Contemporary Ergonomics 2006

Proceedings of the International Conference on Contemporary Ergonomics (CE2006), 4-6 April 2006, Cambridge, UK

Philip D. Bust

• Publisher: Taylor & Francis
• Year: 2020
• Print ISBN: 9781138411524
• eBook ISBN: 9781000153620
• Topic: Technology & Engineering
• Subtopic: Civil Engineering
• Index: Technology & Engineering

Presenting the proceedings of the Ergonomics Society's annual conference, the series embraces the wide range of topics covered by ergonomics. Individual papers provide insight into current practice, present new research findings and form an invaluable reference source. A wide range of topics are covered in these proceedings, including Ergonomics, Human Factors and User-Centred Design. It also features related disciplines such as Psychology, Engineering and Physiology. Particular emphasis is given to the utility of these disciplines in improving health, safety, efficiency and productivity. The 2006 Annual Conference features four special sessions on:Usability of Homes; Human Computer Interaction; Human Factors in the Oil, Gas and Chemical Industries; and Control Room Design: Current and Future Challenges. As well as being of interest to mainstream ergonomists and human factors specialists, Contemporary Ergonomics will appeal to all those who are concerned with the interaction of people with their working and leisure environment ? including designers, manufacturing and production engineers, health and safety specialists, occupational, applied and industrial psychologists and applied physiologists.

INCLUSIVE DESIGN – IN THE BUILT ENVIRONMENT SYMPOSIUM

DECENT HOMES AS STANDARD, BUT ARE THEY INCLUSIVE?

Marcus Ormerod, Rita Newton & Pam Thomas

SURFACE Inclusive Design Research Centre, BuHu Research Institute, The University of Salford, Maxwell Building, Salford M5 4WT

This paper explores the implications of the UK Government’s Decent Homes Standard (DHS), which sets targets for Registered Social Landlords (RSLs) to improve their housing stock. These targets fail to include issues of accessibility within them, which may lead to a missed opportunity for an inclusive design approach within refurbishments.

A study of six larger RSLs was undertaken by the authors into the how the DHS translates into bricks & mortar and the impact this has on accessibility of social housing. The results of the research show a lack of an inclusive design approach in refurbishment projects, and instead a “special needs” mindset towards access issues.

Introduction

The research study assessed the approach to accessibility of stock transfer properties, undergoing improvements to bring them in line with the Decent Homes Standard (DHS), within six Registered Social Landlords (RSLs) in England. The DHS gives targets that a decent home should meet but it does not include accessibility.

In the UK the Government aims to bring all social housing into a decent condition by 2010, with most improvement taking place in deprived areas. This has led to the stock transfer of a large quantity of social housing properties from Local Authorities to RSLs. There are four main criteria that the DHS uses to determine if a home is in a decent condition (ODPM 2004):

1. It meets the current statutory minimum standard for housing;

2. It is in a reasonable state of repair;

3. It has reasonably modern facilities and services;

4. It provides a reasonable degree of thermal comfort.

Within the DHS there is no specific mention that a home should be accessible both for occupiers and their visitors, but there are certain requirements and advice within DHS that relate to accessibility by implication. Guidance on implementing the DHS recommends when considering refurbishment landlords should consult with current Building Regulations and other relevant technical publications for the standard of work to be carried out. Since accessibility is part of the revised Building Regulations (Part M in England and Wales) and its Approved Document (AD M), there is an inferred requirement in achieving DHS.

The English Housing Conditions Survey (EHCS) is used to indicate the changing state of homes in the UK and is a well established set of statistics (ODPM 2003, 2005). The EHCS takes account of four Part M accessibility features – level access to dwelling; flush thresholds; 750 mm clear width door openings; and bathroom/WC at entrance level.

The Joseph Rowntree Foundation has for sometime been advocating the concept of Lifetime Homes (JRF 2005 Habinteg 2005) as a way to incorporate access features into new housing and to apply in refurbishment of existing dwellings. Lifetime Homes is better practice guidance and moves towards an inclusive design approach, with 16 access related features. Inclusive design is a way of designing products and environments so that they are usable and appealing to everyone regardless of age, ability or circumstance by working with users to remove barriers in the social, technical, political and economic processes underpinning building and design (Ormerod 2005).

Using available better practice guidance along with the authors experiences of access problems in housing a set of 13 issues were identified as indicators of approach to accessibility, to use in interviews and case studies with RSLs involved in undergoing improvements to stock transfer properties to bring them to the DHS.

Case studies

6 RSLs in England agreed to take part in the study and provide interviews with their key staff, along with site visits to DHS refurbishment projects. The RSLs chosen were Housing Associations managing large numbers of homes through stock transfers. Whilst each RSL consulted with tenants, prior to refurbishment, access was not raised as a collective issue, but was raised individually by tenants.

To provide cross case study analysis a set of 13 issues were identified by the authors as indicators of the level of access within refurbishment works of social housing –

1. There is an Access Statement, which, is related to an Access Strategy:

a) is used in the decent home refurbishment scheme;

b) incorporated into tender documents, specifications, and bills of quantities, which are used in engaging the contractor.

2. Where there is the opportunity to improve the external approach:

a) steps are replaced with a shallow ramp (1:20);

b) the entrance path is made wide enough for a parked car and a pram, buggy or wheelchair user to pass;

c) Doors and or gates are made distinguishable, for example through colour or textures, and lighting.

