for the elderly
EXTENT OF APPLICATION OF ADDITIONAL ASSISTIVE PROVISIONS TO VARIOUS USES OF
BUILDINGS
Uses of buildings
Required Additional Assistive Provisions listed below: Braille &
tactile layout
plan [4.10.4(a)]
Tactile guide
path
[4.1.3(c)]
[4.10.4(b)]
Visual Display
Board
[4.10.4(c)]
Accessible
Public Service
Information
Counter
[4.11.3(a)]
Visual Fire
Alarm System
[5.3.3]
Assistive Listening
System with
International Sign
[5.6.3(a)]
1. Domestic use
-
-
-
-
-
-
2. Common areas of
Offices
-
-
-
-
Y
-
3. Ddepartment stores
and shopping complexes
Y
Y-
-
Y
Y
-
4. Hotels, guest houses
hostels and banks
Y
-
-
Y
Y
-
5. Places for worship e.g.
Churches
Y
-
-
Y
Y
-
6. Cinemas, theatres,
concert halls, stadia,
museum, theme park
and purpose built family
amusement centre
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
7. Schools, colleges,
universities and public
library
Y
Y
-
-Y
Y
-
8. Factories, workshops
and industrial use.
-
-
-
-
Y
-
9. Sports complexes and
public swimming pool
complexes.
Y
Y
-
Y
Y
-
10. Restaurants and food
courts.
Y
-
-
-
Y
-
11. Indoor markets and
supermarkets.
Y
-
-
-
Y
-
EXTENT OF APPLICATION OF ADDITIONAL ASSISTIVE PROVISIONS TO VARIOUS USES OF BUILDINGS
Uses of buildings
Required Additional Assistive Provisions listed below: Braille &
tactile layout
plan [4.10.4(a)]
Tactile guide
path
[4.1.3(c)]
[4.10.4(b)]
Visual Display
Board
[4.10.4(c)]
Accessible
Public Service
Information
Counter
[4.11.3(a)]
Visual Fire
Alarm System
[5.3.3]
Assistive Listening
System with
International Sign
[5.6.3(a)]
12. Hospitals, purpose
built clinics
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
13. Residential care
homes for the elderly
and welfare centers
Y
Y
-
Y
Y
-
14. Club houses
Y
-
-
Y
Y
-
15. Transport stations,
interchanges, passenger
terminals.
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
16. Carparks
Y
-
-
-
Y
-
2.2 EXEMPTIONS
A list of areas or parts of a building
which can be exempted from
accessibility requirements has been
added.
Not apply to the following areas or parts of a
building
(a) Commercial kitchen, cold room and cinema projector
room.
(b) Areas only used for building services and
maintenance (testing, inspections, verification, repair
and overhaul) including:

(i) a plant, cooling tower and power plant;

(ii) equipment and lift motor room, and electrical
transformer room and switch room, a battery room, a
machinery room, a plant room and a pump room;

(iii) a boiler house;

(iv) non-tenantable spaces accessed only by ladders,
catwalks, crawl spaces, tunnels or freight (nonpassenger) elevators;;

(v) an access route for maintenance, pits, lift shafts
and ventilation shafts; and

(vi) a sub-station, telecommunication equipment
room, metering area, or the like.
Not apply to the following areas or parts of a building
where there is a relatively high risk to persons with a
disability
(c) Areas used for storage of raw materials, produce or
for bulk storage where:
 (i) the stored materials are hazardous; or
 (ii) the public is not permitted to enter, such as waste
containment area, chemical store, or the like.
(d) Mezzanine floors used only for storage, plant and
equipment installations or the like.
(e) Raised platforms used primarily for purposes of
security or safety management, including, but not
limited to, guard towers or fixed lifeguard stands.
(f) Swimming pools (The water containing pools only).
(g) Any path of travel providing access only to an
exempted area.
3.1 AUDITORIUM AND
BACKSTAGE FACILITIES
Obligatory design requirements expanded
to include requirements of access to
auditoriums, the stages and backstage
facilities
Obligatory design requirements of tactile
warning strips and Braille and tactile maps
incorporated.
Removal seats may be installed in
wheelchair spaces when the spaces are
not occupied by wheelchair users
3.2 HOTELS, HOSTELS &
GUESTHOUSES
Obligatory design requirements for
bathroom and shower facilities to
accessible guest room included.
Typical guest room layout
provided for reference.
3.3 CARPARKS
No. of accessible parking space, size
of the parking space, signage for the
parking space and size of loading /
unloading area for the parking space
added.
Total No. of Car Parking
Required No. of
Space
in Lot
Accessible Car
Parking Spaces
1-50
1
51-150
2
151-250
3
251-350
4
351-450
5
Above 450
6
4.1 ACCESS
Minimum clear route defined.
Requirements of tactile tiles / blocks
are provided.
Requirement of clearance at access
route added.
Requirement for unusual site situation
clarified
Tactile Guide Paths at Building
Entrances Linking up with
Initial Access on the Lot
Boundary and Interior Facilities
Typical Tactile Guide
Path Junction
Examples of Details of
Tactile Warning Tiles /
Blocks
4.2 RAMPS
1:10 ramp for max rise 150mm
1:8 ramp for max rise 75mm
4.3 DROPPED KERBS
Max. gradient of dropped kerbs
changed from 1:6 to 1:10.
Level difference not more than
15mm with vehicular area
Width of tactile warning strip
clarified - 600mm
1200 (MIN.)
4.4 STEPS AND STAIRCASES
For required staircases and main circulation
staircases




