NDA
Excellence through Accessibility Award
1. Introduction ................................................................................................4
Programme for Prosperity and Fairness 2000 ..................................................................... 4
The Case For Accessibility .................................................................................................. 5
1.
Equality and Quality: ................................................................................................ 5
2.
Not a Minority Issue:................................................................................................. 5
3.
Customer Care: ........................................................................................................ 6
4.
Cost: ......................................................................................................................... 6
5.
More Effective Outreach:.......................................................................................... 6
6.
Staff Retention: ........................................................................................................ 6
7.
A Model for Best Practice: ........................................................................................ 6
8.
Recognition: ............................................................................................................. 6
2. Excellence through Accessibility Award..................................................7
The Benefits......................................................................................................................... 7
Your Questions Answered ................................................................................................... 7
What is the Excellence through Accessibility Award? ..................................................... 7
Where did this award come from? ................................................................................... 7
What’s the aim?............................................................................................................... 8
What will be examined? .................................................................................................. 8
What if my organisation owns, manages or controls a heritage site? .............................. 8
Who can apply?............................................................................................................... 8
How do I apply?............................................................................................................... 8
What then? ...................................................................................................................... 9
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Who makes the decision? ............................................................................................... 9
How long do I have the Award?....................................................................................... 9
Is there a review process? .............................................................................................. 9
What does a compliant public office get? ........................................................................ 9
3. The Guidelines and Criteria.....................................................................10
3.1
Access to Quality Customer Services .................................................................... 11
Guideline 1 Commitment ............................................................................................ 11
Guideline 2 Equality and Positive Action .................................................................... 11
Guideline 3 Human Resource Management ............................................................... 11
Guideline 4 Procurement ............................................................................................ 12
Guideline 5 Customer Service .................................................................................... 12
3.2
Access to the Built Environment ............................................................................. 13
Guideline 6 Management of the Built Environment ..................................................... 13
Guideline 7 External Environment .............................................................................. 13
Guideline 8 Vertical and Horizontal Circulation in Public Service Areas ..................... 13
Vertical circulation.............................................................................................................. 14
Horizontal circulation ......................................................................................................... 14
Guideline 9 Facilities ................................................................................................... 14
Guideline 10 Interior Design ....................................................................................... 14
Guideline 11 Evacuation ............................................................................................. 15
3.3
Access to Information and Communication Technology......................................... 16
Guideline 12
Communication Strategy ...................................................................... 16
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Guideline 13 Public Computers, Kiosks and other Public Access Terminals (PATs) . 16
Guideline 14 Web Accessibility ................................................................................... 17
4. Glossary of Acronyms and Abbreviations .............................................18
5. References................................................................................................ 19
6. Legislation ................................................................................................ 22
Appendix 1:
Disability Act 2005 .................................................................23
Appendix 1.1 ...................................................................................................................... 23
