Mélange Accessibility for All Magazine February 2024 | Page 53

At First Glance Disability should never be a disadvantage . Ensuring that your office building is accessible to all users is vital . Ramps and handrails are important to wheelchair users and individuals with physical disabilities along with wide corridors , electric doors , accessible toilets and communal areas . For people with visual impairments , bright lighting and colour-coded , easy-to-follow wayfinding signs including easy-to-locate braille text are a must .
The Office Door The first point of entry to an office should offer easy access . Automatic doors are a great starting point as they offer individuals access without the need for physical effort to open the door . The width of the door also needs to be considered so that it can allow for easy wheelchair access .
Wayfinding Wayfinding is the usage of information , signage , and other design elements aiming to guide occupants through a physical environment . Starting at the front door , some people may need visual cues such as maps , directions , and symbols to aid them to get to their destination when in complex spaces . Whether making your way to your desk or the snack bar , enhancing wayfinding with bright colours , large fonts , braille writing and graphical cues can help staff members navigate an environment safely and securely .
Whichever way you decide to create wayfinding for staff , consistency is key to ensuring that it is most effective .
Navigating Hallways Once directions to a destination are established , the next step is ensuring that the spaces reflect the environment you are trying to create . Doors , hallways , and walking spaces should be wide enough to allow you to pass through comfortably . In addition , offices should avoid unnecessary furnishings and features such as rugs , lighting , or other clutter that could cause blockages and trip hazards . If floor levels are uneven , ramps and handrails should be installed to make sure that individuals who struggle with mobility are able to move around safely and freely .
Flexible Workstations Desks are where you spend the majority of your time in the office , and should be adjustable to accommodate individual needs . After making your way over to your workstation , the next step to accessible work is the equipment and workstations provided . Desks and tables should be height adjustable so that wheelchair users and people looking to stand at their desk can work comfortably . Sit-stand desks work perfectly here , as their height adjustable properties means that users can comfortably adjust their working environment to suit their needs .
Wider screens and digital displays can also be beneficial . Larger monitors , voice recognition technology , and bigger designs can help visually impaired individuals as well as people
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