Hotels Adapted for a Disabled Persons
For people with disabilities to feel comfortable and without obstacles in hotels and holiday villages, they should be equipped with a ramp, elevator, adequate lighting and accessible parking space. The accommodation itself should be provided on the ground floor and rooms set up in a way to make people with disabilities comfortable. Greater attention should be paid to the bathroom facilities, making sure they’re adapted to the needs of the people with disabilities.
PARKING & ENTRANCE TO THE HOTEL
For the parking space to be wheelchair accessible it should be at least 360 cm wide, but 390 cm is recommended. Parking space for people with disabilities should be placed as close as possible to the pavement, and the entrance. Marking the appropriate parking space is the first condition and it is possible to do anywhere.
Entrance to the hotel has to be safe and made in a way that it makes entering the premises as simple as possible. The technical condition to correct the difference in height is building a ramp or setting up mechanical elevator. Smaller height differences (up to 50 cm) use montage or monolith ramps. The access staircase ramp can have a slant of up to 1:12, 1:20 is recommended. Greater height differences use mechanical elevators (platforms, staircase, and elevators). In such cases which ask for more construction or in case of monument preservation, as a temporary solution, staircase transporter (continuous track) can be used. They are mounted on the wheelchair and help with overcoming stairs.
COMMON ROOMS IN A HOTEL
The front desk, the restaurant, toilet facilities, hallway and elevators, recreation rooms, indoor pool are common rooms and accessibility for people with disabilities is expected. They want to function on their own as more as possible. Apart of the reception counter should be lowered to 90 cm from the ground. A person in a wheelchair will be able to talk to the personnel behind the desk without obstacles. The dining tables should be built so that there is at least 70 cm of free space underneath the tables and that the tale legs are in their corners. The easiest way to adapt common bathroom facilities is to join two neighboring stalls into one. That way there would be enough room to maneuver wheelchair. The bathroom doors should be at least 90 cm wide.
RAMP
The ramp is used as an element of accessibility in order to overcome the height difference up to and including 120 cm for inside or outside spaces.
Ramp must fulfill these conditions:
- allowed slope of up to and including 1:20 (5%),
- it has to be at least 120 cm wide for outside spaces or at least 90 cm for inside spaces,
- the landing of at least 150 cm wide for each 6 m length,
- sturdy protuklizna surface,
- railing built with handrail in unprotected parts,
- handrails are 4 cm in diameter, palm shaped, set up in two different heights – 60 and 90 cm, prolonged in relation to the stepping surface of the ramp by 30 cm, with curved ending, according to the example in picture 7 of the addendum of this rule book,
- handrails on the outside ramps should be made out of thermal resistant materials
- clearly marked glass fence,
- accessibility signs
STAIRCASE
The staircase has to fulfill these conditions:
- height of the each step should be at most 15 cm
- depth of the step should be at least 33 cm
- width of the step for inside spaces should be at least 110 cm
- width of the step for outside spaces should be at least 120 cm
- the edge of the stepping plate of the step should be 2 cm in depth and in contrast to the rest of the plate,
- handrails of the protective staircase fence should be along the whole length of the staircase, and prolonged depending on the stepping plate of the step by 30 cm on both sides with oval endings,
- handrails should be palm shaped,
- handrails on the outside ramps should be made out of thermal resistant materials,
- steps 250 cm wider or more should have a handrail in the middle according to the picture 9 in the addendum of this rule book,
- space in the base of the staircase should be divided by fence 70 cm in height ...
- clearly marked glass fence,
- before the first and after the last step there should be a tactile field of warning along the full width of the step, at least 40 cm wide with grooves perpendicular to the walking direction according to the section 8 of the rule book,
- accessibility signs
ELEVATORS
Elevator is used as an accessibility element for the needs of overcoming the height difference and mandatory for overcoming height differences greater than 120 cm for inside or outside spaces. The elevator must fulfill the following conditions:
- the inside measurements of the elevator of at least 110x140 cm,
- doors at least 90 cm wide,
- elevator doors should either slide or open outwards,
- elevator buttons should be in the 90 to 120 height range,
- elevator and other information should be in Braille,
- the elevator handrail should be 90 cm in height,
- each floor should be announced visually and audibly,
- the elevator should have verbal announcement of each floor if it is ...
- there should be a tactile line for guiding, at least 40 cm wide with grooves pointing the way, from the entrance of the building to the elevator,
- accessibility signs
VERTICAL LIFT
Vertical lift is used as an element of accessibility for overcoming height differences greater than 120 cm inside or outside, when elevators or other elements of accessibility are not possible. Vertical lift has to fulfill these conditions:
- stepping platform of at least 110x140 cm,
- side walls of the platform closed at a height of 120 cm,
- entrance of at least 90 cm wide which open by sliding or outwards,
- accessibility signs
ELEMENTS OF ACCESSIBILITY
In order to create independent access, movement and space usage to persons with disabilities and decreased movement range we use the following elements of accessibility:
- the entrance; communication; the toilet; the bathroom; the kitchen; the room, classroom, workspace; apartment; coffee shop and restaurant; changing booth; shower; water access on the beach and at the pool; an audience seat; a telephone, textophone, fax machine, ATM, electrical appliances (speaker, intercom, light switch, door bell, kitchen sockets, other sockets, electrical appliances, electrical panel); door and window knobs, counter; inductive loop or transmission circuit; message board; escape route; map of the building; etc.
