Planning For Physically Challenged
PLANNING FOR PHYSICALLY
CHALLENGED
INTRODUCTION
Around 10% of the world’s population or roughly 650 million people
live with a disability. In India, more than 21 million people suffer
from one kind of disability or the other, such as blindness, hearing or
immobility, etc. This, according to the 2001 Census, accounts for almost
2.1% of the population. According to a research paper, two out of every
thousand guests received at hotels are either physically challenged or suffer
from speech, mobility, or visual impairment. The Union Ministry of
Tourism, in 2009, made it mandatory for all star categories to add
facilities for the physically challenged people in various categories.
Types
of Physically Challenged Guests
Depending on the various kinds of impairment either in body
organs, such as limbs, hands, spinal cord, etc., or of sensory organs,
such as eyes, ears, speech etc., people may suffer from various
disabilities. As a result, our physically challenged guests, hereafter
referred to as special guests, are categorized into the following types.
·* Special guests with
mobility difficulties
- Special guests who are assisted on wheelchair
- Special guests unassisted on wheelchair
·* Special guests with
deafness or hearing impairment
·* Special guests with
learning disabilities/mental impairments
GUIDELINES FOR PLANNING FACILITIES
The physical needs of each of
the above mentioned kinds of guests are different. However, with slight
modifications in various areas of the hotels, not only can these properties
be rendered easily accessible to them, but by integrating simple
unobtrusive facilities in the design structures, the special guests can go
about freely without hassling other guests.
A. Access for Guests with Mobility Difficulties
Most of the physical modifications to a hotel property are made to
meet the needs of guests with mobility impairments, those who use
wheelchairs, canes, or crutches.
Public Entrance
The industry guidelines for the
public entrance are as follows.
·* A public entrance must be
accessible to wheelchair use from setting down or car parking point.
·* Where a hotel has a car
park, a reserved parking space should be available for a disabled guest,
on request.
·* The path from parking
point or space to the entrance must be sound in construction, and free
obstacles. Deep gravel, cobbles, and potholed surfaces must be avoided.
·* The entrance door must
have a clear opening of not less than 67cm.
·* Where there is no ramp,
there must be not more than 3 steps to the entrance at any point.
·* Within the reception
area, there must be an unobstructed space of not less than 110 cm * 70 cm.
·* Steps to be used by a
special guest should have risers, not more than 19 cm, with treads not
less than 25 cm deep and 75 cm wide.
Interior (general)
·* Public pathways that lead
to the restaurant/dining room, lounge, TV lounge, (unless TV is provided
in the bedroom), bar, the special guests bedroom and bathroom should be
not less than 75 cm wide.
·* Doors to the rooms
referred to above should have a clear opening of not less than 67cm.
·* There must be no more
than 3 steps, at any point, in the corridors that guests with difficulties
in mobility would be required to use, or at the entrance of the rooms
referred to the above.
·* Where the special guests
may be required to use a lift, its door should have a clear opening of not
less than 67 cm, and the interior of the lift should not be less than 110
cm deep by 70 cm wide.
Bathroom
·* The bathroom must be en
suite or on the same floor as the special guest’s bedroom.
·* Where a bath is provided,
it should have horizontal or angled support rail on the far side.
·* Where only shower is
provided, it must have a seat (recommended 45-50 cm above floor) and a
support rail on the far wall (recommended 25 cm above top of the seat and
maximum of 50 cm from center of the seat).
·* Where there is a step
into the shower, it should have riser of not more than 19 cm.
·* There must be wash basin
within the bathroom/bedroom.
Water Closet (WC)
·* The WC must be en suite
or on the same floor as the special guest’s bedroom.
·* Toilet paper must be
within the reach of the guest.
·* Where the WC is separate
from the bathroom there must be washbasin within the same room.
B.
Guests who are assisted on the wheelchair
Public entrance
·* The entrance door must
have a clear opening of not less than 75 cm.
·* Where there is no ramp
there must be not more than one step to the entrance at any one point.
Interior general
·* The public pass ways that
led to the restaurant/dining room, lounge, TV lounge, (unless TV is
provided in the bedroom), bar, the special guest’s bedroom, and bathroom
should not be less than 80 cm wide and not less than 120 cm on the
opposite side if the doors to the rooms referred to above.
·* Doors to the rooms
referred to above should have a clear opening of not less than 75 cm.
