SARA ISLIM TOMCZAK 

Legislation is an Act that has been passed by Parliament. Meaning it is effectively the law. Regulations follow the law. They are requirements that need to be met in order to comply with the Law.

 

Building regulations are a tool used to fulfil and ensure design and construction of buildings, the demolition of buildings and the services, fittings and equipment provided in or in connection with buildings follows policies set out in legislation.

 

The legislation that the UK uses is the Building Act 1984. There have been new legislations enforced over the past years by parliament that include the Sustainable and Secure Buildings Act 2006 and the Climate Change and Sustainable energy Act 2006. To achieve a more energy efficient and green building strategy.

 

Building regulations that need to be followed by Architects, Interior Designer s and Architectural Technologist who design for the built environment are:

 

Part a - structural safety

Part b – fire safety

Part c - resistance and contaminants

Part d – toxic substances

Part e – resistance to sound

Part f - ventilation

Part g - sanitation, hot water safety and water efficiency

Part h -drainage and waste disposal

Part j – heat producing appliances

Part k – protection from falling

Part l – conservation of fuel and power

Part m – access and use of buildings

Part n – glazing safety (06/04/2013) – only relevant in Wales

Part p – electrical safety

Part 7 – workmanship and materials

 

The regulations that affect disability in the public sector and retail are mainly part K and part M. Park K has six sub sections, k1- stairs, ladders and ramps, k2- protection from falling, k3- vehicle barriers and loading bays, k4 – protection against impact with glazing, k5- additional provisions for glazing in buildings other than dwellings and k6 – protection against impact from and trapping by doors.  Although all sections of park K will be relevant, sections k1, k2 and k6 will be the most analysed and looked into within the design stages of the project. This is as they focus on accessibility to and around a building.

 

Part M focuses on access and use of buildings. Part M is made up of four chapters. Combined there are ten sections. The four chapters are M1  - access and use, M2 – Access and extensions to buildings other than dwellings, M3 – Sanitary conveniences in extensions to buildings other than dwellings and M4 – Sanitary conveniences in dwellings.  Part M of the building regulations is a key focal point when analysing how those with disabilities and the elderly are affected by the ever changing design within the retail sector.

 

Part M was recently amended to comply with the legislation of the equality act 2010 which was formerly known as the Disability Discrimination Act. Within the changes made to the document the main changes are that Part M has now incorporated material changes and uses within non – domestic buildings. The new edition of Part M does not refer to “disable people”. The aim of the amended document is to be inclusive and design for accessibility not disability. Ramped access to buildings and dwellings has been moved to Part K section K1- Stairs, Ladders and Ramps for more clarity and to simplify the document.

 

When looking at the regulations there are discrepancies between the two documents and a lot of the information is down to the designer’s better judgement.  An example of this is the lack of regulation in Part M on the proximity of handrails on ramps. There is no visible requirement listed in the regulations for this however, on American regulations it is listed that:

 

• The distance between the handrails when both sides are used for gripping should be between 0.90 m and 1.40 m

 

This is illustrated in the image below.

 

Within part K regulations which follow British standards for design it states in Paragraph 2.9(a):

• For a ramp that provides access for people ensure the ramp as a minimum width between walls, up stands or kerbs of 1500mm

 

It then goes on to state in Paragraph 2.11:

Provide a handrail on both sides of the ramp and design them to comply with paragraph 1.36

 

in dwellings and for common access areas in buildings that contain flats:

2.12 provide the following

• for ramps that are less than 1000mm wide: provide a handrail on one or both sides

• for ramps that are 1000mm or more wide: provide a handrail on both sides

• for ramps that are 600mm or less in height: you do not need to provide handrails

• position the top of the handrails at  a height of 900mm to 1000mm above the surface of the ramp

• choose handrails that provide a firm support and allow a firm grip

• all handrails may from the top of the guarding if you can match the heights

 

if we are looking at Paragraph 1.36 to cross reference the text in 2.9

For buildings other than dwellings provide handrails in accordance with all of the following (with addition to paragraph 1.34)

• where there is a full height structural guarding if you provide a second lower handrail, the vertical height from the pitch line of the steps (or the surface of the ramp) to the top of the second (lower) handrail should be 600mm

• use a continuous handrail along the flights and landing of a ramped or stepped flight.

• Ensure that handrails do not project into an access route

• Ensure the handrail will contrast visually with the background against which it is seen, without being highly reflective

 

These regulations stipulate a minimum requirement for the design of Accessibility to a building. These are contrary to reform by councils to allow a more reasonable and adequate design to be enforced. Councils usually add to these regulations by providing within reason several amendments that comply with the regulations but allow for ease of use for the impaired and disabled.

 

In relation to ramped access it is not stated anywhere the reoccurrence of handrails on wide ramps, however the regulations on stairs can be applied to ramps. It is stated in Diagram 1.5 within the part K regulations that where stairs shouldn’t exceed a distance of 2000mm.

 

As shown the regulations are open to interpretation, however to receive a more accurate measure when applying them to projects one could contact Building Control to receive sign off on the matter at hand which isn’t defined clearly within the regulations documents.

 

 

 

 

CONCLUSION

To conclude there are many discrepancies within the building regulations and although they are meant to be a bare minimum requirement that complies with the legislation (law) they really should be clearer. More should be done to make the regulations clearer, this will in turn help design become more ‘universally accessible’ but also to stop design from failing to consider the less able user and meet the correct expectations to aid them in their daily activities.

 

This could be done by looking over the regulations within a committee meeting of designers and architects who work in the field. It would also be beneficial to have people with impairments put across their view on the obstructions that design has imposed on them and how it has limited their experiences within daily life. Their views are the most important as the regulations affect them directly. A fully able individual with no impairment can only estimate the levels of change that need to be made to allow accessibility within design. They have never suffered oppression within their daily tasks and can’t provide adequate information, making the progression of design for accessibility limited.