Small Things Can Make a Big Difference When it Comes to Inclusive Design

Many of us take accessibility within a building for granted. Climbing stairs and opening doors are just a couple of everyday actions a lot of us do without a second thought. Lifts, step-free access, and automatic doors are now fairly common features and are a huge help to wheelchair users and those with limited mobility. However, in many buildings, the buck stops there.

For inclusive design to work, the principle needs to be adopted from the outset to help make the built environment more accessible to more people.

Inclusive design does not just apply to disabled people or the elderly but is relevant to everybody. People experience different capabilities throughout their lifetime and better, more informed specifications can be made once these different capabilities are appreciated. While the most obvious things, such as ramps, can be top of the list, many small things can make a huge difference.

One of those small things is architectural ironmongery which plays a significant role in any building, but its importance can often be overlooked. This blog post explores the finer details of how door hardware can be incorporated into an inclusive office building to contribute to staff wellbeing.

Employee wellbeing has become increasingly important to many businesses in recent years. Not only do buildings need to be physically accessible, but there’s a growing focus on how the built environment can affect mental health and neurodiverse people.

Handle Design

The shape, feel and position of a door handle needs to accommodate all types of users within an office. Doors should be able to be opened with one hand without having to grasp or twist to ensure a comfortable and seamless operation. Following BS 8300:2:2018 guidance, door knobs and small thumb turns should be avoided as people with limited dexterity can find them difficult to use.

A lever handle such as the HOPPE Paris lever handle with a rounded bar shape isn’t mandatory but is a popular choice as it provides an easy and secure grip. Any alternative should not have sharp edges or immediate changes of direction. The fixing height, hand grip zone and diameter are also important considerations to allow a wheelchair user to open a door. Guidance on these measurements as well as fixing heights and bar lengths for pull handles is available from the Guild of Architectural Ironmongers (GAI).

Familiarity is key in fundamental features such as doors, and having all handles throughout an office at the same height will help an employee’s journey through the building. It is also important to consider any doors that open in just one direction. Fitting a pull handle to the push side of doors can seem illogical and a simple push plate should be used instead.

Balancing safety and accessibility

Fire doors can be difficult for people to use if they are not paired with the right door closer. As a piece of hardware that plays such a key role in balancing safety and accessibility, it is crucial that the right closer is specified, properly installed and maintained. Door closers need to be powerful enough to ensure they close firmly in the latch but are still easy for everyone to open.

The ARRONE cam-action closer is a high-efficiency door closer which offers lower resistance in opening forces, making it easier for those less physically able to open the door while still maintaining the correct closing power to ensure the door closes correctly in the event of a fire.

If the door must be held open, a compliant hold-open device – such as an electromagnetic hold-open device or a free swing device – must be used. It should never be manually propped open, as this will prevent the door from closing in the event of a fire.