BATAS PAMBANSA BLG.

344
Accessibility Law
 DISCLAIMER:
Always double-check the values given in this document with
the actual laws. For corrections or clarifications, email
arch.pedrosantosjr@gmail.com.
A. Outside and Around
Buildings
Dropped Curbs
• Dropped curbs should be provided at
walkways with changes in elevations
• Should be provided at pedestrian
crossings and at end of footpaths
• Should be as wide as the crossing or
should be 900mm wide at minimum
Dropped Curbs
Dropped Curbs
• Shall be ramped towards adjoining curbs
with a gradient not more than 1:12
• Shall be sloped towards the road with a
maximum cross gradient of 1:20
• The lowest point of the curb should not
exceed 25mm height above the road/gutter
Dropped Curbs
Curb Cut-outs
• Curb cut-outs should only be allowed
when it will not obstruct or lessen the
width of a walkway
• Minimum width should be 900mm
• Should have a gradient not more than 1:12
Curb Cut-outs
Walkways
• Walkways should be kept as level as
possible and provided with slip-resistant
material
• Minimum width is at 1200mm
• Should have a gradient no more than 1:20
or 5% (1:100 max cross gradient)
Walkways
Walkways
• Should not have abrupt pitches in angle or
interruptions by cracks that create edges
above 6.5mm
• Grating openings at walkways should
have max dimension of 13x13mm and
shall not project more than 6.5mm
Walkways
Walkways
• In lengthy walkways, wheelchair rest
stops or turning spaces with minimum
dimension of 1500mm should be provided
(maximum distance of 12 meters between
stops)
• Straight forward routes with right angle
turns should be observed for the blind
Walkways
Walkways
Walkways
• Regular maintenance of the plantings
adjacent to the walkway is needed to
avoid overgrowth and obstruction
• Walkway headroom shall not be less than
2 meters
• Passageway for the disabled should not be
obstructed by furniture, bollards, etc
Walkways
Handrails
• Handrails should be installed at both sides
of ramps and stairs and at the outer edges
of dropped curbs at crossings
• Shall be installed at 900mm and 700mm
above steps or ramps ( Height at 1 or 1.06
meters if for protection at great heights)
Handrails
Handrails
• 300mm long extension of handrail should
be provided at start and end of ramps and
stairs
• Hand grips should be 30 to 50mm wide
• If attached to walls or ledges it should
have a minimum clearance of 50mm from
the wall or 40mm from the ledge
Handrails
Open Spaces
• Where open spaces are provided, give
walkways defined edges either by the use
of planters with dwarf walls, grass verge
or similar which provides a texture
different from the path. This helps the
blind to determine the pathway.
Open Spaces
Signage
• Directional and informational sign should
be located at points conveniently seen
even by a person on a wheelchair
• Should be kept simple and easy to
understand, should be made of
contrasting colors and gray values to
make detection and reading easy
Signage
Signage
A. Access Symbol B. Phone C. Elevator D. Parking E. Ramp