Appendix 1.2 ...................................................................................................................... 23
Appendix 2: Access to Built Environment (Heritage) .................................24
Heritage Guideline 6
Management of the Built Environment ........................................... 24
Heritage Guideline 7 External Environment .................................................................... 24
Heritage Guideline 8
Vertical and Horizontal Circulation in Public Areas ........................ 25
Heritage Guideline 9 Facilities......................................................................................... 25
Heritage Guideline 10
Interior Design ............................................................................. 26
Heritage Guideline 11
Evacuation ................................................................................... 26
Appendix 3:
Notes....................................................................................... 27
For copies of these guidelines in alternative formats please contact the ETA team on
eta@nda.ie or by textphone/phone at 01-6080400
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1. Introduction
For far too many people and for far too long, an inaccessible environment has restricted their
ability to participate as full citizens in Irish society. This has been particularly true for people
with disabilities.
All too often, the poor design of services has limited their choices and made ordinary
activities like accessing public services such as information, transport or voting difficult if not
impossible.
A significant proportion of our population has been excluded from the economic, political and
social life of our nation.
But this is changing. Over the last six years, priority has been given to the development,
enactment and implementation of a comprehensive framework of equality legislation. Our
equality code is among the most comprehensive in Europe.
Three Acts are in place, the Employment Equality Act 1998, the Equal Status Act 2000 and
the Equality Act 2004. In 2000, the Government launched their mainstreaming initiative
which required public bodies, where possible, to integrate services for people with
disabilities. The Disability Act, 2005, which has just been enacted, is a positive action
measure designed to advance and underpin the participation of people with disabilities in
everyday life.
Programme for Prosperity and Fairness 2000
These guidelines, criteria, and award scheme arise from a commitment made by
Government in the Programme for Prosperity and Fairness 2000 (PPF). In the PPF, the
Government made a commitment that "Each Government Department will ensure that reasonable steps are taken to
make its services and those of agencies under its remit accessible to people with
disabilities. To facilitate effective action and acceptable standards in this regard,
the National Disability Authority will issue guidelines in accordance with
international norms and will award an accessibility symbol to compliant public
offices. Government Departments and agencies will take all reasonable action to
qualify within five years.
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Adequate resources will be provided to the National Disability Authority and the
Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform to monitor, guide and audit
progress towards the achievement of this commitment."
We are pleased to introduce the National Disability Authority (NDA)/ Department of Justice,
Equality and Law Reform (DJELR) accessibility award scheme Excellence through
Accessibility which will acknowledge those Departments and Agencies under their remit that
have taken steps to make their services more accessible. Through the Award we hope to
support the achievement of maximum accessibility of public services for people with
disabilities in Ireland.
Excellence through Accessibility seeks to promote and reward a clear focus on and
commitment to continuous improvement in accessibility of public services at all levels in
participating organisations. To do this the award encourages the development of policies,
practices and relationships to ensure that achievements in accessibility are sustainable and
meaningful to customers.
The Case For Accessibility
The case for making our society more accessible is a compelling one on many fronts. It is
not only an issue of justice but it makes good business and social sense. Here are 8
reasons why it makes sense to make your service accessible.
1. Equality and Quality:
Removing barriers promotes equality and makes life easier and safer for everyone and that
includes people with disabilities, older people and the young. Accessibility also enhances
the quality of services provided for all sections of society.
2. Not a Minority Issue:
Accessibility affects us all directly. It is not a minority issue. The last population census
showed that 8.3% of the population had significant disabilities. But most of us will
experience some form of disability – even on a temporary basis - at some point in our lives.
In fact, at any time, one in five Irish people will experience difficulties in getting around. The
figure is going to increase with Ireland’s aging population. Life expectancy is also
increasing. Someone born today can expect to live, on average, 30 years longer than their
great grandparents.
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3. Customer Care:
Providing information and services in a user-friendly way that responds to the needs of
people with disabilities will increase customer satisfaction with the Department or Agency. A
Department or Agency that understands the diverse needs of its customers will provide a
better quality of service to its clients.
4. Cost:
The cost of making services accessible is not as large as it often assumed. Many
accommodations cost little or nothing. It is certainly more cost-effective to provide for
accessibility at the design stage and once off costs associated with change are often
recovered in the form of:

