Acces Audit Stornoway Public Library

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• Publié par: Nofog
• Nombre de lectures: 167
• Langue: English

Extrait

HERIOT-WATT UNIVERSITY
Inclusive Environmental Access and Design Course
Module 5
Stornoway Public library
Stornoway
Isle of Lewis
Access Audit Report
Carried out by
Joseph Thomas
1Contents
Introduction 1
External Environment and Approach 2
Main Entrance and Reception 3
Horizontal Circulation 4
Vertical Circulation 5
W.C Facilities 6
Coffee Shop 7
Audit Summary 8
Recommendations 9
References 10
Legislative Context 11
Appendix A (Photographs) 12
1. Introduction
This audit is being carried out as an exercise for module 5 of the Heriot-
Watt University access course.
This is a report of an Access Audit of the Stornoway Public Library
conducted by Joseph Thomas. BS8300 standards will used for this audit.
The Stornoway public library is situated on Cromwell Street in the town
centre, and the library was opened in March 1999 in what was previously a
large retail premises.
2The building comprises of three floors of which the ground floor is the
main area used by the general public, it comprise of a reception, lending
sections, reference sections, there are three quiet study areas, and
computer terminals for Internet access.
The reception, coffee shop, public toilets and a small seated area where
members of the public can relax and read the daily newspapers or a
selection of magazines and periodicals, are located close to the main
entrance, with the main lending library and the children’s section
occupying the central area of the ground floor, with the reference
section, study area and internet access at the rear.
There is also an information desk in this area with photocopying facilities
available for public use.
The second floor is mainly given over to offices; this floor is for staff
use, with the third floor being utilised by the education department.
The audit follows a tour sequence with the approach to the building from
a public car-park or drop off area, into reception then horizontal
circulation on the ground floor and progressing upwards with horizontal
circulation on each floor.
The report will highlight areas of good practice as well as identifying
possible hazards and barriers; recommendations will be given in section
10.
A priority code will be used as follows:
1. An area, which gives immediate concern for the safety of
disabled people and should be dealt with as a matter of some
urgency.
2. An area, requiring design work and/or expense funded from a
capital expenditure budget.
3. An item of minor cost that could be covered as minor work or
as part of a routine maintenance schedule.
4. An item requiring little or no expense, which may be dealt with
immediately.
32. External Environment and Approach
As the library is located in the town in what was a large retail outlet
there is no parking facilities adjacent to the building, however free public
parking can be found close by in the Percival Square car park. The main
bus station is not to far away on the seafront, but some buses from out
lying areas do stop within fifty yards of the library. There are some
accessible parking bays in the car park adjacent to a pedestrian crossing
and a short distance from the library
However there are no drop kerbs adjacent to the accessible parking bays
that give direct access to the pedestrian crossing, the drop kerbs on the
crossing itself are a hazard, there are no tactile floor markings, and the
floor surface is decorative bricks which are a potential trip hazard, along
with litter bins and a pyramid type seating are between the crossing and
the library entrance.
Although the library management have no direct responsibility for the
approach to the premises, they are part of a local authority department
and therefore the local authority should be made aware of the hazards
encountered whilst approaching and leavening the library entrance.
It is recommended that the local authority put into place dropped kerbs
by the accessible parking bays, and adjacent to the telephone kiosks in
the Percival Square car park, that a tactile surface is provided at both
sides of the pedestrian crossing and the dropped kerbs are made level
with the road surface. Any and all trip hazards are identified and
rectified. This is a code 4 Priority
3. Main Entrance and Reception
The main entrance door is an accessible power operated door; the door
opens inwards and does so slowly enough to allow a wheelchair user to
easily manoeuvre through it,
There is a push plate on both sides of the door to allow for easy
operation by
wheelchair users and. people on both sides of the door either standing or
seated can see and be seen by each other. The push for operating the
door is at a suitable height for all users.
The reception area is directly facing the main entrance and is accessed
by a short corridor the lighting is a combination of natural and artificial
4and avoids glare and silhouettes. The reception desks itself is suitable
for approach and use from both sides by people either standing or seated
and has a lower section with ingress to allow wheelchair users to get close
to the desk to be able to fill out any forms etc that they may need to do.
There is ample room for a wheelchair user to manoeuvre around the desk
area. There is no inductive loop in the reception area.
It is recommended that an inductive lop be installed, this is a code 3
Priority
Photographs 4 and 14 Annex A
4. Horizontal Circulation
The main body of the library is open plan, the book/video cases are five
shelves high, a wheelchair user could experience difficulties reaching
books/videos on the top or bottom shelves if they are unaccompanied by a
carer, in this case a member of staff would be available to assist.
There is a good children’s section complete with low tables and seats and
a bank of computers for the children to use.
Wheelchair users may have a problem manoeuvring in the reference
section as this area also doubles up as a study area with tables and chairs,
as in the photo below
5There is an area adjacent to the reception desk that is set-aside for the
public to sit and read newspapers, magazines, and periodicals or to just
sit and wait while family or friends use the library facilities.
At the rear of the library there are areas set a side for people to use
computers and more study areas also a section on local history there is
also located in this area an information desk with a member of the library
6staff available to help with the computers, reference material and
photocopying.
On the first and second floors there are fire doors in the corridors with
windows at two levels allowing people on both sides of the doors to see
each other whether they are standing or seated in a wheelchair. The
corridors are well lit and wide enough to allow a wheelchair to manoeuvre
and are free from obstructions. There is an access to Kenneth Street
from the first floor but it is by steps and is therefore unsuitable for
wheelchair users.
It is recommended that management consider with local authority the
possibility of adapting the entrance on Kenneth Street to allow
wheelchair users access. That management consider re-arranging the
study areas to allow access to the reference section by wheelchair
users who may be using the study facilities themselves. This is a code
4 priority
75. Vertical Circulation
Vertical circulation is by lift or by stairs. The lift car is large enough for
a wheelchair user and carer and the controls are easily visible and within
easy reach of all users,
To use the lift a wheelchair user would have to enter front wards and
exit backwards or vice versa, as there is no room to manoeuvre in the lift
itself.
There is no mirror facing the lift doors there is no voice indication of
floor levels reached nor are there signs outside the lift doors to indicate
what floor it is.
Thee lift serves all floors and there are accompanying stairs adjacent to
the lift well and at the front of the library opposite the reception desk.
Both the staircases are carpeted with readily identifiable nosings and
there are handrails on both sides, with landings at intermediate levels and
adequate well-positioned lighting, but there are no tactile warnings at the
top or bottom of the stairs nor are the any location signs indicating which
floor you are on.
It is recommended that a mirror be fitted in the lift facing the door to
assist wheelchair users. That signage indicating what floor you are
entering be suitably placed adjacent to the entrance /exit of the lift on
all floors.
This is a code 4 priority
That tactile warnings be placed at the top and bottom of each flight of
stairs.
This is a code 3 priority.
6. W.C. Facilities
There are toilet facilities for public use opposite the reception area and
there is an accessible toilet, which is large enough to allow manoeuvring in
to position to for transfer both unassisted and with assistance. The light
pull cord is broken and a seated person would have difficulty reaching it,
the alarm cord is to short stopping well short of the floor, but in all other
respects it is suitable.
It is recommended that suitable signage be placed on the accessible
toilet large enough for visually impaired to easily identify and at a h