Marineboy63 Posted October 31, 2014 Share Posted October 31, 2014 Is there any guidance, or are there any reguations regarding backstage access and facilities for disabled performers? I'm trying to get some alterations made to our building to enable disabled performers to use the theatre. (As it's an educational establishment you might have thought that they would have considered this when they built the place, but no..................) Official guidance is always a good back up. Regulations are even better. Thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shez Posted October 31, 2014 Share Posted October 31, 2014 I think "reasonable adjustments" is the key phrase here. There are plenty of buildings out there that just aren't capable of being altered sufficiently to make them entirely accessible. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Posted October 31, 2014 Share Posted October 31, 2014 I think "reasonable adjustments" is the key phrase here. And reasonable can include 'it's too expensive'. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigclive Posted October 31, 2014 Share Posted October 31, 2014 I'm going to echo the general sentiment here. I've seen too many school stages completely wrecked by the forced installation of rarely used (if ever) wheelchair access. Not to mention the poor reliability of these devices and their crippling ongoing repair and maintenance costs. If the modifications required are little more than a few physical ramps then that's fine. When it starts involve astronomical costs then it's not fine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kerry davies Posted October 31, 2014 Share Posted October 31, 2014 More info required. If it is a new build as I suspect they should have designed and built it with disabled access in mind. If it is an adapted building then it is not necessarily so and what Brian and Clive say applies. IIRC the RWCMD new build was built to current legal requirements on access and they might be your best source of info. FWIW you could look around the Atrium and pick up where it was built for disabled access as a telephone exchange and compare it to your current theatre space. There wasn't a single step anywhere in Roath Exchange that wasn't overcome by the lifts when I worked there. It was all ramps 25 years ago. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
the kid Posted October 31, 2014 Share Posted October 31, 2014 IIR new builds have to apply to the 2010 act. https://www.gov.uk/rights-disabled-person/education-rights is a good page on thing. But it is quite a range of disability, and what is required by that person/group. As always if you have a person or group talk to them and see what they need, no point putting in a massive ramp when actually all that's needed is more light and a better handrail. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ImagineerTom Posted October 31, 2014 Share Posted October 31, 2014 You also need to better define "disabled" as it covers a very broad spectrum. The newest regs expect you to include bright lighting and colour schemes that produce high contrasts to delineate edges of rooms, trip hazards etc so that someone with a visual imparement can navigate the space much easier for example - which is almost the exact opposite of the needs of a backstage space. So first you need to define who/what your user base needs, assess if it's even appropriate to make the facility accessible (you wouldn't install a wheelchair lift to enable someone to get up to a tightrope....) then start doing risk-assesments in your facility to calculate what changes actually need to be made (and the various disability support charities are brilliant at providing guidance / advisor's to tell you what users actually want) whilst also ensuring that any modifications you make don't increase the risks for other users and then finally weighing up the financial and practical viabilities of making the changes. As with most modern regulations there's not a prescriptive set of things you must incorporate, rather lots of comments along the line of "make appropriate changes" and "design things considerately" hence why there are plenty of expensive consultants working for local authorities telling them how to use common sense. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andy_s Posted October 31, 2014 Share Posted October 31, 2014 I agree with Tom that the spectrum of "disability" is broad. It might be worth while getting in touch with Graeae Theatre company, as they are specialists (for want of a better word). Their shows involve performers whose needs cover the breadth of that spectrum, and they have experience of touring into theatres with no doubt hugely varying degrees of accessibility. Additionally, they've recently completed their own building project with their new HQ with offices, rehearsal space etc, which (although I haven't been there) I imagine would be a great example of best practice. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jivemaster Posted October 31, 2014 Share Posted October 31, 2014 Take the range of abilities that you have in your establishment, see how you would cope with a worst case scenario of those. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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