Disability Access Audits

The reasons for carrying out an Access Audit are to help meet the legislative requirements of the DDA 1992 and improve disability access and egress and in turn increase your custom and turnover, as well as help, protect you from claims of disability discrimination. It is necessary to carry out an Access Audit to establish what action is needed.

A written DDA Access Audit report will then be produced. This access report will detail ways in which non-compliance exists and recommend a course of action. Photographs within your report will identify areas on non-compliance. Priorities will be given to work recommended. Some items (Especially Occupational Health & Safety issues) may need to be carried out immediately whereas other items could be added to the regular maintenance program of your building. Some larger items may need to be included in a feasibility study undertaken by your organisation.

Equal Access is proud of its level of customer service. We offer telephone assistance to assist you while work is being planned and undertaken. We have a very high level of understanding of many disabilities. Hearing, vision and other sensory impairments along with learning difficulties, ambulant disabilities and physical disabilities must all be considered on equal terms.

Identified Issues

All identified issues are prioritised as follows;

• Safety risk: The issue presents a risk of injury by a building user
• Complaint risk: The issue presents a risk of a complaint by a building user
• Best practice: The issue should be considered for rectification to improve accessibility on the basis of a best practice improvement.

The list below outlines areas which are likely to be audited during our surveys:

• External Environments and Approach – this may include access from site boundaries, vehicle set down, parking facilities, pedestrian routes, public spaces and pathways. Features are likely to include wayfinding, surfaces, ramps, steps, handrails, external lifts, lighting, general safety.
• Doors – vision panels/glazing manifestation, entrance matting, lobby sizes, entry control/security systems, automatic/manual operating systems, safety controls, thresholds, clear widths, closer strengths and door furniture.
• Horizontal Circulation – corridor widths, circulation areas, obstructions, clearance widths , TGSI’s and hazards.
• Vertical Circulation – platform lifts, stair lifts, passenger lifts, control locations, stairs, step nosings, ramps, handrail profiles and pitch heights.
• Facilities – reception desks, information, communications, seating, refreshment and vending areas, sports and leisure facilities, classrooms, interactive displays, showcases
• Sanitary Facilities – accessible and general WC’s, sizes, location, fittings, dispensers, doors, alerting systems, shower rooms and wash facilities
• Means of Escape – refuge spaces, accessible escape routes, evacuation arrangements, alarm call points, visual, acoustic and tactile alerting systems
• Lighting – glare control, switch positions and assistive aids
• Acoustics – general quality, reverberation, assistive equipment
• Finishes – walls, ceilings, decor, light reflectance, contrast, absorbency, floor finishes, slip resistance, visual/tactile properties
• Fixtures – display of notices, clarity and simplicity of information to meet the widest possible range of diverse user needs, collections and exhibits
• Wayfinding – signage, pathways, tactile ground surface indicators, tactile/audio maps
• Information/communication – telephones, videophones, inductive couplers, textphones, sound enhancement systems, induction loops, infrared, radio, TV/video, PA systems

Key Access Audits Completed

• Mindil Beach Resort & Casino Darwin
• Melbourne Concert Hall, State Theater & Myer Music Bowl
• National Gallery Australia (Canberra)
• Museum of Australian Democracy (Old Parliament House) Canberra
• National Museum of Australia
• Court Services Victoria – Supreme Court, Melbourne, Magistrates Court Melbourne and Victorian Regional Courthouses.
• Centrelink Offices – Multiple locations, Australia wide
• Jones Lang LaSalle – DHS sites in Victoria, NSW and TAS
• Australian Embassy Tokyo Japan – DFAT
• Melbourne Water – 22 water & sewerage office/processing facilities.
• City of Greater Dandenong – 180 community buildings
• Shire of Nillumbik –108 community buildings
• City of Kingston – 76 community buildings
• City of Port Hedland –61 community buildings
• Hume City Council – 44 community buildings
• Peppers Resort Airlie Beach Resort
• RMIT University Access audits – City, Carlton, Bundoora & Brunswick campuses
• Deakin University Access audit program of 98 buildings at 4 campuses
• Charles Darwin University – Casuarina and Palmerston campuses.