More effective outreach to customers;

Low accident rates;

Improved staff morale;

New business generated.
5. More Effective Outreach:
An accessible service enables more people with a disability to enter the premises and/or use
the services.
6. Staff Retention:
A more accessible environment increases the pool of potential new workers that an
employer can tap into. It also helps organisations retain existing employees who may
acquire a disability. What’s more, higher staff satisfaction will also lead to improved
productivity.
7. A Model for Best Practice:
The implementation of these guidelines could provide a model for service providers in the
private and non-statutory sectors.
8. Recognition:
Better access will not only improve customer and staff satisfaction but it will improve public
recognition of the Department or Agency and include the consequential benefits of such
recognition.
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2. Excellence through Accessibility Award
The Benefits
There are many benefits to service providers and customers in achieving this award.
The Award will have an impact by:
 Delivering more accessible services in a more accessible environment;

Increasing customer focus;

Improving staff morale;

Developing better internal processes;

Developing more effective service delivery;

Recognising and rewarding best practice.
Your Questions Answered
What is the Excellence through Accessibility Award?
The Award acknowledges those public bodies that provide accessible services in a manner
consistent with the needs of their customers.
Where did this award come from?
In the Programme for Prosperity and Fairness 2000, the Government made a commitment to
do the following: "Each Government Department will ensure that reasonable steps are taken to
make its services and those of agencies under its remit accessible to people with
disabilities. To facilitate effective action and acceptable standards in this regard,
the National Disability Authority will issue guidelines in accordance with
international norms and will award an accessibility symbol to compliant public
offices. Government Departments and agencies will take all reasonable action to
qualify within five years.
Adequate resources will be provided to the National Disability Authority and the
Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform to monitor, guide and audit
progress towards the achievement of this commitment."
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These guidelines, criteria and award scheme arise from this PPF commitment.
What’s the aim?
The aim of the Award is to objectively examine and encourage the accessibility of services
provided by Government Departments and Agencies under their remit to people with
disabilities.
What will be examined?
The guidelines will take account of three critical areas that are common to all organisations:
1. Access to Quality Customer Services;
2. Access to the Built Environment;
3. Access to services delivered via Information and Communication Technology.
The NDA has developed a set of 14 guidelines and 41 criteria across these three areas.
What if my organisation owns, manages or controls a heritage site?
Applications are welcome from heritage sites. For the purpose of assessing the built
environment we have developed separate guidelines to ensure that the characteristics of the
site are not compromised.
Who can apply?
Applicants must provide a public service and be a Government Department or an Agency
under the remit of a Department.
How do I apply?
An application form must be completed. This form is available on request in a variety of
formats from the NDA or can be downloaded from our website at: www.nda.ie.
This form must be accompanied by copies of the following documents:

Safety Statement;

Equality/Equal Opportunities Policy;

Customer Charter/Customer Action Plan;

A list of staff members and customers for possible interview.
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The NDA welcomes the opportunity to interview customers with disabilities where possible.
Organisations may be able to identify interested customers with disabilities from their
customer panels, consultative mechanisms, etc.
What then?
After you submit your application, the NDA will contact you to arrange for an assessment to
be carried out by experienced and trained assessors. The assessor will capture evidence
from documentation, observation and interview. Organisations must make sure the
necessary documents and staff are available for interview.
Who makes the decision?
The Awards Approval Board will be set up to oversee the whole process. Once the
assessors complete their work, they will submit their report to this Board who will make all
final decision on awards. They also have the authority to postpone or decline registration.
The Board will register the application as any of the following:

