Barriers to entry

Just what is the Disability Discrimination Act (DDA) 1995 all about?
The Act, which comes into effect in late 2004 ('Balancing act: how to provide access for the disabled', SMT, December 2003, pp55-56), has wide-ranging implications. For our purposes, it's really concerned with affording disabled people the right of access to goods, facilities and services.

Obviously, if a disabled person cannot then gain access to your company's building(s) to access the goods, facilities or services they might need, their rights are being infringed.

Wasn't this true before the DDA came along?
Yes and no. For service providers such as Local Authorities, businesses and organisations it's already unlawful to treat disabled people less favourably than others for any reason related to their disability. They should already be providing extra help, or have changed the ways in which they operate to take account of disabled needs.

However, from this year onwards, because of the DDA service providers may have to make "reasonable adjustments" to the physical features of their premises to overcome any physical barriers preventing disabled people from accessing them.

What are the implications for security managers?
There are a number of implications concerning the Act as a whole, but here we're focusing on access control. Clearly, if a door access system is unsuited to the needs of the disabled – and effectively excludes them because of it – then it will contravene the DDA. Door access systems must now be devised to offer full access to all disabled people under "reasonable circumstances".

To what extent is there any scope for flexibility on this issue, then?
Frankly, the terms of the Act are still ill-defined, which is causing private sector security professionals some degree of consternation. What constitutes "reasonable adjustments", for example? What might be "reasonable" for larger service providers may not be so for those at the smaller end of the scale.

The term "reasonable" isn't defined by the Act, but a Code of Practice does provide some examples. Both the Government and manufacturers in the industry seem to be shying away from addressing the DDA.

At the moment, what's the most common mistake being made in planning for the DDA?
Sadly, some people planning for the impact of the DDA just assume that it's all about wheelchair access, and that if the door is of a suitable width and the access panel positioned low enough then the problem's solved. That's not true at all.

There are around eight million disabled people in the UK today and, with an ageing population, that figure is inevitably set to rise. Different people have differing levels of disability. Disability doesn't necessarily mean being wheelchair-bound. For example, an individual may have impaired vision or hearing but be perfectly mobile. They may have impaired speech because of a stroke, or limited mobility in their arms. Every eventuality and possible scenario has to be considered.

What are the most prevalent problems encountered by the disabled in attempting to use controlled entrances?
This rather depends upon the individual disability. Control panels may be too high for someone in a wheelchair to reach, but other disabilities will bring different difficulties. An audio door entry system poses a real barrier for those with limited or no hearing, while a keypad access control system may be impossible to use if the visitor is sight-impaired (or for those with limited hand mobility).

Are manufacturers in the industry truly addressing this issue, and affording end users the degree of support that's needed?
Manufacturers aren't doing nearly enough to support the client base, either by offering good advice or by anticipating and developing the technology required to meet the remit of the DDA.

As a company, we applaud the good intentions behind the Act, and really want to see secure disabled access improved.

How might security managers improve access for the visually impaired?
There's always room for improvement with, for example, door entry system panels. These can now be supplied in high contrast colourings such that the main panel is blue and the buttons yellow, for instance. Furthermore, the buttons on the panel can be illuminated for visually-impaired people, and embossed in Braille or with the tactile word CALL in place to accommodate the blind. Indeed, Lewisham Borough Council, the Derbyshire Health Authority, various colleges of further education and clients like the Woolwich Building Society are already making use of such systems.

By developing and offering digital as opposed to analogue panels, manufacturers might also keep the costs down so that any objections from designers and architects can be overcome. Of course, these systems also provide both audio and visual indications of the acknowledgement of a call, of the need to 'speak now' and when a door is actually opening such that visitors can gain entry.

Can we realistically improve access for the wheelchair-bound?
In this instance, the key considerations are mounting heights and positioning. You must never assume that the person in the wheelchair will always be accompanied by an able-bodied person who'll handle the access issue for them. The whole idea behind the Act is to encourage independence and increase personal freedom, not to make disabled people more dependent on others.

To comply with BS 8300:2001, the door entry panel should be located on the latch side of the door with the activation pad positioned within 200 metres of the door frame (or aperture where there's a glazed façade) at a height of between 750 and 1,000 mm from the finished floor level.

There has been much debate as to whether two separate panels are required at different heights to cater for disabled and more able-bodied people. If in doubt, both should be installed.

When it comes to locking equipment, it must be possible to operate door opening furniture one-handed without having to grasp it tightly or twist the wrist. For the very best solution, a proximity access control system combined with door entry equipment is ideal, as authorised users will have their own 'tag' or card that's used to open a door.

Proximity access control systems work by using Radio Frequency (RF) energy. The proximity reader emits a constant field of RF energy via an antenna. The tag also has an antenna which picks up the RF energy and responds by transmitting back its own unique code. Once valid, tags are presented within the pre-specified range. If the code is valid for that door at that time, the door is released.

Where can end users find out further information about the DDA?
Try the Internet. There are a number of useful online resources, including the sites belonging to the Centre for Accessible Environments (www.cae.org.uk), the Government's own Disability Unit (www.disability.gov.uk) and the Disability Rights Commission (www.drc-gb.org) The latter's HelpLine is 08457 622633.