Sign Size (cm) Usage

A 10x10 Toilets, stall doors
A,B,C,D 15x15 With or without directional arrows
A,B,C 22x22 With or without arrows
A,B,C,D,E 30x30 For exterior use
A,B,C,D,E 60x60 For exterior use
F 20x60 For exterior use
Signage
Signage
• Should a sign protrude into a walkway, it
should have a min. headroom of 2 meters
• On walls and doors, it should be located at
max. height of 1.60 meters and a min.
height of 1.40 meters
Signage
Signage
• Labeling public areas should have
embossed symbols with min. height of
1mm (Braille should also be included)
• Text on signboards shall be of dimension
that people with less than normal visual
acuity can read at a certain distance
Crossings
• To reduce the exposure time to vehicular
traffic, all at grade crossing should:
– Be perpendicular to the carriageway
– Be located at the narrowest part of the road
– Have central refuges of at least 1.5 m deep and
preferably 2 m, where the width of road to be
crossed exceeds 10 m.
Crossings
Crossings
• Provide tactile blocks in the immediate
vicinity of crossings as an aid to the blind,
should be high enough to be felt but low
enough to not cause tripping
• Brushed or grooved concrete have not
proved successful as tactile strips
Crossings
Crossings
• Light controlled crossings and audible
signals are best for the disabled
• Audible signals should be distinguishable
like in indicating end of crossing time
• A min. of 6 seconds crossing period or
crossing distance times 0.9 m/sec crossing
speed, whichever is greater should be used
B. Parking
Parking Areas
• Accessible parking slots should have a
minimum width of 3.70m
• Should be close as possible to building or
accessible entrances and should be
perpendicular or at an angle to the road or
circulation areas
Parking Areas
• Walkways from accessible spaces of 1.2 m
clear width shall be provided between
front ends of parked cars
• Signs or markings for the handicapped
parking should be provided
• Should never be located at sloping areas
Parking Areas
C. Inside Buildings and
Structures
Entrace
• At least 1 entrance to every building
should be accessible from arrival and
departure points to the interior lobby (1
entrance should have elevator access)
• Entrance with vestibules shall be provided
a level area with at least 1.8m depth and a
1.5m width
Entrace
Entrace
Ramps
• Change in elevation require a ramp except
when served by a dropped curb, an
elevator or other mechanical device
• Provide 1.2m clear width with 1:12 max
gradient
• Length of the ramp should not exceed 6
meter if the gradient is 1:12
Ramps
• Ramps exceeding 6 meters whose gradient
is 1:12 shall be provided with landings not
less than 1.5m
• Level areas not less than 1.8m should be
provided at the top and bottom
• Handrails will be provided on both sides at
700mm and 900mm from the ramp level
Ramps
Ramps
• Shall be equipped with curbs on both sides
with a minimum height of 100mm
• Ramp with a rise greater than 200mm and
leads down towards a vehicular area,
should have a railing across the full width
of its lower end not less than 1.5m from
the foot of the ramp
Ramps
Doors
• 800mm minimum clear width for doors
(measured between surface of the fully
open door at the hinge and the door jamb
at the stop)
• Should be operable by force not more than
4 kg (closing device pressure shall not
exceed 1 kg)
Doors
• Minimum clear level space of 1.5x1.5m
shall be provided before and extending
beyond a door (Exception: Where a door
shall open onto but not into a corridor, the
required clear level space on the corridor
side of the door may be a minimum of
1.2m corridor width
Doors
Doors
Doors
• Out swinging doors should be provided at
storage room, closets and PWD toilet stall
• Latching or non-latching, hardware should
not require wrist or fine finger actions
• Doorknobs and other hardware should be
located between 0.82m and 1.06m above
the floor (900mm is preferred)
Doors
• Vertical pull handles centered at 1.06m
above the floor are preferred to horizontal
pull bars for all doors
• Doors along major circulation routes
should be provided with kick plates at a
height of 300mm to 400mm
Doors
Thresholds
• Thresholds and sliding door tracks shall
have a maximum height of 25mm and
preferably ramped
Switches
• Manual switches shall be positioned
within 1.2m to 1.3m above the floor
• Manual switches shall be located no
further than 200mm from the latch side of
the door
Switches
Corridors
• 1.2 meter minimum clear width for
corridors (Shall have no obstruction)
• Turnabout spaces with minimum area of
1.5x1.5 m and spaced at a maximum of 12
m shall be provided for wheelchair passes
and turning around of wheelchairs
Corridors
• Turnabout spaces should also be provided
at or within 3.5m of every dead-end
• As in walkways, corridors should be
maintained level and provided with slip
resistant surface
Corridors
Washrooms & Toilets
• 1.7 x 1.8 meters minimum dimension for
accessible toilets
• 1 movable grab bar and 1 fixed to the
adjacent wall shall be installed at the
accessible water closet stall for lateral
mounting, fixed grab bars on both sides for
frontal mounting
Washrooms & Toilets
• A turning space of 2.25 sqm with a min.
dimension of 1.5m for wheelchairs shall be
provided outside water closet stalls
• Minimum of 1 accessible water closets on
each floor level (or on that part of a floor
accessible to the PWD) where the total
number of water closets per sex is 20
Washrooms & Toilets
Washrooms & Toilets
• Minimum of 2 accessible water closets on
each floor level (or on that part of a floor
accessible to the PWD) where the total
number of water closets per sex exceed 20
• Max height of water closet should be
450mm, flush control should have a max
height of 1.2m
Washrooms & Toilets
Washrooms & Toilets
• Maximum height of lavatories should be
800mm with a knee recess of 600-700mm
vertical clearance and a 500mm depth
• Urinals should have elongated lip or
should be trough-type, the maximum
height of the lip should be 480mm
Washrooms & Toilets
Washrooms & Toilets
Washrooms & Toilets
• Signage of men’s washroom shall be an
equilateral triangle with a vertex pointing
upward (length of sides should be 300mm)
• Signage of women’s washroom shall be a
circle (diameter should be 300mm)
• Signage should at least be 7.5mm thick
Stairs
• Treads should be of slip-resistant material
and edges of steps should be colored to be
easily seen
• Slanted nosing are preferred over
protruding nosing to avoid feet getting
caught in the recessed areas (Open
stringer should be avoided)
Stairs
Stairs
• A 300m wide tactile strip shall be
provided before hazardous areas such as
sudden change in elevation and at the top
and bottom of stairs
Stairs
Elevators
• Accessible elevators should be located not
more than 30 meters from the entrance
• Shall have a minimum dimension of 1.1 x
1.4 meters
• Centerline height of topmost buttons shall
be between 0.9-1.2 m from the floor
Elevators
Elevators
Elevators
• Button sizes shall have a minimum
diameter of 20mm with maximum
depression depth of 1mm
Water Fountains
• At least 1 fountain shall be provided for
every 2000 sqm of floor area and there
shall not be less than 1 on each floor.
• If wall mounted, the max height shall be
850mm from the floor to the rim and shall
be push-button controlled
Public Telephones
• Provide an unobstructed space of 1.5 x 1.5
m in front of the telephone unit
• Booth door openings should have a
minimum clear width of 800mm with
either out swing, folding or sliding door
• Controls shall be located at a maximum
height of 1.1m above the floor
Public Telephones
Places of Assembly
D. Safety
Fencing For Road & Foot Works
• All excavations must be protected or
fenced-in, whatever type of fence used, it
is important that the railing should
incorporate the following features:
– Height of the rail should be at least 1 m above
the adjacent surface
Fencing For Road & Foot Works
– Railing should incorporate tapping rails that
should not be greater than 350mm above the
adjacent surface
– Fence should be strong enough to resist people
walking in to it and gaps between adjoining
fences should not occur
Fencing For Road & Foot Works
Covers For Excavations
Covers For Excavations
Covers For Excavations
Signages
Signages
Signages