Accessibility (DAA)

Our specialist consultants will undertake a Disability Access Audit (DAA), how well a building, the facilities and services perform in relation to access and ease of use by a wide range of potential disabled users. Consideration will include site-specific elements, especially where your building may be unique in some way in either structure, design and layout or positioning.

Disability Access Audits are one of our most popular essential compliance services, the access audits will consider:

• transport routes, public transport, pedestrian, vehicular and car parking
• building entrances, exits and receptions.
• external and Internal level changes
• communication
• horizontal movement, corridors, internal doors, fixtures, and fittings
• vertical movement, stairs, lifts, elevators etc.
• emergency escape routes for disabled people
• welfare and sanitary provision

In considerations of:

• mobility impaired
• hearing impaired
• visual impaired
• cognitive impaired
• learning difficulties
• mental health and psychological needs
• permanent and temporary impairments

As with all risk assessments and audits, the DAA must be recorded as information for all relevant persons. Disability access audits should be reviewed periodic* in consideration of compliance to business objectives and applicable regulatory obligations. All reports will reflect risk rated compliance, identify all compliance objectives, and identify all gaps, shortfalls, and areas of concern.

DAA reports are available as PDF’s, downloadable from our compliance platform. All actions and recommendations will be extracted into an Action Plan, which can be reviewed, downloaded, or managed via our Compliance Portal.

* Recommended period of review is as detailed in the DAA report, or on planning revised property layout, change of user or personnel, or other event or change of consideration

At the planning phase of any projects, our specialist consultants can be appointed to ensure compliance and adequate consideration of DAA.

Consideration of DAA is an essential aspect when planning constructions, extensions, refurbishments, and adjustments to layouts, facilities, or service provisions.

Project planning services will include consideration of:

• the existing disability access audit
• all existing strategies and arrangements,
• the intended and existing user profile, nature of disabilities,
• the impact of the planned works on existing facilities, services, and arrangements
• temporary arrangements to minimise impact during works,
• emergency arrangements (during and upon completion of works), evacuation (PEEP’s etc)
• compliance upon completion and,
• ongoing management

All requirements and recommendations will be detailed within the project plan, or collated in a report and included within the design and construction plans for the proposed works – the method of reporting and detailing requirements will be specified by the Client at retention.

The DAA Needs Assessment is a service that focusses on the users and needs, and as such does not cover the wider scope of a disability access audit. Undertaken by a specialist consultant, the scope of the assessment is defined and agreed in advance and can focus on part or the whole of the premises, specific impairments or the needs of a particular user, or group.

Understanding the nature of disabilities and needs of known and anticipated building or service users is critical when considering accessibility for employees, service users, visitors, or guests. This service is ideal if you are considering requirements of a specific user, or impairment, and do not require a full disability access audit.

A needs assessment will focus on the needs of the users in consideration of:

• mobility impaired
• hearing impaired
• visual impaired
• cognitive impaired
• permanent and temporary impairments

All requirements and recommendations will be detailed within the assessment report, the scope of the assessment and report will be as specified by the Client at retention.

This service will review and develop emergency evacuation arrangement in consideration of all disabilities or impairments that may hinder or delay evacuation. The main consideration will be fire evacuation, due to the risk to life, but will be applicable to most emergency situations.

The ‘responsible person’ has a duty to ensure an adequate plan for the evacuation of the disabled persons.

A specialist fire safety consultant will review and report on:

• the fire strategy and disabled evacuation plan,
• means of raising the alert, consideration of sensory impairments
• personal emergency evacuation plans (PEEPs) – permanent building users
• general emergency evacuation plans (GEEPs) – visitors and guests
• emergency evacuation aids (evac chairs etc.)
• refuge points & emergency voice communication
• signage and wayfinding
• training & awareness

The outcome of this service will be a report detailing all requirements to ensure safe evacuation, compiled into an disabled evacuation plan for incorporation to the overall emergency process or plan.