·* There must be no more
than single steps, at any point, in the corridors that a guest on
wheelchair will be required to use.
·* Removable ramps, unless
installed permanently, are not acceptable.
·* Threshold to rooms to
which the wheelchair user requires access must not be higher than 2 cm.
·* Where the guest may be
required to use a lift, the door should have a clear opening of not less
than 75 cm and the interior of the lift should not be less than 110 cm
deep by 80 cm wide.
·* In the restaurant/ dining
room there must be at least one accessible table with a clear under space
at least 65 cm high. Blocks, to lift a table when required, are
acceptable. Where three or more bedrooms meet such requirements, at least
two such accessible tables should be provided.
·* There can be a succession
of single steps, provided there is sufficient space after each step for a
wheelchair to sit comfortably and safely, with all four wheels on ground.
Bedroom
·* There must be
unobstructed space not less than 110 cm * 70 cm.
·* There must be space
alongside at least one side of the bed of not less than 80 cm to allow
lateral transfer.
·* At least one bedroom must
be designed to such specifications for the mobility disadvantaged guests.
Bathroom
·* There must be
unobstructed space not less than 110 * 70 cm.
·* Where a bath is provided,
there must be a seat alongside of not less than 80 cm to allow lateral
transfer.
·* Where only shower is
provided, it must have level entry, i.e., no rim; a lateral transfer space
of not less than 80 cm and a seat.
·* Only one bathroom,
separate or en suite with the bedroom(s) must meet these requirements.
·* The washbasin, either
within the bathroom or bedroom, must have sufficient clear under space
and/ or level taps to enable it to be used by someone in a wheelchair.
Water closet
·* There must be a lateral
transfer space to the WC of not less than 80 cm.
·* The rim of the WC seat
must be between 45 and 50 cm above the floor.
·* If separate from the
bathroom, there must be unobstructed interior space of not less than 110 *
70 cm2 and a washbasin with clear under space.
·* There must be a
horizontal or angled support rail opposite the transfer space. It should
be 20-30 cm above the seat.
C. Unassisted guests on the wheelchair
Public entrance
·* If there is car park,
there must be a level reserved space with a minimum width of 3.6 m.
·* The route from parking
point or space to the entrance must be levelled or ramped.
·* The threshold at entrance
must be not higher than 2 cm.
Interior general
·* All paths to be used by
the special guests must be levelled or ramped.
·* Where the guest is
required to use a lift, it must have automatic doors and the controls must
be 140 cm or less in height from the floor.
·* Access to the
restaurant/dining room, lounge, bar , bedroom, bathroom, and WC (where not
en suite) must be levelled or ramped with threshold not higher than 2 cm.
Bedroom
·* The surface of the bed
must be between 45 and 54 cm from the floor.
·* Door handles, light
switches, TV controls, curtain pulls, wardrobe rails etc. should be
accessible and not more than 140 cm from the floor.
·* At least one bedroom
needs to meet these requirements.
·* Lights switches and
telephone (where provided) should not be more than 50 cm from the bed.
Bathroom
·* The door handle and light
switch must be 140 cm or less from the floor.
·* The horizontal or angled
support rail at the far side of the bath must be no more than 30 cm above
the rim.
·* The rim of the bath must
be from 45-50 cm from the floor.
·* Where only a shower is
available for the guest, the controls must be 140 cm or less from the
floor.
·* Only one bathroom,
separate or en suite with the bedroom(s) must meet these requirements.
Water
closet
·* The horizontal support
rail on the opposite side of the transfer space must be not more than 50
cm from the center of the seat.
·* Only one WC, separate or
en suite with the bedroom(s) above, should meet this requirement.
Kitchens (self-catering units only)
The following guidelines may be adhered to by self-catering units:
·* There must be a minimum
clear floor space of 120 cm front of units and work surfaces.
·* At least one work surface
or table should have a clear under space between 65 and 80 cm height.
·* The oven should have
front controls and base between 65 cm and 80 cm above the floors.
·* The hob (cooking
appliance with burners) should not be more than 80 cm high. It should have
clear under space below or alongside and accessible controls.
·* The base of the wall
cupboards and shelves should not be more than 120 cm above the floor.
·* The sinks should have
lever taps and a clear under space.
·* Light switches and door
handles should not be more than 140 cm above the floor level.
