VOTING CENTRE USEABILITY AUDIT FORM

………………………………………………………………………………...

(Enter name of District)

……………………………………………….…………...… Voting Centre

The following checklist is designed to assess the useability of a voting centre for wheelchair users. The checklist follows the path of travel of a wheelchair user from the arrival point to the voting area. It assists the process of establishing if a wheelchair user can access a venue with or without assistance, or if it is unsuitable for wheelchair access.

Feature / 1 / 2 / 3 /
Comments
A designated accessible car park is required and may be a space designated for the day. It is
  • Please indicate if assessing onsite or street parking –
*Note onsite parking is preferred / Onsite – Street
  • Level
/ Yes / No
  • Within 50m of the building – If no, please indicate distance to voting centre
/ Yes / No
  • Minimum of 3.2m wide
/ Yes / No
  • Clearly identified by means of an international symbol for access ( a wheelchair) on a vertical sign or on the ground
/ Yes / No / *No to this criteria will not fail accessibility audit. Vertical signage will be provided by VEC

The path of travel from the car park and set down area is

  • Firm and slip resistant
/ Yes / No
  • Free of cross-fall (that is, not sloping to left or right)
/ Yes / No
  • Free of pot-holes, ridges, overgrowth or moss
/ Yes / No
  • Free of overhanging or protruding obstructions such as trees or bollards which reduce the path of travel to less than 760mmw
/ Yes / No
  • Shallower gradient than 1:14 (use protractor for measuring gradient - see diagram on last page)
/ Yes / No
  • Free of steps, kerbs and thresholds are less than 5mm
/ Yes / One step / More than one step
Is a kerb ramp included in the path of travel? / Yes / No
  • If yes, gradient 1:8 or shallower (use protractor for measuring gradient - see diagram on last page)
/ Yes / No
  • No longer than 1520mm in length
/ Yes / No
  • Firm and slip resistant with no cross-falls/slopes
/ Yes / No
  • And does it have a clear turning area of at least 1500mm from the roadway to nearest obstruction/wall
/ Yes / No
Is a ramp included in the path of travel? / Yes / No
  • If yes, gradient 1:14 or shallower (use protractor for measuring gradient - see diagram on last page)
/ Yes / No
  • Has handrails on both sides between 865 and 1000mm from the ground
/ Yes / No
  • At least 1m wide and at least 1.5m wide on corners/curves
/ Yes / Less than 1.5m on curves / Less than 1m wide
  • Has edge/kerb or kerb rail to stop a person slipping off the ramp
/ Yes / No
  • Landings of at least 1200mm at every 9 metres along the length of the ramp
/ Yes / No
  • Has a landing at the top and bottom of the ramp of at least 1200mm
/ Yes / No
This path of travel is obvious and most likely to be used / Yes / No
  • If not, signs are in place to identify the accessible route
/ Yes / No
The main entrance is
  • free of steps or stairs,
OR / Yes / One step / More than one step
  • If a step at the entrance has been ramped, it is
  • Free of lips more than 5mm high
/ Yes / No
  • Is 1:10 gradient (refer to the ramp diagram on last page)
/ Yes / No
  • No longer than 1900mm in length
/ Yes / No
  • Has a landing at the top and bottom of the ramp of at least 1500mm (1200mm if no turn is involved at the top and/or bottom)
/ Yes / No
The doorway at the entrance to the building is
  • At least 850mm clear opening width (refer to Table of Door Circulation Spaces for measuring clear opening width)
/ Yes / 760-850mm / Less than 760mm wide
  • Has the required circulation space in front of the doorway on both approaches to the door (refer to Table of Door Circulation Spaces)
/ Yes / No
  • Has the required circulation space on the latch side of the doorway on both approaches to the door (refer to Table of Door Circulation Spaces)
/ Yes / No
  • Has the required circulation space on the hinge side of the doorway on both approaches to the door (refer to Table of Door Circulation Spaces)
/ Yes / No
  • Is free of any lips or thresholds more than 5mm high (this includes any doormats. If mats are not lying flat or higher than 5mm remove from path of travel. If recessed, ensure they are level with surrounding surface)
/ Yes / No
  • A level landing as required in the Table of Door Circulation Spaces is provided at the door
/ Yes / No
  • The door handle between 900-1200mm high and easy to use
/ Yes / No
Note: If doorway and surrounds are glass, is there a contrasting strip at least 75mm deep and between 900mm and 1000mm from the floor / Yes / No
*No to this criteria will not fail accessibility audit.
If the entrance does not comply with the above criteria, there may be an alternative entrance. Check with the above criteria for the path of travel and the entrance requirements
If an alternative entrance complies, the route to the alternative entrance is well signposted / Yes / No

Internal route to voting area

If the voting area is not on the ground floor, a lift is provided / Yes / No

 The clear opening width of the lift door is 900mm

/ Yes / 850-900mm / Less than 850mm

 All controls are within the reach zone of 900-1200mm above the floor

/ Yes / No

Note: Is there audible information telling passengers which floor they have arrived at

/ Yes / No
*No to this criteria will not fail accessibility audit.