Requirements on vertical or receding face of
risers introduced
Handrails to be provided on both sides
Requirements of tactile warning strips at
landings in the latest PNAP incorporated
The requirements for external steps & stairs
have been added.
4.5 HANDRAILS
The diameter of handrails relaxed
Directional signs on handrails added
Figure 16A – Handrails of
Staircase
4.6 CORRIDORS, LOBBIES, PATHS
Requirements for gratings added.
Requirements for headroom added.
Controlled passages for wheelchair user
Grating Size and
Orientation
Width of Controlled
Passages
4.7 DOORS
The requirement of door width increased from
750 mm to 800 mm
The requirement of unobstructed area adjacent
to the door handle decreased from 380 mm to
330 mm
The requirement of height of door thresholds
reduced from 25 mm to 20 mm
Opening force for FRP Door – 30 N
Location of the marking on frameless glass doors
specified
Automatic doors to be provided to stadium, town
hall, civic centre, theatre, museum, public library,
sports complex, public swimming pool complex,
hotel, shopping complex, hospital and office
building
4.8 TOILET AND W.C.
CUBICLES
Accessible unisex toilet introduced
Design requirements including
maneuvring space revised
Requirements on urinal added
Location of emergency call bell revised
Accessible Toilet
(Opposite - Handed Layout is
Acceptable)
4.9 BATHROOMS AND SHOWER
COMPARTMENTS
Requirements on bathtubs, faucets and controls,
shower heads, shower stalls grab rails,
thresholds and shower seats incorporated for
accessible bathroom and shower compartments
4.10 SIGNS
Requirements of international symbol
elaborated
Requirements of directional sign and sign
for persons with hearing impairment added.
Braille and tactile requirements added.
The requirements of luminous contrast for
the signs are added.
Special obligatory design requirements to
assist person with visual / hearing
impairment are enhanced.
Directional Signs
Braille and Tactile Fire Exit
Map
4.11 INFORMATION /
SERVICE COUNTERS
More requirements for service /
information counters incorporated.
Key Heights of Counters and Reception Desks
5.2 ILLUMINATION
Illumination levels for mandatory
accessible signs, entrance lobby,
lift lobby, lift, corridor and
staircases introduced
Automatic or manual switching
devices accepted
5.3 FIRE ALARM SYSTEM
Fire alarm system in accessible
areas to emit both audible and
visible signals
Exceptions specified
5.6 ASSISTIVE
LISTENING SYSTEMS
“induction loop system” replaced
by “assistive listening system”
5.7 LIFTS
Disabled lift shall be a passenger lift
Size of lift car and width of lift door
increased
Audible signal to alert closing of lift door
added
Details for keypad design incorporated
All passenger lifts to comply with
requirements for lift door, lift control
buttons and emergency call button
Figure 42 –
Accessible Lift
Standardised Position of Buttons for
Keypad Control Device
5.9 ESCALATORS/ PASSENGER
CONVEYORS
To be provided with tactile warning
strips at bottom and top ends
5.10
VERTICAL
LIFTING PLATFORMS
Vertical lifting platform included in
Best Practice Section
6
DESIGN GUIDELINES FOR THE ELDERY AND
ELDERLY WITH FRAILTY
Design Considerations

Elderly persons
 May be unstable in their gait and unable to recognise
changes in level of floor surfaces.
 May be unable to see clearly and may have problems in
accommodating dramatic changes of lighting levels.
 Would have decreased stamina.
 May have difficulties in way finding.
 May fall due to bending, stooping and stretching.
 May be weak in gripping, and may have difficulties in
turning and manipulating taps, switches, door handles
and the like.
 May have difficulties in pushing open heavy doors.
Enhanced Designs
Barrier free access without steps
Slower speed of escalators
Luminous contrast between wall and floor
Resting place along long corridor
Different colour floors and zonings to improve way
finding
Double switches and low level cupboards
Timber or plastic-coated hand rails
Bathroom doors openable on both sides
Sound-absorbing materials and non-glare floor
finishes
APPENDIX A
ANTHROPOMETRICS
Contains dimensional data for reference by
designers when designing facilities and
equipment for use by persons with a
disability
Figure A3 - Dimensional Data of a Wheelchair User
Figure A4 - Vertical Reaching Zones of a Wheelchair User
APPENDIX A
Anthropometrics
APPENDIX A
Anthropometrics
APPENDIX B GUIDELINES FOR WHEELCHAIR
TRANSFER AND MOVEMENT
APPENDIX B
Guidelines for Wheelchair Transfer & Movement
APPENDIX B
Guidelines for Wheelchair Transfer & Movement
APPENDIX C
SLIP RESISTANCE OF FLOORING MATERIALS
Aims to provide design references of slip
resistance of some of the typical flooring
materials and floor finishes
APPENDIX D
Luminous Contrast
Colour contrast v Luminous Contrast
Provides guidance on measurement of
Luminous Contrast
THANK YOU