A person who lives with a disability has a right to access places used by the public, and the Disability Discrimination Act (DDA) is in place to ensure this happens. The DDA makes it against the law for public places to be inaccessible to people because of a disability – be it mobility impairment, vision impairment, hearing impairment or any other condition.

So when it comes to disability access, is your business, venue or public space compliant?

Read on to find out some key information on Australian accessibility regulations and discover how our access ramps can be the ideal solution.

Accessibility requirements in Australia explained

If you own, operate or manage a place where the public visit or attend, such as a school, corporate facility or entertainment venue, you are required to provide equal access to those who live with a disability, unless it is deemed unreasonable and an exception is granted. Requirements regarding access to premises are explained in this extract taken from the Human Rights website:

Everybody has a right to access and use public places, such as shops, restaurants, office blocks, educational institutions, sporting venues, libraries and cinemas.

It is against the law for public places to be inaccessible to people with disabilities. This applies to existing places, as well as places under construction.

The Disability Discrimination Act requires organisations to make adjustments to their premises so that they are accessible to people with disabilities.

When thinking about accessibility, organisations should consider the many different types of disabilities that people may have, such as mobility impairments, vision impairments and hearing impairments.

Example: It could be unlawful discrimination if a person with a mobility impairment who uses a wheelchair could not enter a cinema because access to the cinema was only available by stairs.

In some circumstances it may be unreasonable to provide complete accessibility to a public building, particularly for existing buildings. The Disability Discrimination Act provides an exception if the cost or difficulties of providing access will place an ‘unjustifiable hardship’ on a person or organisation.

Access ramps – a solution to accessibility

If you’re looking for a simple, effective solution to accessibility in your school, venue or workplace, Select Staging Concepts can help. We specialise in the manufacture and supply of disability access ramps, all of which meet the stringent Australian Standards AS1428.1 requirements. Each access ramp system is specially designed and tailor-made to suit your individual requirements, making our ramps ideal for not only new projects, but also for retrofits in situations where a building or space is not currently meeting the DDA law.

In addition, being a modular portable system means that our access ramps can also be packed down easily when not in use, and even transported to another location to be used there if needed. Ideal for a broad range of spaces, including schools, government and corporate facilities, art venues and museums, the access ramps can be easily installed by two people and dismantled when required. All of our access ramp systems include compliant handrails, landing podiums, ramp starters and joiners. To offset the cost of purchasing a ramp, in some situations, the Federal Government can provide financial assistance to modify workplaces so they are accessible to employees with disabilities via the Employment Assistance Fund. More information can be found on the Job Access website.

Essential features for compliance

It’s important to note that not all ramps are created equal. Your access ramp must meet the below key requirements to comply with AS1428.1:

  • The ramp must have a slip-resistant surface and be a minimum of 1000mm unobstructed width
  • The ramp gradient must be no steeper than 1:14 and no less than 1:20 and a landing must be provided every 9m of the ramp, that is 1m in length
  • Landings need to be 1540mm long when a change in direction is 180° and 1500 X 1500mm for a 90° bend
  • Compliant handrails need to be fitted to both sides of the ramp and extend past the ramp starter and terminate as per regulations, with a 270° clear grip for hands around the uppermost surface, and be between 865mm and 1000mm in height.

Talk to us about your accessibility needs today

Our team has extensive experience working alongside clients to design access ramps for a wide range of specific situations. Whether you need an access ramp for a new building, or would like to retro fit your existing space, contact us today to discuss your requirements and find out how we can help.