 The internal space of the lift is 1100mmw x 1400mmd

/ Yes / No

 There is a hand rail to enable wheelchairs users to turn around in lift

/ Yes / No
Corridors are clear from obstacles and at least 1m wide and at least 1.5m wide at corners/curves / Yes / Less than 1.5m on curves / Less than 1m wide
The doorway(s) to the voting area is
  • At least 850mm clear opening width (refer to Table of Door Circulation Spaces for measuring clear opening width)
/ Yes / 760-850mm wide / Less than 760mm wide
  • Has the required circulation space in front of the doorway on both approaches to the door (refer to Table of Door Circulation Spaces)
/ Yes / No
  • Has the required circulation space on the latch side of the doorway on both approaches to the door (refer to Table of Door Circulation Spaces)
/ Yes / No
  • Has the required circulation space on the hinge side of the doorway on both approaches to the door (refer to Table of Door Circulation Spaces)
/ Yes / No
  • The doorway is free of any lips or thresholds more than 5mm high (this includes any doormats. If mats are not lying flat or higher than 5mm remove from path of travel. If recessed, ensure they are level with surrounding surface.)
/ Yes / No
  • The door is easy to push and pull open (the door may need closer pressure adjustment)
/ Yes / No
  • Door handle is 900-1200mm above ground and easy to use
/ Yes / No
The voting area is to be set out to allow easy flow of voters without obstacles or back tracking
  • Will the area allow for a 1550mm space around voting cubicles and tables?
/ Yes / No
  • Is floor surface slip resistant (especially if wet) and level, to prevent slips, trips or falls?
/ Yes / No
  • If the floors are carpeted, is the carpet firm and have a low pile
/ Yes / No

Wheelchair Useability

If any items are circled in Column 3, wheelchair users cannot access the venue = NWA

If no items are circled in Column 3, but some are circled in Column 2, assistance is required for access by wheelchair user = AWA

If all items are circled in Column 1, wheelchair users may consider the venue suitable for independent access = FWA

Note Accessibility Legend:

FWA = Full Wheelchair Access

AWA = Assisted Wheelchair Access

NWA = No Wheelchair Access

This voting centre has been assessed as: ………………..……………… (Insert as per legend above)

If you have assessed the venue as AWA please indicate which of the following statements are applicable to this venue for advertising on VEC website and in newspapers (Tick appropriate box/s)

 Parking may be difficult

 Path of travel from car park may be difficult – more than _____ metres to entrance of building (voting centre)

 Building has lips and/or steps

 Door width is between 760 - 850mm

 The ramp's gradient is more than 1:14

 May have limited circulation space in the voting area

What is required to upgrade the venue to the next level of accessibility?………………………………………………..…………………………………

……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

TABLE OF DOOR CIRCULATION SPACES

These measurements are required for a wheelchair user to be able to manoeuvre whilst opening the door (800mm clear opening width) and moving through the doorway. This space must be clear and unobstructed.

APPROACH FROM / LENGTH IN FRONT OF DOOR (mm) / HINGE SIDE SPACE (mm) / LATCH-SIDE SPACE (mm)
Hinge side - door swing away / 1160 / 610 / 220
Latch side - door swing away / 1200 / 200 / 610
Front - door swing away / 1350 / 0 / 470
Either side - door swing away / 1200 / 610 / 610
Hinge side - door swing toward / 1510 / 610 / 850
Latch side - door swing toward / 1510 / 110 / 850
Front - door swing toward / 1350 / 110 / 470
Either - door swing toward / 1510 / 610 / 850

Slide side - sliding door / 1180 / 610 / 305
Latch side - sliding door / 1160 / 160 / 610
Front - sliding door / 1350 / 0 / 470
Either side - sliding door / 1180 / 610 / 610

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Kerb Ramp Requirements

(To be used as a guide & to assist in understanding requirements)

Step Ramp Requirements

(To be used as a guide & to assist in understanding requirements)

Step Ramp Requirements continued

(To be used as a guide & to assist in understanding requirements)

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