ENTRANCE SPACE
Entrance space of a building is the entrance which is accessible directly from the public walking zone or with the help of accessibility elements for overcoming height differences.
Entrance space must fulfill the following conditions:
- one sided door at least 110/210 cm wide, or two sided door at least 2x90/210 cm wide,
- sliding or outwards opening doors
- accessibility knob according to the directions of article 30 of this rule book,
- threshold no higher than 2 cm,
- door mat made out of non-flexible material, built in at floor level,
- in case of revolving main entrance there should be either sliding or outwards opening door at least 90 cm wide,
- in case the main entrance is a sliding door it should be at least 90/210 cm wide and in front of the door there should be secured space of at least 150x150 cm,
- sign which way the door opens
- in case the main entrance and the walls are made of glass, surface greater 1,5 m2, without cross bars, there should be a noticeable mark in a height range of 90 to 160 cm,
- wind shield 240 cm in length or heat protection, .......
- lighting 200 lux in strength,
COMMUNICATION
Communication must fulfill the following conditions:
- holes at least 150 cm wide,
- all floors on the same level,
- floors that are not on the same level connected by elements of accessibility for overcoming height differences according to this rule book,
- communication doors built without a threshold, at least 90 cm wide,
- doors with accessibility knob,
- connecting door to other rooms built with the threshold no higher than 2 cm,
- in case the communication doors and walls are made of glass, surface greater 1,5 m2, without cross bars, there should be a noticeable mark in a height range of 90 to 160 cm
- movement area lit with lighting 100 lux;
- in places where railings direct the movement, space between the railings should be at least 90 cm wide,
- all insulation and other equipment wider than 10 cm built in or set in the walls (fire extinguisher, fire hose, etc.),
- adequate electrical installations
TOILET
Toilet must fulfill the following conditions:
- doors at least 90 cm wide, opening outwards,
- accessible door knob according to the directions in the article 30 of this rule book
- built in mechanism for opening doors on the outside in case of emergency,
- adequate electrical installations,
- toilet bowl 45 to 50 cm in height including the toilet seat,
- two handrails on each side of the toilet bowl 90 cm wide set on the wall 80 to 90 cm above floor at least one foldable handrail is mandatory and it has to be on the access side of the toilet bowl, the other one can be fixed to the wall,
- the front of the toilet bowl must be at least 65 cm from the wall,
- the toilet flush button must be set at 70 cm above the floor or there has to be a sensor mechanism,
- a console sink at least 50 cm wide at height of 80 cm with pluming installed either in or right next to the wall,
- one hand operated faucet or sensor mechanism,
- free space in front of the toilet bowl at least 90 cm wide
- free space in front of the sink at least 90 cm wide,
- free space for wheelchair maneuver of at least 150 cm radius,
- a tilted moving mirror with the bottom at 100 cm from the ground,
- coat hanger at 120 cm height,
- an alarm with a press switch or a pull string at 60 cm height,
- all other equipment accessible from a wheel chair that doesn’t get in the way of movement fixed to the wall, built in contrast to the floor and the walls,
- in case it is a public toilet an entrance separate from “men” and “women” facilities is mandatory,
- there should be a tactile line of guidance leading from the entrance of the building to the toilet, 40 cm wide, with grooves,
- accessibility sign
BATHROOM
Bathroom must fulfill the following conditions:
- bath tub 50 cm in height and/or shower area without obstacle, 90x90 in size,
- bath tub lift, except if there’s a shower area,
- handrail next to the bath tub set 80 to 90 cm in height, or a handrail in the shower area set at the height of 75 cm,
- shower area should have water proof foldable seat set at the height of 45 to 50 cm,
- all equipment accessible from the wheelchair that doesn’t get in the way of movement, fixed to the wall built in contrast to the floor and the walls,
- regulation equipment for accessible toilet: sink, mirror, faucet, coat hanger, alarm, toilet bowl, flushing mechanism, if the toilet is not separated from the bathroom,
- doors at least 80 cm wide,
- doors at least 90 cm wide, if the bathroom has an entrance from public communication (for instance hospitals, hospices, etc.),
- doors and windows with accessibility knobs,
- adequate electrical installations,
- accessibility sign
KITCHEN
The kitchen must fulfill the following conditions:
- free working area at least 90 cm long,
- console working and cooking area, and console sink at least 50 cm in depth, at most 85 cm height,
- wall cupboard set at a height of 120 cm from the ground, bottom drawer elements,
- free working and wheelchair movement area of at least 150 cm radius,
- movement area around the furniture at least 120 cm wide,
- entrance door at least 80 cm wide, doors and windows with accessibility knobs,
- adequate electrical installations,
- accessibility sign in case the kitchen is outside of the apartment, for example in a camp etc.
