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Disabled Access > Disabled Access Door Furniture
DDA Door Ironmongery
Disability Discrimination Act Compliant Door Ironmongery
The Disability Discrimination Act (DDA) is designed to stop discrimination on Physical Grounds to people with disabilities. Part M of the Building Regulations is a document outlining regulations for buildings and fittings which will allow people with physical disabilities reasonable access to a building and its facilities. We have outlined some key points and examples of specific pieces of Ironmongery which can aid accessibility, although it is inportant to consider the use of the building and talking with our Sales Team before specification starts.
DDA Compliant Door Furniture
The Main issues for pull handles and door furniture in relation to accessibility are;1. The need to grip a door handle or operate it with a closed fist.
2. Avoidance of clothing being caught
3. Avoidance of very cold surfaces
4. Visual Contrast of Door Levers
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Where a standard door latch is fitted the type of door furniture that best suit all the requirements is a round bar return to door door lever. Please see our Commercial Door Levers Category. |
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If you need door furniture in a private home that need to be operated by an elderly relative or a child then most door levers are acceptable, however it is better to fit them to a softly sprung latch to aid operation.
For optimum visual contrast then the door levers need to be a different colour to a door, so a white door would require darker door levers and a dark wood door would require some reflective or light door levers such some chrome door handles.
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This Euro Spec Carbon Fibre Door handle is dark on a light door and has the added advantage of not being cold to the touch |
This Euro Spec Door Handle is ideal on a dark door, and its shape makes it easy to operate even for those with less manual dexterity. |
For Pull handles on external the ideal finish is wood, nylon or carbon fibre as these surfaces are not cold to the touch. The Euro Spec Pull Handle
Braille Door Levers
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Karcher Door Handles are sleek and contemporary and now Karcher Design have introduced a range of Door Handles to have a Braille Foil inserted onto the door side of the handle. The Braille can be specified to describe the room.
This is an excellent innovation which opens up a buildings accessibility to the visually impaired and blind. |
Door Control
In order to allow disabled access through a swing or slide door there have to be some concessions made to the force required to open a door, and still retain door closing for fire purposes.
Automatic Door Openers
For Buildings with a high usage such as supermarkets and hospitals, then a powered automatic door opener is the most suitable option. These systems are operated by a low emission radar which detects a person and opens the door.
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Many Building can be retro fitted with an Assisted Door Opener. Good examples of this include the refurbishment of Doctors' Surgeries etc. |
Bennetts can specify and supply the right door opener for the building and type of door it is to be used for.
Please note that in accordance with BS 7036, any automatic door opener must be installed by an authorised installer.
Bennetts will arrange a full site survey and then produce a quotation for equipment and the installation, we will then be
able to supply the correct certification for the whole door system.
Assisted Door Opening and Low Friction Door Operators
For Buildings with lower volumes of traffic then an assisted door opener or Powered Low Energy Operator are a suitable option.
These types of door operators can be set up with a radar to detect a person or be activated by a push pad, they also work when physically pushed, and will take all the effort out of opening a door. These systems need to be installed by an acredited technician, so Bennetts will undertake a full site survey and produce a quote for the equipment and installation of your door opener.
Mobility Access Door Thresholds
It is part of Building Regulations to fit a suitable door threshold to allow better access by wheel chair users or the elderly.
The following Threshold Sills from Stormguard all provide Mobility Access and are Part M compliant.
