Accessibility Committee Report

Transcription

1 Accessibility Committee Report OISE Graduate Students Association Jason Brennan Chair, Accessibility Committee March 30, of 5

2 Overview Preamble The OISE GSA Accessibility Committee met on February 25 th to plan a number of initiatives for this semester, building on the 2012 GSA Accessibility Report ( Following this meeting, the Accessibility Committee is focusing on specific, significant, and achievable changes across departments and major traffic areas of the building, to be put forth to the OISE Administration at the end of the Spring 2014 semester. Goals In the February 2014 meeting, the Accessibility Committee identified three major sources of concern to be addressed throughout the semester under the umbrella of an OISE Washroom Project : access & features; signage; and, accessible washroom information. Separately, the committee resolved to explore temporary childcare options that would allow for more students, regardless of family status, to participate in OISE events, such as the annual Dean s Graduate Student Research Conference. Finally, the committee performed its own accessibility audit of the washroom spaces across all floors at 252 Bloor Street West. This report outlines the OISE Washroom project. OISE Washroom Project Washroom Audit With some exceptions on the first floor, the OISE Accessibility Committee s washroom audit found significant concerns throughout the building around washroom access, signage, and publication of information for students, faculty, staff, and visitors. These issues range from dysfunctional fixtures that impede access, to systemic challenges such as inadequate signage. The following subsections will document general concerns across OISE s washrooms, culminating in a chart outlining proposed changes. 2 of 5

3 Access & Features OISE has two properly accessible washrooms, on the ground floor and fifth floor, containing barrier-free access via automated door (with touch to open, lock & unlock), gender-neutral signage, space for adequate manoeuvring of a variety of mobility devices, automated fixtures at a universalized level, and assistance required signage. There is a third accessibility washroom located within the main floor of the OISE library, accessible only during library hours, and a fourth accessibility washroom located on the 12th floor, but the door does not open sufficiently wide enough to allow proper access (figure 1). No accessible washrooms exist on floors 2 4 & 6 11; however, there are fragments of promising improvements scattered throughout the building that are highlighted in the chart (p. 4). Figure 1 Signage Washrooms across all floors, with the exception of the first, fifth, and part of the twelfth floor, contained concerning signage, only indicating washroom gender by Men s and Women s, without pictorial representation, or any direction to alternative, accessible and/or gender-neutral washrooms (figure 2). Furthermore, washroom door signs on these floors were not provided in Braille, and largely obscured and/or overshadowed by large, pictorial no smoking signs. Signs in elevator indicating floors with accessible washrooms are obscured, far too small, and not provided in colour. Information Information regarding where to find accessible, private, gender-neutral washrooms, etc. is largely dependent on the use of signage in the building itself, noted above. The current campaign at the University of Toronto, the Washroom Inclusivity Project ( is one avenue of disseminating information about OISE s washrooms, in addition to updating signage across OISE, not only on the washroom doors but also in the lobby, indicating where different washrooms are located throughout the building. Figure 2 3 of 5

4 FLOOR FEATURES CONCERNS RECOMMENDATIONS Ground Accessible Washroom; One Male & One Female Washroom; Pictorial Signs (With Braille). Second accessible washroom located within OISE Library. The door locking mechanism on the accessible washroom is unreliable and provides no indication from the inside that it has been successfully locked or unlocked. In-washroom garbage can consistently placed in front of assistance required alarm strip. Lobby accessible washroom door locking mechanism must be fixed to ensure proper privacy and reliability. Ensure assistance required alarm strip is unobscured. Signs should be in place the lobby that indicate the location of accessible washrooms, and also those with changing tables, private/gender neutral washrooms. 2 Inaccessible Male and Female Washrooms; Changing Table (Female) 3 4 Inaccessible Male and Female Washrooms. 5 Changing Table (Female); up to date signage. Accessible washroom Inaccessible Male and Female Washrooms 12 Accessible Washroom; One Male & One Female Washroom; One All- Gender washroom in Nexus Lounge sign with no pictorial gender; no indication of changing table in female washroom; no changing table in male washroom. sign with no pictorial gender. No signage indicating alternative, accessible washrooms. Changing table is in female washroom only. signs with no pictorial gender. No direction to alternative, accessible washrooms. Signage to accessible washroom is inconsistent, difficult to see at a distance. Accessible washroom door opens only half way. Accessible washroom cannot be properly locked. Accessible washroom assistance required sign is completely obscured from main hallway. Changing table should be duplicated in male washroom. Signage should indicate availability of changing tables for infants. See Universal Recommendations, page 5. Changing table should be duplicated in male washroom, along with signage indicating the availability of changing tables. See Universal Recommendations, page 5. Accessible washroom door must be adjusted and maintained to allow unfettered access. Washroom should be easily lockable; assistance required sign should be repositioned to be visible. Signage indicating availability of accessible washroom ought to be replaced and/or repositioned to ensure visibility. The washroom grab bar is attached to a wall that will not adequately support weight. 4 of 5

5 Universal Recommendations In addition to the specific recommendations in the table above, there are a number of systemic changes that we recommend across all or most floors at OISE: Washroom signage should be replaced across floors 2 4, 6 11 with signs currently in use on the first and fifth floor (i.e. Braille, pictorial representations of gender). (N.B.: These pictorial representations are not without significant problems, but an alternative to English-only signage is needed). Signage should be adopted across all floors indicating the availability and location of accessible, private washrooms and washrooms with infant changing tables. An assessment should be carried out across the accessible washroom spaces and access routes at OISE to ensure the dimensions of the facilities do not impede access, especially if signage indicates a washroom and corridor is accessible. Scent-Free soap ought to be adopted across all washrooms if not already in place. Signs in elevators indicating the existence of accessible washrooms should be coloured blue, and the existence of gender-neutral washrooms and washrooms with changing tables ought to be similarly indicated. Conclusion OISE has an unfortunate history of mislabelled, or otherwise inadequate washroom space (Titchkosky, 2008). It is the hope that the proposed specific and universal changes across OISE will provide a minimum baseline for further improvements that involve more robust funding, such as undertaking a redesign of existing washrooms to be universally accessible. The author would like to thank Dr. Tanya Titchkosky, the OISE GSA Accessibility Committee, and in particular: Patti Kmiec, and Doron Yosef- Hassidim for their capacious involvement & support of the OISE Washroom Project. References: Tit chkosky, Tanya (2008). To Pee or Not to Pee? Ordinary Talk about Extraordinary Exclusions in a University Environment. Canadian Journal of Sociology/Cahiers Canadiens de Sociologie 33 (1). Evoy, Brad (2012). GSA Accessibility Committee Report Jan. 30, of 5