ROOM, CLASROOM AND WORK SPACE
Room, classroom and work space must fulfill the following conditions:
- free space for wheelchair movement at least 150 cm in radius,
- movement area around the furniture at least 90 cm wide,
- doors and windows with accessible knobs,
- adequate electrical installations,
- accessibility sign except for rooms within an apartment.
CAFE AND RESTAURANT
Café and restaurant must contain the elements of accessibility for the entrance space, for communications and for the toilet.
Besides those, café and restaurant must fulfill the following conditions:
- secure passage between tables, chairs and other vertical obstacles at least 100 cm wide for at least 20% of the usable coffee or restaurant surface meant for the patrons,
- table built with the surface at most 80 cm high and the bottom at least 70 cm high with the possibility of adequate access to the table, for at least 20% of the tables,
- the floors must be of a sturdy material which doesn’t make the wheelchair movement more difficult,
- in case the café and/or restaurant doors and walls are made of glass, surface greater 1,5 m2, without cross bars, there should be a noticeable mark in a height range of 90 to 160 cm
- doors with accessible knobs,
- accessibility sign,
SHOWER
The shower must fulfill the following conditions:
- surface of at least 230x230 cm,
- doors, with accessible knobs, at least 90 cm wide, opening outwards,
- adequate electrical installations,
- in-shower surface of at least 90x90 cm built without threshold with drain slope,
- one hand or sensor operated faucet,
- press switch or pull string operated alarm at 60 cm height,
- clothes hanger, at the height of 120 cm,
- soap holder at 90 cm height,
- accessibility sign
WATER ACCESS ON THE BEACH AND AT THE POOL
Water access on the beach and the pool must have an access ramp that reaches the bottom at 60 to 80 cm related to the average level of the water surface (sea, river, lake, pool). Spas and pools that cannot secure accessibility with accessible entrance, it can be secured with moving chair, elevator, and/or elements of accessibility for overcoming height difference.
Next to the water access there has to be a sunbathing area at least 90x200 cm and 50 cm high for persons with physical disabilities. The mandatory number of sunbathing areas is 1% of the entire number of sunbathing areas at the beach/pool, but no less than 1.
TELEPHONE, TEXTOPHONE, FAX MACHINE, ATM
Telephone, textophone, fax machine, ATM must fulfill the following conditions:
- telephone keyboards upper edge must be 120 cm from the floor and handset within grasp, at 100 cm from the ground,
- textophone, fax machine, ATM must have bottom edge at 70 cm off the ground,
- the machines must be set in a way that access to all functions is possible from wheelchair.
The exceptions are accessible phone, textophone, fax machine and ATM for the blind, near sighted, deaf, and hard of hearing which are set at usual height. If the before mentioned machines are inside the building, the building is considered accessible to blind and near sighted persons, if there is a tactile line at least 40 cm wide with grooves, leading from the building entrance to the machines.
ELECTRICAL INSTALATIONS
Electrical installations must fulfill the following conditions:
- intercom at a height of 110 to 120 cm with a light mark
- light switch and door bell set in the height range of 90 to 120 cm,
- socket in the accessible kitchen directly above the working area,
- the rest of the sockets set up in height range of 90 to 120 cm,
- izvodna ploča for electrical installation is set with the upper edge at a height range of 90 to 120 cm,
- all the electrical installation equipment set up in contrast with the wall
DOOR AND WINDOW KNOBS
Door and window knobs must be adequately shaped, set up at a height of 90 cm for doors and door knob or opening mechanism lever set up at a height range of 90 to 120 cm. Handling knobs and opening and closing mechanism for doors/windows must be simple.
COUNTER
Counter for persons in wheel chairs must fulfill the following conditions:
- the surface at most 85 cm high, console shaped, at least 50 cm access depth;
- accessibility sign
Accessible counter for the deaf, the hard of hearing, the blind and the near sighted is a counter of usual height fulfilling the following conditions:
- communication aid,
- tactile line at least 40 cm wide with grooves leading from the entrance door of the building to the counter,
- accessibility sign
If a hole has three or more counters of the same type, one of those counters must fulfill the conditions of accessibility for persons in wheelchairs, and one for the deaf, the hard of hearing, the blind and the near sighted.
If there are special regulations for protection in dealing with cash and valuables applied for regular counters, the accessible counters also secure and fulfill the conditions of those regulations.
MESSAGE BOARD
Message board must be set up with a bottom edge at a height range of 120 to 160 cm. message board must be labeled with an accessibility sign.
MAP OF THE BUILDING
Map of the building must be tactile (adapted for the blind) and must fulfill the following conditions:
- must be set up horizontally or nearly horizontally at a height at most 90 cm, or vertically, or nearly vertically with the upper edge height at most 180 cm,
- must be set up next to the building entrance,
- must have information in Braille,
- a tactile line with grooves at least 40 cm wide leading from the entrance of the building to the plan,
- marked with accessibility sign