Committed through Accessibility

Quality through Accessibility

Excellence through Accessibility
How long do I have the Award?
If you are approved, you will have the registration for three years. You will then have to reapply for the Award.
Is there a review process?
Applicants who are unhappy with the decision of the Board can apply for a review to an
Independent Review Officer at the NDA offices. Reviews can only be made when a
deficiency in the assessment process is identified. The Review Officer will decide on the
case and reply in writing within 60 days of receipt of the letter. This decision is final.
What does a compliant public office get?
An accessibility symbol is awarded to public offices compliant with these guidelines.
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3. The Guidelines and Criteria
The National Disability Authority has developed this set of 14 accessibility guidelines and 41
criteria for the Accessibility Award.
The guidelines have been drawn up after extensive consultation with Government
Departments, state agencies, voluntary and community bodies and the NDA Standards
Advisory Committee.
Public meetings took place in Dublin, Cork and Galway in June 2004. More than 40
organisations made submissions. In addition, the NDA have held an Accessibility
Conference, workshops with stakeholders and developed an audit tool to accompany these
guidelines.
The guidelines have been structured to take account of three critical areas common to all
organisations:
1. Access to Quality Customer Services;
2. Access to the Built Environment;
3. Access to services delivered via Information and Communication Technology.
The guidelines reflect the principle of Universal Access to public services by all current and
potential customers. They will be used in assessing the applications for the NDA Award.
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3.1
Access to Quality Customer Services
Guideline 1 Commitment
The organisation is committed to improving accessibility to their public services.
Criteria to be met:
1.1 Management has overseen the development of, and promotes the organisation’s
commitment to, improved accessibility;
1.2 The organisation consults people with disabilities and their organisations in relation to
accessibility matters.
Guideline 2 Equality and Positive Action
The organisation ensures that the rights to equal treatment and positive action, as
provided for in equality legislation, are met.
Criteria to be met:
2.1 The organisation has an Equality/Equal Status policy in place to ensure that the rights to
equal treatment as provided for in legislation are met;
2.2
The organisation has measures in place to support access by people with disabilities
to their services, as provided for in disability legislation. (See Appendix 1)
Guideline 3 Human Resource Management
The organisation’s Human Resource Management policies, procedures and practices
support all steps for improving in the delivery of more accessible services.
Criteria to be met:
3.1
The organisation has a high standard of achievement in relation to Part 5 of the
Disability Act, 2005; (See Appendix 1)
3.2
Reasonable accommodations are made to meet the needs of employees with
disabilities;
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3.3
Equality/Disability training, designed in consultation with people with disabilities, is
provided for relevant staff.
Guideline 4 Procurement
The organisation is committed to the procurement of equipment and/or services that,
whenever possible, are accessible to all.
Criterion to be met:
4.1
Accessibility is a criterion in the tender process.
Guideline 5 Customer Service
The organisation ensures that the ‘12 Principles of Quality Customer Service for
Customers and Clients of the public servicei continue to be implemented.
Criteria to be met:
5.1 The organisation has a Customer Charter which is published and promoted in all public
offices of the organisation;
5.2 The organisation has communicated and promoted a complaints procedure in relation to
the Charter.
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3.2
Access to the Built Environment
Note for Heritage sites:
Heritage sites as defined by section 29 part 3 of the Disability Act 2005ii, should as far as
practicable ensure that public access is accessible to persons with disabilities. The
organisation should refer to Heritage Guidelines 6-11 listed in appendix 2.
Guideline 6 Management of the Built Environment
The organisation regularly reviews and, if necessary, develops and improves the
accessibility of its built environment in public access areas.
Criteria to be met:
6.1
Management has reviewed the current accessibility of the built environmentiii;
6.2
The organisation maintains its own Built Environment Access Handbookiv for use by
managers and maintenance personnel.
Guideline 7 External Environment
The organisation takes reasonable steps to ensure an accessible approach to its built
environment including, where provided, car parking facilities.
Criteria to be met:
7.1 Where parking spaces designated for people with disabilities are provided, they comply
with best practice guidelines or relevant standardsv;
7.2 Building surroundings and access routes to accessible entrances, including those from a
car park used by the public, are designed to best practice guidelines or relevant
standardsvi;
7.3 Where gradients on access routes in public service areas are steeper than 1:20, both
steps and ramps are provided and correctly designed;
7.4 All reasonable measures are taken to ensure that entrances used by the public are
accessible, without adversely impacting on the character and special interest of the
historic built environment
Guideline 8 Vertical and Horizontal Circulation in Public Service Areas
Circulation is as simple as possible for all public service areas.
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Criteria to be met:
Vertical circulation
8.1 Steps are avoided where possible but, if in place, an alternative method of changing level
in public service areas is provided that conforms with best practice guidelines or
relevant standardsvii;
8.2 Accessible lifts are provided in all new buildings of a specified size that have more than
one floor and any new installation of lifts complies with best practice guidelines or
relevant standardsviii;
Horizontal circulation
8.3 Horizontal circulation in public service areas complies with best practice guidelines and
standardsix.
Guideline 9 Facilities
The organisation has taken all reasonable steps to provide public service areas and
facilities that are accessible to the public.
Criteria to be met:
9.1 Correctly designed signage, including tactile surfaces, is in place in public service areas
(internally/externally as appropriate) to allow effective, efficient and safe use of the
built environment;
9.2 Telephones, if provided for public use, are accessible to all in public reception/service
areas and a Textphone is provided;
9.3 Public service reception areas and waiting rooms are correctly designed for ease of use x;
9.4 Toilet facilities, where provided for public use, are accessible to facilitate the needs of
people with disabilitiesxi.
Guideline 10 Interior Design
The interior design of public service areas caters for the needs of as many customers
as possible.
Criteria to be met:
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10.1
The lightxii within the public service areas of the building is distributed evenly and
eliminates reflections, shadows and glare;
10.2
Surface finishes are correctly designed;
10.3
Colour and luminance contrast, for instance, between walls and floors, between door
backgrounds and fittings and between other adjacent decorated elements are in line
with best practice guidelines or relevant standards in public service areasxiii;
10.4
All reasonable steps are taken to ensure that fixtures in use are consistent, accessible
and easy to usexiv.
10.5
All reasonable steps are taken to ensure that the acoustic properties of public service
areas have been considered.
Guideline 11 Evacuation
All reasonable steps are taken to ensure that every user of the built environment has
appropriate access to a place of safety in an emergency situation.
Criterion to be met:
11.1
Management has considered access and safety in emergency situations and has
implemented sufficient plans to cover all users of the building including people with
disabilities. This includes emergency procedures, emergency equipment, visual and
auditory alarms, safety zones and signage.
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3.3
Access to Information and Communication Technology
Guideline 12
Communication Strategy
The organisation’s communication strategy is designed, as far as practicable, to
accommodate people with disabilities.
Criteria to be met:
12.1
The organisation has documented procedures for implementing its communication
policy with people with disabilities;
12.2 Public information is available on request, in an accessible form which may include:
12.3


