| Activity |
Yes |
No |
Action |
| Transportation |
| Is your office located on a route that is served by accessible public transportation? |
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- |
- |
| Is the name and address of your building clearly visible from the street and sidewalk? |
- |
- |
- |
| If visitors to your office need to navigate a main road to access the building, is there a pedestrian crosswalk close by? |
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Crosswalks served by an audible and visual traffic-crossing signal are preferred.
Where there is a change in level, for example where the sidewalk meets the street, curb cuts are necessary. |
| Parking |
| Is accessible parking available for visitors? |
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At least one accessible parking space should be provided on the shortest, safest accessible route to the accessible building entrance. |
| Is the accessible parking space clearly marked with the International Symbol of Accessibility? |
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Provide signage to designate the accessible parking space(s) as reserved for permit holders |
| Is the parking space firm and level? |
- |
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Parking surfaces must be firm and level to be used safely. Avoid gravel. |
| Are curb cuts provided? |
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All sidewalks should have curb cuts at locations near parking and along the route to the primary entrance. |
| Is the space large enough to meet the needs of a visitor who uses a van equipped with a wheelchair lift? |
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Accessible car parking spaces need a minimum width of 2400mm plus a 1500mm wide access aisle. Van parking spaces need a minimum width of 3500mm plus a 1500mm wide access aisle for wheelchair lifts. The length of the space is determined by municipal bylaws. Two adjacent spaces may share the same access aisle |
| Is the parking area and route to the entrance well lit? |
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- |
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| Are the parking areas and route of travel properly maintained? |
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Snow and ice should be removed and uneven surfaces should be repaired as soon as possible |
| Accessible Route of Travel |
| Is the route to the entrance accessible? |
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Accessible routes should be unobstructed and have continuous, smooth, hard surfaces with no abrupt changes in level and should not require the use of stairs. |
| Is the route wide enough so someone using a wheelchair, scooter or service animal can travel safely? |
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The clear width should be at least 1600mm wide. The minimum clear space required by most mobility devices to turn around is 1670mm and should be available in areas such as landings and at intervals along longer routes so that someone using a wheelchair or scooter can turn around. |
| Is the route clear of protruding or low hanging objects? |
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Beware of signs, furniture, garbage cans, trees and other items that can pose a hazard to someone who is blind or has low vision. Avoid obstructions below knee level. A protruding object placed higher than 100mm above the floor is difficult to detect by a person using a white cane. |
| Does the route of travel require a ramp to make it accessible? |
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Ramp slopes should be a maximum of 1:12. Slopes of 1:16 to 1:20 are easier for most people to negotiate. That is: for every 1” of vertical rise, 12” of horizontal ramp is required (e.g. a 5” curb would require a 60” ramp to be built). A handrail is necessary on both sides of a ramp. |
| Is your office easily identified by signage? |
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For exterior areas, signs need to be located near the entrance between the ground and eye level and positioned where they will not cause injury to allow close inspection by someone with low vision. |
| Is your sign easy to read and understand? |
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Clear, high contrasting letters and uncluttered information (not too many messages) is easier to understand by people with low vision, cognitive and learning disabilities and people who are unfamiliar with the location.
|
| Entrance |
| Is your entrance accessible? |
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- |
Your office should have a primary entrance that allows people with disabilities to approach and enter the building in the same manner as everyone else. The primary entrance should have level access, a low threshold and not require the use of stairs. |
| Does your office present itself as a welcoming environment? |
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A welcoming environment is important for all people and helps to highlight the safety and security (perceived and real) for people with a cognitive disability or mental illness.
|
| Is your doorway wide enough for a person using a wheelchair or scooter to pass through? |
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Accessible doors and doorways within the building should provide a minimum of 810mm of clear space. That is, when the door is open, the space from the door to the opposite side of the doorframe should be a minimum of 810mm.
|
| Is the door easy to open? |
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The exterior door should by easy to open with lever or “D”-type handles. A power door opener or automatic door is preferred.
|
| Is your entrance easy to see? |
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The entrance should be clearly identified by signage, and by painting the door, or frame, in a different colour from the surrounding surfaces. Clear glass doors are difficult to see and pose a safety hazard. A strip of contrasting colour mounted continuously 1350mm above the floor will help make it more visible.
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| Is your entrance well lit? |
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Provide lighting at entrances so that there is not a sudden drop in lighting levels from the outside to the inside in the daytime; highlight obstructions that may prove a hazard to people who have low vision. Make sure signs are well lit.
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