Safe and Accessible Passageways
To facilitate safe and comfortable movement through passageways, it is essential to ensure clear visual differentiation, adequate maneuvering space, and compliance with accessibility standards.
- Visual Perception: Highlight passageway edges using contrasting colors to assist individuals with visual impairments or orientation difficulties in identifying them.
- Mobility Considerations: If a ramp precedes a passageway, provide a horizontal landing before and after to enable wheelchair users to approach, open, and close the door stably.
- Swing Door Requirements: If the passageway includes a swing door, ensure that the horizontal landing accommodates the door’s sweep space.
- Spatial Conditions: Maintain a minimum clear width of 85 cm and a minimum height of 210 cm to allow unimpeded movement.
- For side approaches, maintain a minimum free space of 105 cm x 150 cm (perpendicular x parallel to the passage).
- For frontal approaches, ensure a minimum free space of 120 cm x 105 cm to allow comfortable access.
Sources
- https://accessible-eu-centre.ec.europa.eu/content-corner/digital-library/en-172102021-accessibility-and-usability-built-environment-functional-requirements_en
- https://www.access-board.gov/adaag-1991-2002.html#2.%20GENERAL
- https://universaldesign.ie/built-environment/building-for-everyone/building-for-everyone-full-series
- https://www.codigotecnico.org/pdf/Documentos/SUA/DccSUA.pdf