Audio Tape
Braille

Electronic Format – HTML, Plain Text

Large Print

High Contrast Print

Easy-to-Read
Sign language interpreters and/or Real Time Captioning when possible are provided
at public consultations following a request beforehand to the organisation from an attendee
who requires this service.
Guideline 13 Public Computers, Kiosks and other Public Access Terminals (PATs)
The organisation is committed to achieving conformance with relevant NDA IT
Accessibility Guidelines for all computers, kiosks and other Public Access Terminals
used by the public.
Criteria to be met:
13.1
All public computers, kiosks and other public access terminals conform to each of
the priority 1 NDA IT Accessibility Guidelines for Public Access Terminals;
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13.2
Any application software contained in the User Interface of the PAT should conform
to each of the priority 1 NDA IT Accessibility Guidelines for Application Software;
13.3
Any HTML content contained in the User Interface of the PAT should achieve
conformance level Double-A with the Web Accessibility Initiative’s (WAI) Web
Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 1.0;
13.4
Organisations which have not complied with all Priority 1 NDA IT Accessibility
Guidelines v1.1 for Public Access Terminals are committed to auditing and
improving the accessibility of the Public Access Terminals;
13.5
Where such facilities cannot be provided because of space, cost restrictions, etc,
assistance is available on request to access the public information/service
required.
Guideline 14 Web Accessibility
The organisation is committed to achieving conformance level Double-A with the Web
Accessibility Initiative’s (WAI) Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 1.0.
Criteria to be met:
14.1
All the organisation’s HTML-based information and services including public
websites, HTML-based email and newsletters achieve conformance level Double-A
with WAI WCAG 1.0;
14.2
Organisations, which have not achieved conformance level Double-A with WAI
WCAG 1.0, are committed to auditing and improving the accessibility of their
websites;
14.3
For each of the organisation’s websites, the organisation has a web accessibility
statement in place which shows the organisation’s commitment to reaching and
maintaining conformance level Double-A with WAI WCAG 1.0;
14.4
New content published to the site achieves conformance level Double-A with WAI
WCAG 1.0.
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4. Glossary of Acronyms and Abbreviations
DJELR
PPF
HER
Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform
Programme for Prosperity and Fairness
Heritage
HTML HyperText Markup Language
IT
Information Technology
NDA
National Disability Authority
PAT
Public Access Terminal
PPF
Programme for Prosperity and Fairness
WAI
Web Accessibility Initiative
WCAG
Web Content Accessibility Guidelines
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5. References
Barker, P., Barraick, J. and Wilson, R. (1995) Building Sight. Royal National
Institute for the Blind, London.
BS 8300: 2001 - Design of buildings and their approaches to meet the needs of disabled
people, Code of practice, British Standards Institution, UK.
BS EN 81-70:2003 - Safety rules for the construction and installation of lifts
Particular applications for passenger and goods passenger lifts - Part 70:
Accessibility to lifts for persons including persons with disability, British Standards Institution,
UK.
Department of Arts, Heritage Gaeltacht and the Islands (2002), Action on Architecture.
Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Governemnt (2004) Architectural
Heritage Protection. Guidelines for Planning Authorities.
Department of the Taoiseach (1996), Delivering Better Government.
Department of the Taoiseach (2000), Programme for Prosperity and Fairness.
Department of the Taoiseach (2003), Sustaining Progress, Social Partnership Agreement
2003-2005, http://www.taoiseach.gov.ie/index.asp
Department of the Taoiseach (2003), Customer Charters. Guidelines for Preparation,
http://www.bettergov.ie
Disability Legislation Consultation Group (2003), Equal Citizens – Core Elements of
Disability Legislation, www.nda.ie
Equality Authority (2000), Disability Resource Pack, www.equality.ie
Equality Authority (2002), Reasonable Accommodation of people with disabilities in the
provision of goods and services, Equality Authority, www.equality.ie
Equality Authority (2002), Support pack on the equality/diversity aspects of quality customer
