Access Manual

Please make the most of what you find in this volume, but please don’t use it merely to achieve compliance. Use it to spark creativity, humanity and urbanity in the buildings and public spaces we all use every day, so nobody need feel “this place isn’t for me” and everyone feels welcome. Richard Simmonds, Chief Executive CABE

I welcome this guidance which should enable people to understand access requirements and to undertake access audits… The law is important but how much better if those organisations simply did it right in the first place so the law did not need to be used. This book should help do just that. Bert Massie, Chairman of Disability Right Commission UK

This manual covers the design, improvement, maintenance and management of accessible environments. It shows you how to provide and run buildings, services, and employment facilities to enable independent and convenient use by everyone.

The Access Manual was first published in November 2003 and has been used by architects and facilities managers needing to meet the requirements of new legislation in 2004. It was well received by design, management, access, and health professionals.

This is a fast moving area and there are now several additional pieces of legislation and guidance central to inclusive design and making buildings accessible to all.

This new edition follows the same structure and approach and updated the following areas of legislation:

• Disability Discrimination Act 1995 & 2005
• Building Regulations: approved document to Part M (2004)
• The Planning and Compulsory Purchases Act 2004
• British Standards: amendment and updating of BS8300

The authors have also updated the material on access auditing, providing additional examples and sample access audit reports and access statements can be found at www.blackwellpublishing.com/theaccessmanual.

With its comprehensive information on standards, legislation and good practice, the manual will make sure you can:
• be fully aware of the issues involved in accessibility
• understand your legal obligations and the guidance available
• commission access audits
• create and manage an access improvement programme
• maintain accessibility in buildings and working practices

From the reviews of the First Edition:

‘Both authors are well known for their work on access… between them they have produced a useful book that is helpful in the context of our current built environment and what steps can be taken to improve access.’ Barrierfree

''This is a well written and practical manual, recommended reading for building engineers concerned with the creation, planning and management of buildings.'' Building Engineer

‘incredibly informative … will enable you to keep the edge over non-enlightened competitors’ Architectural Technology
''This is an excellent book'' Access Journal