Negotiating the Risk in the Disability Standards
ACA – Qld’s June lunch forum sees guest speaker Bryce Tolliday address the issue of risk in disability standards.
Under the Commonwealth’s Disability Discrimination Act (DDA), three standards have something to say about the design of new buildings. These are:
- Disability Standards for Accessible Public Transport 2002
- Disability Standards for Education 2005
- Disability (Access to Premises – Buildings) Standards 2010
Each of these standards is empowered under subsection 31(1) of the Act which says that it is unlawful to contravene a Disability Standard under the DDA.
Over 20% of the Australian population has a disability or a number of disabilities. With the impact of the baby boomers this percentage is increasing dramatically. For example, over one million people will be legally blind by the year 2020, currently there are approximately 500,000 people in this category. A similar number are expected to have severe hearing impairment around the same time.
Complying with the National Construction Code (NCC) results in compliance with the DDA for those matters covered. But what matters or what types of disabilities are not covered? Even buildings which are designed to the NCC may fall foul of the DDA in areas such as finishes and fittings, wayfinding, egress, circulation, reach ranges etc.
Will designing to a minimum standard be good enough to address the risk?
This 30-minute presentation will provide some guidance about managing the risks designers are exposing themselves and their clients to under the DDA.
Bryce Tolliday
Bryce is the Managing Director of Wayfinding Australia Pty Ltd, a company based on the Sunshine Coast that provides consultancies in the area of Disability Access (DDA, ADAQ and NCC), accessible wayfinding design and research. He has provided consultancy services to major commercial, education, health and government (all levels) projects throughout Queensland and Australia including the Gold Coast University Hospital, QUT SCITECH Building and more recently the Morton Bay Rail Link and the Commonwealth Games Village.
Bryce is an accredited member of the Association of Consultants in Access Australia (ACAA), a Livable Housing Australia Assessor and a Professional Member of the Society for Experiential Graphic Design. He also sits on the ACAA National Management and Membership Committees and is the State President of the ACAA Qld Network.
Bryce is a member of the ME64 (AS1428) Part 4.2 Committee currently drafting a new standard on Wayfinding which will become part of the next revision of the Premises Standards in 2016. He has been involved in a number of complaints under both State and Commonwealth Disability Discrimination Law. He has been practicing as an access consultant for just on 16 years.
When
12.30pm for 1.00pm until 3.00pm
Friday, 20 June 2014 Click here to download an Outlook Calendar Reminder
Where
United Services Club, 183 Wickham Terrace, Spring Hill. On-site parking is available for $10 per vehicle.
Dress code is modern business attire (jacket and tie are not required, but no jeans please).
Cost
$75.00 members/$100 non-members p/p (incl. GST)
RSVP
Please download the Registration form and return to qld@aca.org.au by Tuesday, 17 June 2014.
CPD
1 formal CPD point