service for the civil and public service, Equality Authority, www.equality.ie
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Equality Authority (2002), Template for equality reviews and action plans, Equality Authority,
www.equality.ie
European Federation of Hard of Hearing People, Accessibility Guidelines for Hard of
Hearing.
European Union, EU Public Procurement Guidelines, www.e-tenders.gov.ie
Excellence Ireland (2002), The Q-Mark. Ireland’s National Symbol of Quality, Guidelines,
www.excellence-ireland.ie
FÁS, Excellence through People, Ireland’s National Standard for Human Resource
Development, http://www.fas.ie/services_to_businesses/excellence_through_people.html
FÁS (2000), Training and Development for People with Disabilities, Standard QA 00/01.
Fraser J. and Barker P. (2000) Sign Design Guide: A Guide to Inclusive Signage. Joint
Mobility Unit Access Partnership and the Sign Design Society, UK.
ILSMH European Association (1998), Make it Simple, http://www.inclusioneurope.org/documents/SAD64EETREN.pdf
ISO 16071:2003, Ergonomics of human-system interaction -- Guidance on accessibility for
human-computer interfaces, www.iso.org
National Adult Literacy Agency (2002) Writing and Design Tips, www.nala.ie
National Disability Authority (2002) Building for Everyone. The National Disability Authority,
Dublin: NDA.
National Disability Authority (2002), Guidelines for Including People with Disabilities in
Research, Dublin: NDA.
National Disability Authority (2002), Ask Me. Guidelines for Effective Consultation with
People with Disabilities, Dublin: NDA.
National Disability Authority (2002), National Disability Authority IT Accessibility Guidelines,
available from http://accessIT.nda.ie
Office of the Ombudsman (1998), Settling Complaints, The Stationery Office, Dublin.
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The Northern Officer Group (1993) Personal Emergency Egress Plans, The
Northern Officer Group UK.
W3C WAI Web Content Accessibility Guidelines 1.0, http://www.w3.org/WAI/Resources/
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6. Legislation
Disability Act, 2005.
Employment Equality Act, 1998, see also www.equality.ie
Equal Status Act, 2000 and Equality Act, 2004 see also www.equality.ie
National Disability Authority Act, 1999.
Public Service Management Act, 1997.
Technical Guidance Documents to the Building Regulations, 2000, Part M Access for people
with disabilities.
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Appendix 1:
Disability Act 2005
Appendix 1.1
Disability Act 2005 – For further information on access to services, as defined in the Act,
please contact the NDA
Appendix 1.2
Disability Act 2005 – Part 5, Public Service Employment
47 (1) A public body shall –
a) in so far as practicable take all reasonable measures to promote and support
the employment by it of persons with disabilities,
b) have regard to any relevant codes of practice approved under section 50 and
section 10A of the Action of 1999 by the relevant Minister
Part 5 also covers:
Compliance Targets (section 47)
Monitoring of Compliance (section 48)
Action to achieve compliance (section 49)
Codes of Practice in respect of employment in public service (section 50)
For further information on Part 5 of the Act, please contact the NDA.
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Appendix 2: Access to Built Environment (Heritage)
The following guidelines refer to heritage sites as defined by section 29, part 3 of the
Disabilities Act 2005xv.
Please note these guidelines shall not apply if its application would have significant adverse
effect on the conservation status of a species or habitat or the integrity of a heritage site or
compromise the characteristics of the site. Also nothing in this section shall be construed as
authorising or requiring the adaptation or modification of any heritage site contrary to law.
Heritage Guideline 6 Management of the Built Environment
The organisation regularly reviews, and, if necessary, develops and improves the
accessibility of its built environment in public access areasxvi.
Criteria to be met:
6.1
(HER) Management has reviewed the current accessibility of the Historic
building/sitexvii;
6.2 (HER) The organisation maintains its own Built Environment Access
use by managers and maintenance personnel.
Handbookxviii for
Heritage Guideline 7 External Environment
The organisation takes reasonable steps to ensure an accessible approach to its built
environment including, where provided, car parking facilities.
