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FIRE SERVICE AND GENERAL FIRE SAFETY TOPICS => Fire Safety => Topic started by: skwdenyer on December 10, 2005, 12:27:57 AM

Title: Wheelchair-accessible exit routes
Post by: skwdenyer on December 10, 2005, 12:27:57 AM

I'm sorry to be posting a flurry of questions, but I seem to be hitting my head against a brick wall once again and wonder if anybody here can assist with words of wisdom?

If I have 2 exits from a room, and require 2 exits for travel distance reasons, and 1 of these exits is wheelchair accessible (1:7 gradient, 1.5m ramp), do I need to make the 2nd exit accessible (another ramp) so that the wheelchair user has the same choice of 2 exits as conventionally-ambulant individuals?

Common sense says yes, but I don't seem to be able to find anything in particular to point to. Appreciate I may not be looking hard enough, and apologies if this is a FAQ.

Thanks again, Silas

Title: Wheelchair-accessible exit routes
Post by: Ken Taylor on December 10, 2005, 12:39:02 AM

You just need to have a means of enabling them to escape - with assistance if needed. Ramps may well be useful but you will find that the DDA people will not be too happy with 1:7 for wheelchair access.

Title: Wheelchair-accessible exit routes
Post by: skwdenyer on December 10, 2005, 02:22:57 AM

The reason for the 1:7 ramp is due to constraints within the building - structural walls which are simply not movable. We believe we're ok within the "reasonable provision" rules here, i.e. the number of disabled visitors to the space is likely to be very low (less than 1 per year), there will always be staff on hand to assist, so the 1:7 is essentially a portable, assisted-access ramp rather than a self-negotiating ramp. All of the information I can find sets 1:7 as the maximum permissable gradient for short ramps.

That said, with a bit of juggling (well, lobbying) we may be able to get the 2nd access level (although less convenient to reach), so we can cover both bases here. That being so, of course, it would be better not to have the ramp and leave the level secondary access, which brings me back to the original question!

Title: Wheelchair-accessible exit routes
Post by: Ken Taylor on December 12, 2005, 07:29:54 PM

Seems like a 'reasonable adjustment' for access. We have similar problems with our listed historic buildings.

Title: Wheelchair-accessible exit routes
Post by: wee brian on December 13, 2005, 09:42:03 AM

If you are relying on staff to deal with this - which is fine - then make sure that this is recorded and that they actually get some training as to what you expect them to do.