Table of Contents
Abstract
Specifies design requirements applicable to new building work, including public and commercial, to provide access for people with disabilities. Attention is given to the needs of people who use wheelchairs, people with ambulatory disabilities and sensory disabilities, to permit independent use of buildings.
Scope
This Standard specifies the design requirements applicable to new building work, excluding work to private residences, to provide access for people with disabilities. Particular attention is given to accessways and circulation spaces and consistent linkages suitable for use by people who use wheelchairs, and access and facilities for people with ambulatory disabilities and for people with sensory disabilities.
NOTES:
1 This Standard does not include requirements for furniture and fitments used in the fitouts of such buildings (see Preface).
2 Buildings that are purpose-built for people with disabilities should be designed with regard for the special need of the occupants of these buildings over and above the requirements of the BCA and this Part of the Standard.
3 This Standard may also be applied for the provision of access to existing buildings.
Application
2.1 Building Code of Australia
This Standard will be referenced in the Building Code of Australia by way of BCA Amendment 9 to be published by 1 July 2001, thereby superseding the previous edition, AS 1428.1—1998, which will be withdrawn 12 months from the date of the publication of this edition.
Compliance with this Standard will, in general, satisfy the requirements of the BCA in terms of the provision of access to buildings for people with disabilities; however this does not in any way preclude the use of any alternative method that can be shown to satisfy these requirements.
2.2 General
This Standard is intended to be used in the design of buildings and related facilities as required by the regulatory authorities or by other Standards, in contract documents and the like.
The requirements specified in this Standard are intended to permit general use of buildings and facilities by people with disabilities acting independently or, where a person’s usual method of operation is with an assistant, in the company of that assistant.
The Standard is based on data resulting from empirical testing of persons aged between 18 and 60 years and may not be appropriate when applied to persons outside this age range. Facilities that are specifically intended for use by children and adolescents may be excluded from the requirements for the height of—
(a) handrails (see Clause 6.1(c));
(b) WC pans (see Figure 18); and
(c) washbasins (see Figure 23.
Dimensional drawings refer to finished surfaces, e.g. wall tiles.
NOTES:
1 Information on facilities for children and adolescents with disabilities is provided in AS 1428.3.
2 Although this Standard is intended to be used for the provision of access to buildings, in the absence of specific information, appropriate Clauses could well be applied to external locations such as walkways and landscaped areas.
History
First published as part of AS CA52.1-1968.
Revised and redesignated AS 1428-1977.
Revised and redesignated in part as AS 1428.1-1988.
Second edition 1993.
Third edition 1998.
Jointly revised and redesignated as AS 1428.1:2001.