New inclusive rules: safe ramps and comfortable places in cafes
that is, about 2.7 million people, although many say that in reality these figures are much higher. Unfortunately, people with disabilities in our country have to deal with a lot of everyday problems, because our infrastructure is almost not adapted for less mobile groups, so for a person in a wheelchair to go down to the same subway or move to the other side of the road, in some cases almost impossible.
We do not have many places where ramps are installed, toilets in public places are generally improperly equipped, and you will not find smooth exits from the sidewalks during the day with fire. There are many such examples, but it is not just about the difficulties faced by people with disabilities. These are less mobile groups, such as mothers with wheelchairs, the elderly, children, etc. The number of people in need of renewed infrastructure in Ukraine is really very high, so we have collected the main changes that should facilitate movement for people with disabilities and all low-mobility groups.
90% of ramps in Ukraine are incorrectly arranged
Back in December 2018, the government approved an updated list of state building codes, which also presented new requirements for the accessibility of buildings, which came into force in April 2019. These rules are designed to facilitate movement for all people with disabilities and low mobility groups. The new rules should regulate the installation of ramps, equipment of special toilets and showers, the creation of barrier-free zones, etc.
The Ministry of Regional Development, Construction and Housing notes that the rules were designed to create a barrier-free space for all categories of people with disabilities: with impaired musculoskeletal, visual, hearing, mental and other mobility groups, such as , the elderly, pregnant women, parents with children, etc.
For example, today 90% of all built ramps are improperly arranged, and the vast majority of people do not know what tactile tiles are, so the new building codes should solve all these problems or at least take the first step in this direction.
Metro
Going down to the subway is a real problem for people with disabilities, there are special lifts at only a few stations, and it is difficult to move on the escalator. According to the new rules now:
- the floor on the platform and in the lobbies of the stations must be non-slip;
- at stations and in adjacent underground passages, on the way of movement of passengers should be equipped with navigation systems - visual, sound and tactile;
- the width of the door at the entrance / exit of the station must be at least 0.9 m;
- at the new stations there will be only freight and passenger elevators, but at the reconstructed and old stations it will be allowed to duplicate the steps with special lifts.
In addition, starting from September 1, during the construction of metro stations, toilets must be designed for passengers who will be at the entrance / exit of the station. These bathrooms must be accessible to all groups, including people with disabilities.
The norm of arrangement of accessible bathrooms applies to other large public facilities, namely airports, railway stations, stadiums, shopping and entertainment centers. It is noted that the universal cabins of bathrooms must be equipped with the necessary plumbing and handrails, as well as have a width of at least 1.65 meters and a depth of at least 1.8 meters.
Parking
We remember that according to the current legislation, at least 10% of parking spaces in open parking lots must be for people with disabilities and other low-mobility groups. From April 1 this year, new rules for parking were added. Yes, now:
- the width of the parking area for a person with a disability must be at least 3.5 meters;
- the size of the parking spaces, which are located parallel to the curb, must provide access to the rear of the car to use a ramp or lifting device;
- these parking lots must be located no further than 50 meters from the entrance to the building accessible to persons with disabilities, near residential buildings - no further than 100 meters.
Also, these parking spaces must be marked with a special icon so that they are not occupied by other drivers.
Public institutions
Another innovation will be the creation of barrier-free space in cafes, restaurants, shops, supermarkets, cinemas, etc.
Thus, the DBN stipulates that it is necessary to arrange seats for people with disabilities in cafes, as well as provide all facilities with ramps and elevators. Cinemas, theaters, philharmonics, operas and other concert establishments should also be accessible to people with disabilities.
As for food establishments, now there must be equipped places for people with disabilities, which should be located at the entrance, not on the driveway.
In supermarkets and shops, in addition to ramps, you will need to arrange shelves in shopping halls and cash registers so that they were convenient for all people to use. Also, the minimum width of the passages can not be less than 0.9 - 1 meter. Navigation should contrast with the general background for the visually impaired, and for the hearing impaired, important information should be duplicated in the text.
In theaters, museums, concert halls, cinemas, exhibitions - places for people with disabilities will need to be placed in an accessible area of the hall to ensure a full perception of the event.
For people with musculoskeletal disorders:unobstructed access to the building must be provided by ramps, lifts or elevators, the width of the door must not be less than 0.9 meters. Also, there should be a part of the seats in the halls that can be transformed according to the needs of such people, and in the halls where the number of seats exceeds 800, increased safety and evacuation requirements are mandatory - proximity to evacuation exits.