Creating Services for Guests with Other Disabilities
Some guests may have disabilities that are easily visible like a
person using a wheelchair/crutches. Other disabilities such as a
impairments of various sensory organs may not be as obvious: deafness,
blindness, speech impairment, mental retardation, or a learning
disability.
Visually
impaired guests A sizeable number of
travelers today are visually impaired. Certain areas of hotel property may
be required by law to display instructions and signs in Braille for the
convenience of the visually challenged persons. Buttons of elevators,
directions to restrooms, other public areas such as restaurants, lobbies,
bars, etc. are areas where such special guests would welcome Braille.
Braille menus in restaurants, room service menus, and Braille
guests service directories in rooms are appreciated a lot by guests who
can see.
Some useful tips in this regard are as follows:
·* When talking to such
guests, employees should introduce themselves and also identify any other
person with them.
·* Many visually impaired
guests prefer to pay for hotel services with cash. When handing out
change, lay the bills flat on the guest’s palms and identify the
denomination of each bill as you give it to them. Count out coins
separately.
·* Explain where emergency
exists are located relative to the guest’s room and note the numbers to
dial on the telephone to reach the front desk and other services.
·* It would be advisable to
give the guest a room with easy access to the grounds on the property for
them to walk their dogs when needed.
Deafness or hearing impairment Just as not every blind guest can read Braille, not every
deaf or hearing impaired guest can read lips or communicate in sign
language. Staff communication with the hearing impaired guests may keep
the following points in mind.
·* Let the guest determine
the communication method with which he/she is comfortable: whether that is
reading the lips or communicate as an interpreter.
·* If there is an employee
or staff member who knows sign language, they may be deputed for
communication with such guests.
·* Talk directly to the
guest, even if he or she has an interpreter. Realize that people who read
lips also rely on body language and facial expressions to convey meaning;
don’t exaggerate or underplay your expressions.
Room facilities for the hearing impaired A hotel should have one or more guest rooms specially equipped
for the hearing impaired guests. These rooms should include the following.
·* a telephone with a
flashing light to indicate an incoming call
·* a television decoder for
reading closed captions or programs.
·* a smoke alarm with a
flashing light.
·* a knock light for the
door; and a vibrating alarm clock.
Guest
who are mute or have speech impairment Guests with a speech impairment (who either do not
speak at all or whose speech is difficult to understand) may not require
special equipment, but they do not need understanding and patience from
all hotel staff. If you can’t understand them, offer them a pen and paper
to communicate in writing.
Learning disabilities or mental impairments Some guests may have learning disabilities or mental
impairment. While such guests may not require special infrastructural
designing to cope with, they do require courteousness and patience on the
part of their hosts to understand them. The staff can bear the following
points in mind while communicating with them.
·* Be patient and take your
time explaining the information to them.
·* Ask the guest if they
understand or agree.
·* Offer to read written
material, if necessary.
Other
afflictions Other indiscernible or
hidden impairments could include heart conditions, emphysema or asthma,
cancer or other terminally ill conditions. The best rule to follow with
such guests is to remember that a person is a guest first, and a guest
with a disability afterwards. A helpful, courteous attitude is one of the
most appreciated services; a physically challenged guest can receive from
you.
INDIAN GOVERNMENT RULES FOR THE PHYSICALLY CHALLENGED GUESTS
In 2009, the Union Ministry of Tourism made mandatory for all star
categories property to incorporate the following infrastructure/services
for all disabled guests by September 2010.
1. Easy access for the differently
abled guests.
2. At least one room for the differently abled guest. Minimum door
width should be 1 m to allow wheelchair access.
3. Room to have audible and visible (blinking light) alarm system.
4. Free accessibility in all public areas and at least one
restaurant in 5 star and 5 star deluxe properties.
5. Public restrooms to be unisex. Minimum door width must be 1 m
and mandatory to all star hotels.
6. Ramps with anti-slip
The Ministry also developed a
new format of assessment of category of all star hotels in the month of
August 2009. Five marks are allotted for facilities to be offered to
physically challenged persons in the star category system.
Distribution of marks for various facilities is as follows:
1. At least a room for physically
challenged persons - 1 mark.
2. Public toilet in lobby - 1
mark.
3. Telephone in public places - 1
mark.
4. Ramps, etc. - 1 mark.
5. Facilities for aurally and visually handicapped
- 1 mark.
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