Criteria to be met:
7.5 (HER) Where parking spaces designated for people with disabilities are provided, where
possible they comply with best practice guidelines or relevant standardsxix;
7.6 (HER) Building surroundings and access routes to accessible entrances, including those
from a car park used by the public, are designed to best practice guidelines or
relevant standardsxx where practicable;
7.7 (HER) Where gradients on access routes in public areas are steeper than 1:20, all
reasonable steps are taken to ensure both steps and ramps are provided and
correctly designed;
7.8 (HER) All reasonable measures are taken to ensure that entrances used by the public
are accessible without adversely impacting on the character and special interest of
the historic built environment
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Heritage Guideline 8 Vertical and Horizontal Circulation in Public Areas
Where possible circulation is as simple as possible for all public areas.
Criteria to be met:
(HER) Vertical circulation
8.4 (HER) Steps are avoided where possible but, if in place, an alternative method of
changing level in public areas is provided where practicable that conforms with best
practice guidelines or relevant standardsxxi;
8.5 (HER) All reasonable measure are taken to ensure Accessible lifts are provided where
practicable;
(HER) Horizontal circulation
8.6 (HER) Where practicable horizontal circulation in public areas complies with best
practice guidelines and standardsxxii.
Heritage Guideline 9 Facilities
The organisation has taken all reasonable steps to provide public services and
facilities that are accessible to the public.
Criteria to be met:
9.5 (HER) Correctly designed signage which accounts for architectural heritage is in place in
public areas (internally/externally as appropriate) to allow effective, efficient and safe
use of the built environment;
9.6 (HER) Telephones, if provided for public use, are accessible to all in public
reception/service areas and a Textphone is provided;
9.7 (HER) Where practicable public service reception areas and waiting rooms are correctly
designed for ease of usexxiii;
9.8 (HER) All reasonable steps are taken to ensure toilet facilities, where provided for public
use, are accessible to facilitate the needs of people with disabilitiesxxiv.
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Heritage Guideline 10 Interior Design
The interior design of public areas caters for the needs of as many customers as
possible.
Criteria to be met:
10.6
(HER) Where possible the lightxxv within the public areas of the building is distributed
evenly and eliminates reflections, shadows and glare;
10.7
(HER) Where possible surface finishes are correctly designed;
10.8
(HER) All reasonable steps are taken to ensure colour and luminance contrast, for
instance, between walls and floors, between door backgrounds and fittings and
between other adjacent decorated elements are in line with best practice guidelines
or relevant standardsxxvi in public areas;
10.9
(HER) All reasonable steps are taken to ensure that fixtures in use are consistent,
accessible and easy to usexxvii.
10.10 (HER) All reasonable steps are taken to ensure that the acoustic properties of public
areas have been considered.
Heritage Guideline 11 Evacuation
All reasonable steps are taken to ensure that every user of the built environment has
appropriate access to a place of safety in an emergency situation.
Criterion to be met:
11.1
(HER) Management has considered access and safety in emergency
situations and has implemented sufficient plans to cover all users of the building
including people with disabilities. This includes emergency procedures, emergency
equipment, visual and auditory alarms, safety zones and signage.
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Appendix 3:
Notes
N.B. References given are not exhaustive. There are other best practice documents,
standards and guidelines that may be used to provide equivalent outcomes, definitions etc.
i
12 Principles of Quality Customer Service for Customers and Clients of the Public Service,
see www.bettergov.ie or the ‘Support Pack on the Equality/Diversity Aspects of Quality
Customer Service for the Civil and Public Service,’ The Equality Authority (2001).
ii
In this section “heritage site” includes—
(a) a monument within the meaning of the National Monuments Acts 1930 to 2004,
(b) a heritage building or a heritage garden or park within the meaning of the Heritage Act
1995,