For people with hearing impairments: seats should be at a distance of not more than 10 meters from the sound source; not less than 4% of seats with built-in individual listening systems in auditoriums and halls with fixed seats for 50 people and more; it is allowed to use individual hearing aids or special personal examples of sound amplification.
For the visually impaired:necessary tactile and visual information; places in the zone of good visibility of the scene; other compensatory measures, such as audio indicators, may be used in rooms with special requirements for artistic interior design.
Well, in all these places, universal bathrooms must be equipped, to which people with disabilities and other low-mobility groups will have access. And when designing large public facilities - airports, train stations, stadiums, shopping and entertainment centers - toilets should be located on each floor and every 50 meters.
In addition, according to the new DBN, in hotels, motels, boarding houses, campsites - at least 10% of housing should be designed with universal lifts, taking into account the resettlement of any category of visitors, including people with disabilities traveling in wheelchairs .
Jobs
According to official statistics, 80% of people with disabilities in Ukraine are active and able to work, but due to the lack of public space, they cannot fully exercise their right to work. Therefore, now jobs in enterprises must become convenient for all groups.
If a specialized workplace is designed for a specific person with a disability, it should include a set of furniture, equipment and accessories adapted to the specific person and his needs.
Workplaces for people with disabilities moving in wheelchairs, in office and administrative premises must be at least 5.65 square meters. m.
Special ramps, elevators, signs, parking lots, convenient entrances and exits must also be equipped.
General rules
In addition to all the above, it should be noted that at the entrance to the building and on the roads to them, external ramps should be designed, and to ensure accessibility inside buildings, near the stairs you need to install internal ramps.
The safe slope of the outer ramp can not exceed 8%, the inner - 10-12%, and the maximum height of each rise can not exceed 0.8 meters.
Also, it has become mandatory to install tactile tiles in the infrastructure of settlements, including in the street and road network, in residential and public buildings.
Still, now it is necessary to design entrance doors in various establishments and establishments without thresholds. If the thresholds are still there, they should be made as high as possible, contrasting and with small ramps.
Elevators and lifts should be as comfortable as possible for people with disabilities. Their internal size cannot be less than 1.1 meters wide and 1.4 meters deep. And the buttons need to be equipped with special tactile indicators.
In general, as we see, many changes have been prepared to make life easier for people with disabilities and less mobile groups, however, we can only wait for their direct implementation.
AuthorAnastasia Ishchenko
Photo: Pixabay
Other materials of the author: How to check whether the money really goes to charity
SUPPORT PROJECTS AND SUPPORT FUNDS
We do not have many places where ramps are installed, toilets in public places are generally improperly equipped, and you will not find smooth exits from the sidewalks during the day with fire. There are many such examples, but it is not just about the difficulties faced by people with disabilities. These are less mobile groups, such as mothers with wheelchairs, the elderly, children, etc. The number of people in need of renewed infrastructure in Ukraine is really very high, so we have collected the main changes that should facilitate movement for people with disabilities and all low-mobility groups.
90% of ramps in Ukraine are incorrectly arranged
Back in December 2018, the government approved an updated list of state building codes, which also presented new requirements for the accessibility of buildings, which came into force in April 2019. These rules are designed to facilitate movement for all people with disabilities and low mobility groups. The new rules should regulate the installation of ramps, equipment of special toilets and showers, the creation of barrier-free zones, etc.
The Ministry of Regional Development, Construction and Housing notes that the rules were designed to create a barrier-free space for all categories of people with disabilities: with impaired musculoskeletal, visual, hearing, mental and other mobility groups, such as , the elderly, pregnant women, parents with children, etc.
For example, today 90% of all built ramps are improperly arranged, and the vast majority of people do not know what tactile tiles are, so the new building codes should solve all these problems or at least take the first step in this direction.
Metro
Going down to the subway is a real problem for people with disabilities, there are special lifts at only a few stations, and it is difficult to move on the escalator. According to the new rules now:
- the floor on the platform and in the lobbies of the stations must be non-slip;
- at stations and in adjacent underground passages, on the way of movement of passengers should be equipped with navigation systems - visual, sound and tactile;
- the width of the door at the entrance / exit of the station must be at least 0.9 m;
- at the new stations there will be only freight and passenger elevators, but at the reconstructed and old stations it will be allowed to duplicate the steps with special lifts.
In addition, starting from September 1, during the construction of metro stations, toilets must be designed for passengers who will be at the entrance / exit of the station. These bathrooms must be accessible to all groups, including people with disabilities. The norm of arrangement of accessible bathrooms applies to other large public facilities, namely airports, railway stations, stadiums, shopping and entertainment centers. It is noted that the universal cabins of bathrooms must be equipped with the necessary plumbing and handrails, as well as have a width of at least 1.65 meters and a depth of at least 1.8 meters.
