Under the Australian Standards, the provision AS1428 states that wheelchair and accessibility ramps should be equipped with handrails. Aside from this law, building owners should also follow Australia’s building codes, known as the Australian Standards (AS), to ensure that their ramps and other safety features are within the legal regulations. However, building any type of ramp may not be enough to comply with the DDA. This includes adding properly constructed ramps in areas where there are steps, stairs, or kerbs. In line with this matter, the law requires owners of public buildings and establishments to ensure that these places can be easily and safely accessed by everyone. One of the areas covered by this law is a person’s right to access places that are open to the public, such as government offices, education institutions, shops, parks, and banks. In Australia, the Disability Discrimination Act 1992 (DDA) was passed and enacted to ensure that people are not discriminated against due to their disability. With handrails, they’ll be able to safely cross ramps without fear of slipping or falling. This can pose a hazard, especially for people who use mobility aids such as wheelchairs and walking canes, as it increases their risk of encountering accidents and serious injuries. Oftentimes, they can end up with slippery surfaces due to the accumulation of water and ice during the rainy and winter seasons. In addition, they help people with mobility issues maintain their balance and stability as they use the ramp.Īlso, outdoor ramps are exposed to the elements such as snow and rain. They act as support features that can prevent people from falling off the side of the ramp. Added SafetyĪs mentioned earlier, handrails offer additional safety to users. After all, in Australia, the ramps found on facilities and other places that are open to the public are required by law to have certain safety features such as handrails. Generally, they provide people with something to hold on to, which helps improve their balance and prevent them from slipping or falling as they cross the ramp.Īside from added safety, rails on wheelchair ramps are also essential for the owners of buildings and establishments. Plywood is not allowed to be used as a ramps surface.Handrails are regarded as essential features of accessibility ramps due to the various benefits they offer to users.The surface of the ramp should provide a non-slip surface.Treated lumber is required in any areas coming in contact with the ground or less than 18” from the surface of the ground. A 4” guard along the top of the ramp surface is required to prevent wheel chair wheels from.A hand rail, between 34” and 38” is required on ramps over 30” in height (a guard rail cannot be a hand rail and a handrail cannot be a guard rail due to height requirements).A guard rail is required with a height of 42” from the surface of the deck.At any change of direction, the landing must be 60” x 60”.Ramp shall have level landings at the top and terminating to the ground at the bottom.The landing should be at least as wide as the ramp run leading to it and 60” in length.Maximum rise is 30” max (30 ft in length at 1/12) at which point will need to be terminated by a landing of 60” clear.The minimum clear width of a ramp shall be 36” (including handrails / guards).A slope of 1/20 (5% or less) is considered a walkway and no permit is necessary.Residential ramps are to be built with a slope of 1”/12” (8.33%).Railings, Landings, Guards, Materials, etc. Metal ramps are not subject to a permit fee. A building permit is required for residential and commercial ramps stick built from wood or poured concrete.
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