3. Where entrance doors are being installed, level thresholds are incorporated of no more than 15 mm height.

4. Where there is opportunity provide a storage area for a bike, pram or wheelchair inside the entrance.

5. Where new doors are installed they will be at least 750 mm wide.

6. Where electricity supply is renewed:

a) all switches, sockets and control panels are put in a place that is accessible (i.e. between 450 and 1200mm from the floor);

b) and a new fuse panel is being installed, at least one spare spur or circuit is included. (This may be for any purpose, but may be required for equipment or a recharging station).

7. Where a ground floor toilet needs to have a wash hand basin:

a) the toilet is kept at ground floor entrance level, and a hand basin installed;

b) new taps have lever or cross head handles, and are consistent with Hot on the left and Cold on the right;

c) where a new toilet is to be installed it has a large handled flush;

d) if possible the toilet room it is made large enough for a wheelchair user.

8. Where new windows are being installed they are easy to open, and operate, with low handles. (Where possible living room window glazing begins at 800 mm or lower).

9. Where new kitchen spaces are being designed, enough space is allowed for a wheelchair user to enter and circulate.

10. Where new fixtures and fittings are being installed in any room, these are tonal/colour contrasted to assist people with low vision.

11. Where new wall tiles are being installed these are matt, rather than gloss (to prevent glare) and contrast with fixtures or fittings.

12. Where stairs are wide enough two handrails are installed. Either in individual units or in communal areas.

13. In accommodation with communal areas if work is to be done to improve lifts, this will include improving accessibility for people with physical or sensory impairments.

Findings

From the case studies it emerged that there is a “special needs” mind set amongst RSLs with every effort being made to adapt properties for individual tenants once they have been identified as a disabled person. The mainstreaming of access issues to all properties was not considered by the RSLs studied as they felt that “disruption would be too much for tenants” only improving access when asked for adjustments by individual tenants. The exception to this was common areas serving a large number of tenants in multi-storey housing where access was taken into account. The same level of access was not applied to similar areas leading to individual homes.

There was an initial concern by the authors that high thresholds were being fitted due to installation of uPVC doors in refurbishments, but this proved to be unfounded. The RSLs in this study were fitting timber doors for ecological reasons and the threshold strip was generally low level. Often, however, the installation of the threshold is onto the existing doorstep with no attempt made to either achieve level access, or to increase the size of the area outside the door to make a safe platform to stand on.

There was an emphasis on giving tenant choice where possible on fixtures and fittings, especially in terms of colour and kitchen design. Whilst this increased freedom of choice is beneficial for the existing tenant, it may be detrimental for accessibility of a future tenant. Tonal/colour contrast is important for visually impaired people to determine location of items and to use them safely. Choice was being given to tenants without any explanation of the limitations their choices may have. Similarly a kitchen design that reduces circulation space may create a physical barrier to a future tenant(s) who are, or who become, a wheelchair or walking aid user.

Many RSL properties already have a ground floor toilet and even if this is in a limited space, it is a start towards accessibility and visitability. However, where an existing tenant had removed the ground floor toilet, a RSL would not insist on reinstating the toilet as part of the refurbishment programme.

Simple access related considerations were not being included in refurbishment works such as fitting second handrails to staircases where there is sufficient width to do so; selecting matt wall tiles instead of gloss to reduce glare in bathrooms and kitchens; ensuring that there is spare capacity in the electrical system for ancillary equipment such as charging equipment and stairlifts; specifically contrasting fittings from their backgrounds such as washbasin and toilet.

Access statements and Access Strategies were not being developed for refurbishment projects, but the RSLs involved in the research felt that these would be beneficial. Comprehensive findings are given in Ormerod and Thomas (2005).

Conclusions

At a planning level on the refurbishment projects studied there were no access strategy documents that detailed accessibility issues of the properties, identifying current barriers and how they could be removed. This means an absence of action to ensure that access is improved for the changing needs of the current tenant, or increasing accessibility for future tenants. The lack of explicit statements on improving accessibility as part of the DHS means that general access improvements are not being undertaken.

Overall the findings of this research demonstrate that there is often a “special needs” mind set within RSLs leading to a special adaptations, rather than a mainstream, view of accessibility. The 6 RSLs studied are prepared to do everything they can for tenants once they have been identified as requiring “special needs”, but this is then on an individual basis.

Tenants are being given increased levels of choice, wherever possible, within refurbishment works. However, tenant choice of colours and fittings may have an adverse effect on accessibility. When choosing items, tenants are not informed if that choice reduces access, such as tonal/colour contrast and kitchen layout/design. In satisfying current tenant choice the changing needs of the tenant, or the future tenants accessibility requirements are not considered. Additionally simple access issues are not being offered by RSLs such as matt wall tiles instead of high gloss, which would reduce glare. Others access issues appear to be only partially addressed, such as lower door thresholds being fitted but on steps, rather than trying to create level access, or a level area outside the door.

The introduction of DHS witho...

Table of contents

• Cover
• Half Title
• Title Page
• Copyright Page
• Table of Contents
• Preface
• Donald Broadbent Lecture
• Applications of Ergonomics
• Complex Systems/Teams
• Control Rooms Symposium
• Defining Ergonomics
• Design
• Design – Engage Project
• HCI Symposium – Knowing the User
• HCI Symposium – Usability and Beyond
• HCI Symposium – Access and Inclusivity
• HCI – Applications
• HCI – Interfaces
• Hospital Ergonomics
• Inclusive Design – in the Built Environment Symposium
• Inclusive Design – in Society
• Inclusive Design – in Transport
• Methods and Tools
• Occupational Health and Safety
• Oil, Gas and Chemical Industries Symposium
• Physical Ergonomics
• Transport
• Author Index