Product category:
Access Control, Door Entry Systems
News Release from: Abloy UK | Subject: Access Control And The DDA
Edited by the Buildingtalk Editorial
Team on 16 August 2004
Access Control And The DDA
Robin Rice, Managing Director of Abloy Security, discusses the affect the Disability Discrimination Act will have on access control.
Providing high levels of security for leisure facilities while allowing controlled access and safe exit has always been of paramount importance With the final stages of the Disability Discrimination Act due to come into force next year, leisure establishments will now have to review their access control systems to ensure compliance with the new legislation, without compromising security levels
This article was originally published on Buildingtalk on 1 Oct 2003 at 8.00am (UK)
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The Disability Discrimination Act (DDA) became law in 1995 and has since been gradually introduced through different regulations and codes of practice.
By October 2004, however, all the provisions will be in force, with one of the key elements being new rights of access for the disabled.
Under the new legislation disabled people need to be able to enter freely, move around and leave public buildings unaided.
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Leisure centres, hotels and other similar areas must therefore be designed and built, or modified, to remove any physical barriers that may impede easy access.
In practice, new buildings are being constructed to comply with the new legislation, while many existing public areas such as libraries, cinemas and restaurants can be relatively easy to adapt, often requiring something as simple as ramps to allow wheelchair access.
Making public areas accessible to the disabled and thereby ensuring compliance with the DDA while guaranteeing that the security of the building is not compromised is, however, an important concern.
To ensure that building security remains a key focus alongside the requirements of the Act, many building owners are turning to the latest innovations in access control, which both conform to the new legislation and can also be achieved within realistic budgets.
In particular, the latest access control systems are designed to ensure that an effective balance is maintained between granting free access and egress to all visitors, including the disabled, while ensuring effective security measures remain in place.
It should be noted that the provision of easy access for the disabled will vary depending on the type of disability, so before specifying access control systems it is important that consideration be given to products that enable free access to individuals with all types of physical disabilities.
For example, those individuals who do not have full function in their hands, such as those with arthritis, will require door and window handles that are easy to open and close, whereas people will lower limb disabilities require more time to enter and exit buildings in terms of access through doorways.
Public buildings must have effective external and internal access control systems in place that enable people with all forms of disabilities to move freely around all appropriate public and controlled areas without assistance.
With this in mind, automatic swing door operators are likely to become widely used in leisure facilities as they are an ideal solution to a variety of access control needs, offering an efficient, reliable, sophisticated and safe means of opening hinged doors automatically.
Perhaps as importantly, these products follow the DDA guidelines by giving disabled people unimpeded entry and can also be used on main entrance doors and internal fire doors to provide free and unrestrained access and egress.
Furthermore, when combined with electro-mechanical locking devices, automatic swing door operators can provide hands-free access control without compromising building security.
Modern door operators offer a number of advanced features that enable building managers to determine accurate and precise operation, from initial opening speed to final closing speed, hold open time, opening/closing force and direction.
Some door operators have a built in safety mechanism that prevents the door from closing if anything - or anyone - is detected within the door's immediate area.
These functions ensure that individuals confined to wheelchairs or with walking difficulties are able to move freely around a building at their own pace.
Battery backup facilities also allow door operators to continue to work even in the event of power failure; this is critical in ensuring that people have free access even in the event of an emergency.
Installing electro-mechanical locking devices also allow doors to be released and opened remotely, e.g from a wheelchair by control devices such as push buttons, contact switches, proximity or card readers.
Door closers with low opening forces can also be used in high traffic areas that need to comply with the regulations set out by the DDA; these are particularly useful for people on crutches or using walking sticks, and can be used in both high and low footfall areas.
Although the Disability Discrimination Act may not always be viewed in a positive light by those responsible for maintaining public buildings, it is imperative that disabled access is reviewed as part of an ongoing access control management programme, as the needs of the disabled must be viewed as a continuing duty of care.
Furthermore, it is essential that provisions be put in place for disabled people even though there may not be an immediate requirement to provide access to specific employees or visitors.
When implementing a new access control system for any leisure establishment, the challenge is not only confined to granting the rights of passage to authorised visitors, including the disabled, but also refusing entry to undesirable elements, such as vandals, thieves or terrorists.
This can be achieved by utilising the latest access control solutions to safeguard a building's integrity, while creating an open, yet secure and ultimately safe environment for all visitors, including the disabled. Request a free brochure from Abloy UK ...
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