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In line with our current mainstream consultancy services, MJP are delighted to offer our Clients“Access Consultancy services” including the preparation, submission and negotiation of Disability Access Certificate {DAC} applications and carrying out access audits, which will assist our Clients in complying with the latest requirements of Article 20 of the Building Control Regulations 2009 and Section 25 of the Disability Act 2005.
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LEGISLATIVE BACKGROUND:
The Building Control Regulations 2009 (Amendment) (S.1. No 351 of 2009) came into effect on the 1st of October 2009, Article 20 (D)- (E) – Disability Access Certificate[DAC] sees the introduction of Disability Access Certificates (DAC) and Article 20(E) introduces Revised DAC. The DAC was introduced into the Building Control Act on foot of recommendations in the Report of the Commission on the Status of People with Disabilities, and will now take effect from 01.01.2010.
Public bodies are required to make their public buildings accessible to people with disabilities by 2015. This will require the re-fitting of older public buildings so that they comply with Part M of the Building Regulations.
The revised Part M of the Building Regulations is anticipated to come into effect from Mid 2010 and the accompanying revised Technical Guidance Document Part M will form the basis of design for Disability Access Certificates and works required to comply with Section 25 of the Disability Act 2005. |
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DISABILITY ACCESS CERTIFICATES (DAC)
As and from the 1st January 2010, Building Control Authorities will have to certify that the designs of all works, new builds or changes of use as set out in Part III comply with Part M of the Building Regulations, before work may commence.
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The process set out in the Building Control regulations is similar to that of a Fire Safety Certificate application and will be run in parallel with a FSC application and may well be assessed by the Fire Prevention Section or Building Control Officers, dependent upon the arrangements in individual counties. A DAC submission will require a Part M Compliance Report, general arrangement drawings and a fee of €800 payable to the relevant council.
MJP are delighted to offer this service in parallel with our Fire Safety Certificate Application service and to ensure coordination between the simultaneous processes and offer an economy of scale for our Clients. |
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ACCESSIBILITY AUDIT SERVICES
In order to assist public organisations to substantially comply with the relevant requirements of Section 25 of the Disability Act 2005, we offer our accessibility audit service. An access audit determines a building or anenvironments performance with respect to the prescriptive requirements of the Building Regulations and other best practice guidance documents. The audit involves a full site survey of a facility, a comparative report between our findings on site and the relevant performance standards, a series of practical cost effective recommendations as required to bring the facility into substantial compliance with Building Regulations. The access audit document is considered a practical tool which would form a basis of reference in the process of endeavouring to achieve compliance with the requirements of Section 25 of the Disability Act 2005. Upon substantial completion of the required works if any, we are happy to proffer a professional Opinion of Compliance from a Chartered Member of Engineers Ireland.
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The aim of our access consultancy service is to promote universal design and access for all within the built environment by striving to ensure universal accessibility is achieved when…“Every given environment can be accessed, used and egressed by everyone, irrespective of their varying degrees of physical, sensory or mental ability to undertake work, leisure, business and productive activities”.
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