HARDWARE & SECURITY
REPLACING THE ACCESSIBILITY SYMBOL – WHAT IS HAPPENING AND HOW TO GET INVOLVED
» IT IS TRUE THAT THERE IS AN ongoing debate relating to the potential replacement of the accessibility symbol - currently depicted by a wheelchair - with a new symbol which would be seen as more inclusive . It should be noted that one of the drivers for this is that some people who have a genuine need to use accessible facilities can often be challenged by members of the public because their disability is non-visible . GAI Technical Manager , Douglas Masterson , discusses the developments in this area .
The Guild of Architectural Ironmongers is currently working in association with the BSI Public information symbols committee , PH / 8 / 2 , to assess public and industry opinion on the international symbol for accessibility ( currently depicted by a wheelchair ) and the potential for it to be replaced by a new symbol .
Current Symbol
This potential change would have a huge impact on all , not just those who are disabled and ambulant disabled and who use the accessible facilities , but wider society who would need to be educated in any change . In addition to this , industry such as those who manufacture and specify the relevant signage would be affected .
International competition
The International Union of Architects ( UIA ) and Rehabilitation International ( RI ) jointly invited submissions in 2022 for a twenty-first century symbol of accessibility to represent their core values of rights and inclusion , independence , physical and virtual accessibility for all , including people with disabilities . The intent would be for this new symbol of accessibility to better represent the variety of people who use buildings and other types of built environments . It would therefore replace the existing accessibility symbol which currently depicts a wheelchair .
The competition invited professional architects and graphic designers as well as architectural and graphic design students to design a new graphic symbol of accessibility , to be proposed to the International Organization for Standardization ( ISO ) for adoption as the new international symbol of accessibility .
The winning entry of this competition can be seen on this link : https :// www . uia-architectes . org / en / competition / international-accessibility-symboldesign-competition /
Proposed Symbol
It was created by Ukrainian architect Maksym Holovko and was judged to be “ easily recognisable , demonstrating originality of form while indicating an openness , simply and powerfully conveyed using basic shapes and principles ”.
This symbol has now been proposed to ISO Committee TC 145 for inclusion in a future amendment to the ISO 7001 standard - Graphical Symbols . This is the standard which is generally applicable to public information symbols in all locations and all sectors where the public has access . It is important to note that whilst this new symbol has been proposed to this ISO Committee , it has not yet been accepted and the views of key stakeholders are being invited on this important issue .
GAI Technical Manager , Douglas Masterson
Survey
GAI and ISO UK Mirror Committee PH / 8 / 2 would like to ascertain the thoughts of industry through GAI providing an online survey , Provide LINK . Questions asked include the following : 1 . Do you feel there is a requirement to replace the current accessibility symbol ( currently depicted by a wheelchair ?) Please elaborate .
2 . What do you see as the key impacts on society including the public , should the current symbol be replaced ?
3 . What do you see as the key impacts on industry , should the current symbol be replaced ?
4 . Having seen the new symbol what is your opinion of it ?
5 . Do you feel that the new symbol depicts accessibility ? Please elaborate .
6 . Do you have any further comments on this issue ?
Some issues to consider when responding to the survey could include cost to industry , required education and training to all as well as impact on wider society .
The results of the survey which will be relayed to British Standards Institution BSI and ISO as well as our own GAI membership .
The following article provides background on the existing symbol as well as detailing a need for a new symbol : https :// www . riglobal . org / about / intlsymbol-of-access /
An online quiz based on this feature is available on the GAI learning Hub . Completion of this quiz is worth one CPD point : https :// learninghub . gai . org . uk / totara / dashboard / index . php
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NOVEMBER 2023
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