Our latest blog explores tips for meeting Australia standards for wheelchair access.  

At Bris Aluminium, our premium aluminium partitioning systems:  

  • Proven in market over 20 years 
  • Passed the ISO-9001 quality standards 
  • Meet Australian disability access requirements.  


We’ve got plenty of experience in creating accessible spaces and can help you pick the right Bris Aluminium products to suit Australian building requirements.  

Below we cover some of the specifics from the Building Code along with 5 ideas to make your next building design inclusive.  

Wheelchair Access Standards Requirements

Minimum Door Opening Width for Wheelchairs

According to the building code, the door opening must be clear of obstructions and there must be a continuous accessible path of travel.  

The clear opening needs to be 850mm (or more) when the door is open.  

850mm is the minimum unobstructed width which means any door handles or stops must be outside this space. 

Circulation Space

Circulation spaces are also required at every doorway or entryway to allow a continuous path of travel.  

That means when the door is open a person in a wheelchair can travel freely through the opening.   

These circulation spaces vary depending on door type (see figure below).

Doors

Doors must also be able to be opened easily, and thus handles need to be placed at an appropriate height.  

The force required to open them must also be considered.  

wheelchair width diagram

Source: Building Code of Australia 

Ideas for Meeting Wheelchair Requirements

  1. Add windows within doors so people with a disability can see what’s on the other side without needing to travel through the door. 
  2. Allow extra space around doors where possible, for comfortable circulation and manoeuvring. Our cavity door sliders have a 1m wide standard carcass and can accommodate up to 1500mm wide doors.  
  3. There has to be a 60mm minimum gap between door handle and the 850 clear opening for the hand to hold the handle. clear doorway opening
  4. Why not add an electric automatic door button or senor to eliminate the need for physical exertion to open the door: https://kintrol.com.au/products/door-automation/ 


Meeting Australian Standards for Wheelchair Access 

Reach out to Bris Aluminium today for professional advice about your design and for help picking aluminium door solutions to suit your project.  

Call 1300 274 701 today.