Barrier-Free Communities: Accessibility Checklist: Fid-Bau Portal

Barrier-Free Communities: Accessibility Checklist

A checklist is provided for architects and planners that will aid them in designing new buildings and redesigning existing buildings to make them accessible to a wide range of handicapped persons. The checklist may be used as a reference in the initial design phase of buildings and facilities, as a checklist for construction drawings before and during construction, and as an evaluation checklist for existing buildings and facilities. A building profile packet, which consists of basic building data, appropriate codes, and other regulations and program requirements, is provided and is to be completed before proceeding to the checklists. The checklists are designed for review of compliance with design criteria -- either voluntary standards, codes, or programmatic requirements. Individual checklists are intended to be reviewed before any drawings or field conditions are evaluated for accessibility. The checklists contain the following basic types of items: (1) quantitative evaluations; (2) qualitative questions; and (3) space planning evaluations, during which building and site plans or actual field conditions are checked against drawings with dimensioned design criteria. Checklists are provided for walks / pedestrian areas; parking and passenger loading areas; building entrances / doorways; corridors; elevators; stairways; ramps; restrooms; telephones; drinking fountains; controls, dispensers, and receptacles; graphics; grab bars and supports; tactile warning signals; international symbol for accessibility; alarm systems; site furniture; public assembly areas; service lines and counters; residential structures; and recreation areas.