(c) a protected structure or a proposed protected structure, with any attendant grounds, or
an architectural conservation area, within the meaning in each case of the Planning and
Development Act 2000,
(d) a nature reserve which is the subject of an establishment order within the meaning of
the Wildlife Acts 1976 and 2000, and
(e) a national park owned by the State and under the management and control of the
Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government.
iii
When an organisation is developing or improving the Built Environment, it must take into
account the importance of good quality design in achieving successful solutions to improve
access, in line with the government’s policy on architecture entitled Action on Architecture
2002-2005 A further source of information is chapter 18 'Improving Access' of Architectural
Heritage Protection, Guidance for Planning Authorities'(2004) published by the Department
of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government.
iv
This access handbook is an internal document for use by management and maintenance
personnel. The purpose of the access handbook is to provide a simple way of listing and
explaining the features and facilities of a building, which must be maintained in order to
ensure access for everyone.
v
Building for Everyone (Section 5.4 pg 81), BS 8300:2001 (Section 4 pg 5).
vi
Building for Everyone (Section 5 pg 84 and section 6.2 pg 92),
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BS 8300:2001 (Section 5 pg 11).
vii
Building for Everyone (Section 6.7 pg 105), BS 8300:2001 (Section 8 pg 39).
viii
Building for Everyone (Section 6.7.4 pg110), BS 8300:2001 (Section 8.4 pg
44), BS EN 81-70:2003.
ix
Building for Everyone (Section 6.5 pg 97), BS 8300:2001 (Section 7 pg 35).
x
Building for Everyone (Section 6.4 pg 95), BS 8300:2001 (Section 11.1 pg
69).
11
Building for Everyone (Section 6.8 pg 116), BS 8300:2001 (Section 12.2 pg
95).
12
Building for Everyone (Section 7.5 pg 139).
13
Building for Everyone (Section 7 pg 135).
xiv
Building for Everyone (Section 8 pg 149).
xv
In this section “heritage site” includes—
(a) a monument within the meaning of the National Monuments Acts 1930 to 2004,
(b) a heritage building or a heritage garden or park within the meaning of the Heritage Act
1995,
(c) a protected structure or a proposed protected structure, with any attendant grounds, or
an architectural conservation
area, within the meaning in each case of the Planning and Development Act 2000,
(d) a nature reserve which is the subject of an establishment order within the meaning of
the Wildlife Acts 1976 and 2000, and
(e) a national park owned by the State and under the management and control of the
Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government.
xvi
When an organisation is developing or improving the Built Environment, it must take into
account the importance of good quality design in achieving successful solutions to
improve access, in line with the government’s policy on architecture entitled Action on
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Architecture 2002-2005. A further source of information is chapter 18 'Improving Access'
of Architectural Heritage Protection, Guidance for Planning Authorities'(2004) published by
the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government.
xvii
Department of the Environment Heritage and Local Government (2004).
Architectural
Heritage Protection: Guidelines for Planning Authorities
Adams J. and Foster L. (2004) Easy Access to Historic Buildings. English Heritage UK.
xviii
This access handbook is an internal document for use by management and maintenance
personnel. The purpose of the access handbook is to provide a simple way of listing and
explaining the features and facilities of a building, which must be maintained in order to
ensure access for everyone.
xix
Building for Everyone (Section 5.4 pg 81), BS 8300:2001 (Section 4 pg 5).
xx
Building for Everyone (Section 5 pg 84 and section 6.2 pg 92), BS 8300:2001 (Section 5
pg 11).
xxi
Building for Everyone (Section 6.7 pg 105), BS 8300:2001 (Section 8 pg 39)
xxii
Building for Everyone (Section 6.5 pg 97), BS 8300:2001 (Section 7 pg 35).
xxiii
Building for Everyone (Section 6.4 pg 95), BS 8300:2001 (Section 11.1 pg
69).
xxiv
Building for Everyone (Section 6.8 pg 116), BS 8300:2001 (Section 12.2 pg
95).
xxv
Building for Everyone (Section 7.5 pg 139).
xxvi
Building for Everyone (Section 7 pg 135).
xxvii
Building for Everyone (Section 8 pg 149).
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