Access Code for Buildings
Access Code for Buildings
• Schedule 1 of the Premises Standards
• Equivalent to proposed BCA provisions
• Like the BCA, the Access Code is performance
based minimum requirements
• Compliance can be by meeting Deemed-toSatisfy Provisions or Alternative Solutions that
can be demonstrated to meet the Performance
Requirements
Part A1 – Definitions
• Some definitions repeated from current BCA,
e.g. “aged care building”
• Some existing BCA definitions changed, e.g.
“accessway”
• Some new definitions, e.g. “luminance contrast”
• Defined terms are italicised where used in
provisions
Part A2 – Adoption of standards
• 2009 editions
– AS 1428.1 – General requirements for access – New
building work
– AS/NZS 1428.4.1 – Means to assist the orientation of
people with vision impairment - Tactile ground surface
indicators
– AS/NZS 2890.6 – Off-street parking for people with
disabilities
Current – 800 mm
Proposed – 850 mm
Part A2 – Adoption of standards
• Public transport buildings
– Part H2 references different versions of standards to
those in the remainder of the Access Code
– Refer to Table 1 to determine which standards apply
to which provisions
Part A4 – Building classifications
• Repeated from the current BCA, but with one
change ....
• Class 1b now includes “4 or more single
dwellings located on one allotment and used for
short-term holiday accommodation”
Table D3.1 – General access
requirements
• Buildings and parts of buildings must be
accessible as required by Table D3.1 (unless
exempted by D3.4)
• Table D3.1 describes the extent of access to be
provided for each class of building
Class 1b buildings
• Small hostel, guest house, B&B
– access to 1 bedroom and 1 of each type
of common room or space
• 4 or more holiday cabins on one
allotment
– Access to at least 1 dwelling and
increasing on a sliding scale
Class 2 buildings
• Flats, apartments, units
– Only to front door of units on one level (or on all levels
served by a ramp or lift) and one of each type of room
or space used in common such as laundry or BBQ
area
– Note BCA proposal is to cover all new Class 2
buildings
Class 3 buildings
• Large hostel, boarding house, motel
– To the front door of units on at least one level (or on all
levels served by a ramp or lift)
– To at least one of each type of room or space used in
common including a swimming pool, dining room, TV
lounge, etc.
– Access to at least 1 unit and increasing on a sliding scale
– Not more than 2 accessible units next to each other
– If more than 2 accessible units required, must be
representative of range of rooms available
Total rooms
Accessible Rooms
Current BCA
Access Code
10
1
1
20
1
2
30
2
2
40
2
2
50
3
3
100
4
5
200
8
9
500
18
19
Class 5, 6, 7b, 8 buildings
• To and within all areas normally used by
occupants
Class 7a buildings
• Carpark buildings (but not private
garages)
– To and within any level containing accessible
carparking spaces
Class 9a buildings
• Hospitals, health-care buildings
– To and within all areas normally used by occupants
Class 9b buildings
• Schools and early childhood centres
– To and within all areas normally used by occupants
• Assembly buildings (public halls, cinemas,
sports stadiums, etc.)
– To wheelchair seating spaces required by D3.9 and
other areas normally used by the occupants, but not
tiers or platforms if no wheelchair seating spaces on
those levels
Class 9c buildings
• Aged-care buildings
– Essentially the same as Class 3 buildings
– To the front door of units on at least one level (or on
all levels served by a ramp or lift)
– To at least one of each type of room or space used in
common including a swimming pool, dining room, TV
lounge, etc.
– Access to at least 1 unit and increasing on a sliding
scale
Class 10 buildings/structures
• Class 10a (non habitable building such as
public toilet block or shelter)
– Requirements do not apply to a facility that is not in an
“accessible area” or those not intended for public use
– To an accessible sanitary facility, change room and
shelter
• Class 10b (swimming pool)
– To and into a pool with a total perimeter greater than
40m associated with a Class 1b, 2, 3, 5, 6, 7, 8 or 9
building (note acceptable methods of providing access
into pool vary according to size of pool – see D3.10)
D3.2 Access to buildings
• Main changes:
– Through the principal pedestrian entrance and not
less than 50% of all entrances (including principal)
– If building has a total floor area of more than 500
square metres an inaccessible entrance must be no
more than 50 metres from an accessible one.
