Gainsborough Architectural and Specifier have just released a new white paper: An Industry Guide to Disability Standards Compliance and Door Hardware: Multi-Residential Buildings. This white paper outlines disability standards compliance requirements when it comes to door hardware in multi-residential buildings.
As of 2016, 1 in 5 Australians have some form of disability, affecting roughly 20% of the population. The most represented group are Australians over 55 years of age, of which 43% have one or more disabilities, many of which are acquired disabilities associated with ageing. Over the course of a lifetime, all Australians will know someone with a disability. Australian Standard 1428.1 contains design suggestions to maximise access and mobility for individuals with disabilities. The sections of AS 1428.1 covering access paths, circulation spaces, and passageways for people using wheelchairs have since been adopted as regulations under the National Construction Codes of Australia (NCC). Part of the Australian Standard’s objective is to compel designers to ensure that all new Class 2 and above building works are maximally accessible for people with disabilities. Failing to comply with these accessibility standards can incur a number of penalties. It can require all non-compliant hardware to be replaced, or worse require a partial or complete re-design of the space, incurring great cost. Similarly, a failure to make a multi-residential project maximally accessible can result in a loss of reputation for the designer while also undermining the success of the project. Since 1967, Gainsborough Hardware has been at the forefront of innovation and design excellence in door hardware. Now, Gainsborough Architectural responds to growing awareness about accessibility for people with disabilities, with a new range of products that comply with the Australian Standard 1428.1 code for disability access.
An often ignored element of accessibility is the style of door furniture used to operate a door. While the differences between knob- and lever-style furniture may seem purely stylistic, for individuals with disabilities they can render a door unusable. For individuals with mobility-limiting disabilities, the dexterity and range of motions required to operate a door can be immense, necessitating door furniture that require minimal movement to operate. In response to this, Gainsborough offers both the D style lever and other comparably accessible styles of handle as an option across their entire range. These handles all comply with accessibility recommendations, as they are usable with one hand and have a tail ending to avoid slips. In addition, they are designed to ensure clearance between the centre grip of the handle and door is between 35mm and 45mm, in line with recommendations outlined in AS 1428.1.
Privacy locking is an important element of communal spaces, but your average lock suffers from the same accessibility issues as door handles, being unusable for individuals with reduced mobility or dexterity. Smaller locks can rely on narrow turning mechanisms, requiring strength and precision to operate successfully. Similarly, the AS 1428.1 indicates that any door handle with a snib installed must have a lever at least 45 mm from the centre of the spindle, to ensure ease of use. Compare Gainsborough’s Z5R accessible turn button locks, which are fitted with a longer disability compliant turnsnib, enabling it to be locked and unlocked with a push or swipe, allowing individuals with reduced dexterity to operate them successfully.
For individuals with disabilities, successfully using a door can be complicated by either the strength required to open it, or the speed with which it closes. Both the AS 1428.1 and the Disability Discrimination Act (DDA) regulate the maximum opening force required to operate a door (other than a fire or smoke door). Door closers can be the difference between a compliant and non-compliant door, but choosing the wrong one can instead aggravate the original problem. The 3101SR series Hydraulic Door Closer with Slide Arm Function from Gainsborough contains a number of features that enable maximum compliance with accessibility standards.
Gainsborough’s unique focus on innovation places them at the forefront of accessible design. By specialising in the best in residential door hardware, as well as stocking one of the largest ranges of AS 1428.1 compliant, commercial-grade door hardware on the market, Gainsborough is exclusively placed to provide the best service for Class 2 multi-residential building projects. In addition, Gainsborough Hardware offers a free service at gspec.com.au, designed to make door hardware selection easy for architects and specifiers.
For more information, visit gainsborougharchitectural.com.au
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