Dear All,
Thank you for all your responses to the question I posed below. I apologise
for the delay in responding, but have been awaiting the Access Statement to
be submitted.
Well, it is an Access Statement of a kind, but it almost exclusively
concentrates on excuses why they are not complying with Part M in certain
areas. These excuses are merely trying to circumvent their duties by using
para 0.25 of Part M to 'restrict' certain areas considered not to be safe
for disabled people. These areas include the store room and ambulance
cleaning and restocking bay, stating that because of vehicle movement it
would be unsafe for "children, some disabled people and older frail people".
They also cite carrying gas bottles, restricted drugs and cleaning in hard
to reach areas as other reasons for restricting this area to disabled
people. Can you believe that this is a Health Authority?
Their main reason, however, is that they do not require full access as they
do not employ disabled people because all ambulance staff, including
ambulance fleet auxiliary staff must be "fit, alble-bodied and not have a
significant sensory impairment" (actual wording).
I have responded to this 'Access' Statement expressing my concern regarding
the use of para 0.25 in relation to the identified areas. In my opinion,
and I believe the meaning intended by Part M, para 0.25 was to be associated
with areas such as electrical installation (sub stations), pump rooms,
heating and boiler rooms, areas containing dangerous machinery or toxic or
hazardous substances. In order to be objective, I consulted with our H&S
Officer to ascertain his opinion on the areas identified as 'restricted'.
He had no concerns at all except for the vehicle movement which as he
rightly pointed out, any conflict should be designed out from the start.
I also pointed out, while not part of the application for Building Control
approval, that their employment policies were blatently discriminatory and
that they would be highly likely to face a challenge under DDA Part II if
they continued with these policies. They also had, what they seem to
consider as equitable, a policy that anyone with a hearing impairment would
be asked to attend another Centre for any training as they were not
intending to install a hearing enhancement system in their Training Room.
Again, I pointed out that if it were just those members of staff with
hearing impairments that were required to attend another venue and not other
staff, then this would also be discriminatory.
Apologies for the length of this message, but I could go on all day with the
various items they were not intending to address. I will, of course, let
members know of any developments on this matter should there be any.
Once again, thank you for all your comments.
Regards.
John.
John Gregory
Access Officer
> -----Original Message-----
> From: John Gregory
> Sent: 14 October 2005 10:23
> To: 'Accessibuilt'
> Subject: Ambulance Services and Part M
>
> Hi All,
>
> An interesting situation has arisen here in North Oxfordshire regarding
> the requirements of Part M and the Ambulance Services.
>
> The situation is that the local Ambulance Service are building a new
> Resources Centre where ambulances are cleaned, crews rest, shower and
> generally maintain the vehicles. Building Control have picked up the
> standard design irregularities in the submitted Plans such as the
> showering facilities, counter heights stepped access etc. The Architect
> has come back with the reply that the NHS has its own Access Statement on
> this type of building and that Part M would not apply because the
> ambulance service could not employ crew members that had a physical or
> sensory impairment due to the nature of the job.
>
> Both my Building Control Surveyor and myself are at a loss as to what
> might be the correct way to procede with this situation.
>
> I am hoping that someone on the list will be able to suggest a solution.
>
> Regards.
>
> John.
>
> John Gregory
> Access Officer
>
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