title: An ergonomic assessment of BS 5810: 1979 access for the disabled to buildings, through a survey of architects.
abstract: This article describes a project which was undertaken to assess the British Standard 5810: 1979 Access for the Disabled to Buildings, with a view to it being improved at the next review. This code of practice 'concentrates on the essential provisions that need to be incorporated in buildings to ensure that they are conveniently usable by disabled people'. The aim of the project was to make suggestions for improvements to the Standard, both qualitatively and in its range of provision, by discovering what additional data, if any, architects require, what level of detail they need and the preferred method of presentation. Research was also undertaken to ascertain whether the information contained in the Standard is based on empirical data. The project involved a literature search, sending postal questionnaires to architects and visiting architectural practices to complete structured interviews. The method used, the results and the conclusions on how the British Standard could be improved are described.
authors.affiliation: Rehabilitation Research Assistant at the Royal National Hospital for Rheumatic Diseases, Bath, UK.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Haigh
authors.forename: R J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Feeney