Parking
We remember that according to the current legislation, at least 10% of parking spaces in open parking lots must be for people with disabilities and other low-mobility groups. From April 1 this year, new rules for parking were added. Yes, now:
- the width of the parking area for a person with a disability must be at least 3.5 meters;
- the size of the parking spaces, which are located parallel to the curb, must provide access to the rear of the car to use a ramp or lifting device;
- these parking lots must be located no further than 50 meters from the entrance to the building accessible to persons with disabilities, near residential buildings - no further than 100 meters.
Also, these parking spaces must be marked with a special icon so that they are not occupied by other drivers.
Public institutions
Another innovation will be the creation of barrier-free space in cafes, restaurants, shops, supermarkets, cinemas, etc.
Thus, the DBN stipulates that it is necessary to arrange seats for people with disabilities in cafes, as well as provide all facilities with ramps and elevators. Cinemas, theaters, philharmonics, operas and other concert establishments should also be accessible to people with disabilities.
As for food establishments, now there must be equipped places for people with disabilities, which should be located at the entrance, not on the driveway.
In supermarkets and shops, in addition to ramps, you will need to arrange shelves in shopping halls and cash registers so that they were convenient for all people to use. Also, the minimum width of the passages can not be less than 0.9 - 1 meter. Navigation should contrast with the general background for the visually impaired, and for the hearing impaired, important information should be duplicated in the text.
In theaters, museums, concert halls, cinemas, exhibitions - places for people with disabilities will need to be placed in an accessible area of the hall to ensure a full perception of the event.
For people with musculoskeletal disorders:unobstructed access to the building must be provided by ramps, lifts or elevators, the width of the door must not be less than 0.9 meters. Also, there should be a part of the seats in the halls that can be transformed according to the needs of such people, and in the halls where the number of seats exceeds 800, increased safety and evacuation requirements are mandatory - proximity to evacuation exits.
For people with hearing impairments: seats should be at a distance of not more than 10 meters from the sound source; not less than 4% of seats with built-in individual listening systems in auditoriums and halls with fixed seats for 50 people and more; it is allowed to use individual hearing aids or special personal examples of sound amplification.
For the visually impaired:necessary tactile and visual information; places in the zone of good visibility of the scene; other compensatory measures, such as audio indicators, may be used in rooms with special requirements for artistic interior design.
Well, in all these places, universal bathrooms must be equipped, to which people with disabilities and other low-mobility groups will have access. And when designing large public facilities - airports, train stations, stadiums, shopping and entertainment centers - toilets should be located on each floor and every 50 meters.
In addition, according to the new DBN, in hotels, motels, boarding houses, campsites - at least 10% of housing should be designed with universal lifts, taking into account the resettlement of any category of visitors, including people with disabilities traveling in wheelchairs .
Jobs According to official statistics, 80% of people with disabilities in Ukraine are active and able to work, but due to the lack of public space, they cannot fully exercise their right to work. Therefore, now jobs in enterprises must become convenient for all groups.
If a specialized workplace is designed for a specific person with a disability, it should include a set of furniture, equipment and accessories adapted to the specific person and his needs.
Workplaces for people with disabilities moving in wheelchairs, in office and administrative premises must be at least 5.65 square meters. m.
Special ramps, elevators, signs, parking lots, convenient entrances and exits must also be equipped.
General rules
In addition to all the above, it should be noted that at the entrance to the building and on the roads to them, external ramps should be designed, and to ensure accessibility inside buildings, near the stairs you need to install internal ramps.
The safe slope of the outer ramp can not exceed 8%, the inner - 10-12%, and the maximum height of each rise can not exceed 0.8 meters.
Also, it has become mandatory to install tactile tiles in the infrastructure of settlements, including in the street and road network, in residential and public buildings.
Still, now it is necessary to design entrance doors in various establishments and establishments without thresholds. If the thresholds are still there, they should be made as high as possible, contrasting and with small ramps.
Elevators and lifts should be as comfortable as possible for people with disabilities. Their internal size cannot be less than 1.1 meters wide and 1.4 meters deep. And the buttons need to be equipped with special tactile indicators.
In general, as we see, many changes have been prepared to make life easier for people with disabilities and less mobile groups, however, we can only wait for their direct implementation.
AuthorAnastasia Ishchenko
Photo: Pixabay
Other materials of the author: How to check whether the money really goes to charity
SUPPORT PROJECTS AND SUPPORT FUNDS