Building accessibility review to focus on harmonising standards

Consistency of standards has emerged as a priority issue in stage two of a review of building accessibility for people with disabilities.

The Disability (Access to Premises – Building) Standards
2010 are intended to ensure people living with disability have equal access to
public buildings.

They are also intended to ensure building certifiers,
developers and managers fulfil their responsibilities under the Disability
Discrimination Act 1992.

Stage one of the review focused on understanding people’s experiences of building access and the Premises Standards, closed last November.

That feedback on how the standards might be improved has
been incorporated in a consultation paper designed to help stakeholders provide
further more nuanced feedback via an online survey, telephone, or written submissions.

The consultation paper covers six main areas:

• ensuring the disability standards and other
  regulatory mechanisms work together and are consistent;
• improving building access;
• helping builders follow the rules;
• helping people with disability move around
  within new buildings more easily;
• more accessible toilets and change rooms; and
• effects on people’s health

Consultation is open until 16 April. Click here for more detail.