– Specific requirements for single entrances with
multiple doorways and door leaves
D3.3 – Parts of buildings to be
accessible
• Main changes:
– Every stairway and ramp (other than fire isolated)
must comply with clause 10 and 11 of AS 1428.1
– Fire isolated stairways must have luminance contrast
nosing strips
D3.3 – Parts of buildings to be
accessible
• Main changes:
– Passing spaces every 20 m where direct line of
sight not possible
– Turning spaces 2 m before end of a accessway
and every 20 m on an accessway
– Levels other than entrance storey need not be
provided with lift or ramp in buildings with no
more than 3 storeys and where the upper floors
are less than 200 square metres each
200 m2 max
Max. 3 storeys
200 m2 max
D3.4 - Exemptions
• Access not required where:
– Inappropriate because of particular purpose the area
is used for; or
– Area would pose a health or safety risk for people with
a disability
• Examples could be loading docks, foundry
floors and rigging loft – assessment on a case
by case basis
D3.5 - Accessible carparking
• Essentially no change to current BCA
requirements for number of carparks
(except increase for clinics and day
surgeries)
• Changes to layout and dimensions in
AS/NZS 2890.6
2400
2400
Accessible
space
2400
Accessible
space
5400
Bollard
Shared
areas
Parking aisle or roadway
2400
D3.6 - Signage
• Main changes
– Improved signage about type of hearing
augmentation system used and where receivers
can be obtained (if used)
– Signage indicating right or left hand transfer in
accessible toilets
– Signage indicating ambulant accessible toilets
• Part D4 (Specification D3.6) provides
details on requirements for design and
installation of Braille and tactile signs
D3.7 – Hearing augmentation
• Main changes
– Removal of the 100 square metre room size
concession
– Increased area coverage for induction loop
system from 15% to 80% of area
– System using receivers must cover 95% of
the area and receivers must be provided as a
ratio of the number of occupants on a sliding
scale
D3.8 – Tactile indicators
• Essentially no change other than referencing
recent AS 1428.4.1 technical requirements
D3.9 – Wheelchair seating spaces
in assembly buildings
• Main changes
– Increased number of wheelchair seating spaces
– Location and grouping specified to provide seating
options including restrictions on how many wheelchair
seating spaces can be located in front rows of
cinemas
D3.10 – Swimming pools
• Specifies the means of access/exit to
swimming pools including fixed or movable
ramp, zero depth entry, platform lift or slingstyle lift
• Where swimming pool is over 70m perimeter
at least one means of entry must be a ramp,
zero entry or platform lift
• Part D5 (Specification D3.10) provides details
on the design and installation of the different
means of entry/exit to a swimming pool
• Note that latches for swimming pool gates
need not comply with AS 1428.1
D3.11 – Ramps limitation
• A limitation on the use of ramps has been
introduced whereby a series of connecting
ramps cannot rise more than 3.6m
• Restrictions on overlapping landings
D3.12 Glazing on an accessway
• While this is no change from the current BCA
the referenced AS 1428.1 (clause 6.6) has
made it clearer that markings on glazing must
be across the whole width, solid and a minimum
of 30% luminance contrast
Part E3 – Lift installations
• Introduces a wide range of lift options
with limitations on use
• Specifies features that each type of lift
must have
• Note that unenclosed lifts may use
constant pressure devices for
operation (for 5 year review)
Part F2 – Sanitary facilities
• Generally a unisex accessible toilet must be
provided on every storey where there are toilets
• If more than one block of toilets on any floor then
unisex accessible toilets at 50% (for 5 year review)
• Ambulant accessible toilet in addition to unisex
accessible toilet
• Left and right handed facilities where more than one
• Clarifies washbasin and fixtures must be inside
facility
• Increased circulation space required in AS 1428.1
900 mm min
900 to 920 mm
Part H2 – Public transport buildings
• Transferred from the Disability Standards for
Accessible Public Transport
• Provides requirements for passenger use areas
of public transport buildings and timetable for
compliance of existing buildings
• Where H2 requires different compliance targets
they take precedence
Summary
• Awareness raising, not full technical details
• Explanatory Statement provides information on
intent (available online)
• Follow-up questions to assist in developing
further material, please forward to AHRC
Questions?
http://www.ag.gov.au/premisesstandards
michael.small@humanrights.gov.au
www.humanrights.gov.au
www.abcb.gov.au