Hi all
This may be wandering from the point a little picking up on Glynn's point of
Refuge Points.
A recent evacuation in a high rise in London required that a young man in a
wheel chair on the 17th floor remained at the refuge point. In the event
his colleagues believed it to be an actual fire and four strong men picked
him up and began carrying him downstairs rather than leave him for the fire
brigade to rescue. They all knew what they should do but in the event could
not leave a friend behind. You can imagine the blockage created on the
stairs.
The second point about Refuge Points - where we have sign-posted them (not
as often as should be the case incidentally) we have found they started to
be used to drop off black bags - in English speaking areas!!
I suppose is shows you can teach people something but they still don't have
to accept it or understand it.
On Adrian's point about drop kerbs, there was an accident in Sheffield a few
years ago where a white cane user lost the edge where the kerb had been
dropped (at the specific request of the City Access Consultative Committee)
and collided with one of the new silent trams. I do not believe it was
physically serious but I can only imagine the effect on the man's confidence
and independence.
One anomaly I have frequently found is the design for an accessible toilet.
The large width door opens outwards and often into a corridor where the
width is only slightly larger than the door. The potential for a seriously
bloodied nose is self evident.
Tony Addison
Tel/Fax 01473 822787
email [log in to unmask]
-----Original Message-----
From: [log in to unmask]
[mailto:[log in to unmask]]On Behalf Of G.D.Williams
Sent: 12 July 2000 12:31
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: access not accessible
Dear Judith,
Noted your broadcast request to invite responses to the above
scenario and as one who suffers from arthritis would quickly
become aware of unsuitable ' working planes' but would
suggest that if a flat was adapted to suit the particular needs
of an individual that their immediate needs would take priority
but ideally facilites could be duplicated if costly to achieve.
Maybe flexible piping and modular furniture that is height
adjustable might be possible given 21st C technology but
in practice difficult to achieve. However in laboratories have
in the past produced split-level benching but I don't really
like it because if a chemical was spilled (acid) would run
onto lower level unless kerbs introduced which seperate
socialy two people sharing the same workplace etc.
Of concern to me is the issue of emergency evacuation in
a fire situation in tall and difficult to access buidings where
to exclude say wheelchair users on H & S grounds may
be neither legaly nor politicaly acceptable, but to resort
to ' refuges' puts others and rescuers at additional risk.
This may be another dilemma where mobile people
are put at risk in an environment meant to cater for
those who do not enjoy the same degree of mobility
and raises all kinds of moral, and legal liability issues.
Hope this is of interest. Glynn Williams Univ' of Sheffield.
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