Any route in an internal or external environment whether it is level, gently sloped, ramped or stepped that is available and understandable for a person to use. In external environments, access routes comprise paths, pavements and other pedestrian routes, such as a right of way through a public space.
Bathroom
A room comprising a bath, WC, washbasin, and associated accessories. Building – A permanent or temporary structure of any size that accommodates facilities to which people have access. A building accommodating sanitary facilities may include a toilet block in a public park or shower facilities at a campsite. A temporary building may include portable toilet facilities such as those provided at outdoor events
Building Regulations
The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government publishes guidance called ‘Approved Documents’ on ways to meet building regulations. These contain:
-general guidance on the performance expected of materials and building work in order to comply with the building regulations
-practical examples and solutions on how to achieve compliance for some of the more common building situations.
Door ironmongery
A collective term for components including hinges, handles, locks and self-closing devices, which are used to facilitate the correct functioning of a door. May also be termed ‘architectural ironmongery’ or ‘door furniture.
-In the context of this guide, ironmongery refers to door accessories such as hinges, handles, knobs, push plates, kick plates, locks and stoppers
Glass manifestations
Relating mainly to workplace health safety the legislation is in place to, simply put, stop people from walking into your glass, by distinguishing the glass or window visually with the background. Placing markings at strategic points on the glazing makes the glass clearly visible and prevents accidents. Glass manifestation should be applied to what the building regulations refer to as critical locations, these could be floor to ceiling windows, glass entrance doors, a glass screen or a decorative glass partition.
-Manifestation markings need to be between and placed on the glass at two levels, 850mm and 1000mm, and between 1400mm and 1600mm above the floor. The material used on the glass must provide a contrast between the glass and the background, but maintaining the background seen through the glass
Health Building Notes (HBN)- Health building notes give best practice guidance on the design and planning of new healthcare buildings and on the adaptation or extension of existing facilities.They provide information to support the briefing and design processes for individual projects in the NHS building programme.Activity DataBase is a computer package to assist healthcare planners, architects, and teams involved in the briefing, design and equipping of healthcare environments.
Health Technical Memoranda (HTM)
give comprehensive advice and guidance on the design, installation and operation of specialised building and engineering technology used in the delivery of healthcare. The focus of Health Technical Memorandum guidance remains on healthcare-specific elements of standards, policies and up-to-date established best practice. They are applicable to new and existing sites and are for use at various stages during the whole building lifecycle.
Ligature / Anti ligature
The CQC define a ligature point as “anything which could be used to attach a cord, rope or other material for the purpose of hanging or strangulation. Ligature points include shower rails, coat hooks, pipes and radiators, bedsteads, window and door frames, ceiling fittings, handles, hinges and closures.” Anti-ligature refers to products or design that prevents a ligature from staying secure. The aim is to eliminate the possibility of someone attaching a wire or cord around a product, so denying the means for inflicting harm to themselves or others. CQC Brief guide for inspection teams – Ligature Points
LRV (Light Reflectance Value)
Providing contrast between adjacent colours and materials helps people perceive their surroundings and environment more clearly. LRV measures the percentage of light a colour reflects and is measured on a scale ranging from zero (black) to 100 (white). When you deduct one LRV from another you have the LRV contrast rating. Manufacturers can confirm the LRV for individual products. Between adjacent materials, such as walls and floors, a minimum contrast rating of 30 points is recommended by The Building Regulations. Between adjacent floor finishes the contrast rating should not exceed 10 points as some may perceived this to be a change in level or an obstruction.
The ProCure21+ Framework
is the recommended procurement method for publicly-funded capital projects over £1 million. The Principal Supply Chain Partners have developed a number of repeatable room arrangements for use in NHS Acute and mental health facilities, all of which are fully compliant with HBNs and Health Technical Memorandas (HTM).
Universal Design=Useable=Understandable
Universal design is the process of designing an environment so that it can be accessed, understood and used by all people regardless of their age, size, ability or disability. It is also about understanding user needs – For example an older person may require many resting places due to discomfort when walking for long distances
Way finding
A collective term describing features in a building or environment that facilitate orientation and navigation. Also Refersto information systems that guide people through a physical environment and enhance their understanding and experience of the space. … These information systems help people develop “mental maps” of the terrain and simplify their routes to the extent possible.
Sound pressure
Sound pressure or acoustic pressure is the local pressure deviation from the ambient (average or equilibrium) atmospheric pressure, caused by a sound wave. In air, sound pressure can be measured using a microphone, and in water with a hydrophone. The SI unit of sound pressure is the pascal (Pa).