Occupational Therapy Community Accessibility: Assessment & Evaluation Form

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Contents Hide
1 General Considerations
2 General Purpose and Access
3 Entry/Exit
4 Once Inside
5 Work and Dining Areas
6 Restrooms and Showers
7 Telephones
8 Drinking Fountains
9 General Seating for Waiting Areas
10 Other Rooms and Uses
11 Sources

General Considerations

  • Physical access demands
  • Universal design
  • Cognitive requirements and familiarity (e.g., dementia)
  • Sensory (e.g., low vision, noise level and echo for hard of hearing, sensory room)
  • Safety (fire alarms, exit signs, stairs vs. elevators, stair chairs, AED, fire extinguishers)
  • Are floors slippery?
  • Is braille available or other assistive technology for sensory deficits?
  • Are loudspeakers available and adequate for the HOH?
  • Is there adequate signage? Are they available in other languages?
  • Are signs at eye level (standing/wheelchair)
  • Is there personnel to help or are any services available?
  • Are there any social distancing and public safety measures available?
  • Is any additional maintenance required?
  • Are there any unexpected projects from objects or the building that may pose a risk for injury or falls?
  • Are edges of walls and furniture rounded to prevent injury?

General Purpose and Access

  • What is the type of building or business?
  • What is the purpose or use?
  • Who would be responsible for making modifications or improving accessibility?

Entry/Exit

  1. Is there a safe dropoff spot for taxi, rideshare, or buses?
  2. Is there motorcycle and bicycle parking and locks?
  3. How far is it from ADA parking?
  4. Are ADA shopping carts available? How far away are they?
  5. Where are the entrances located?
  6. Which entrance is most used?
  7. Are business hours clearly displayed and easily legible?
  8. What is the terrain like?
  9. How many steps are there?
  10. What are the heights of the steps?
  11. Are there any railings or ramps? What is their rise? Too steep?
  12. Are there any thresholds and are they level with the floor?
  13. Are they safe for low vision?
  14. How is the lighting?
  15. Are there any hazards to entry?
  16. How do the doors open? Are they heavy? ADA buttons?

Once Inside

  1. How wide are the hallways?
  2. What is the length of the corridors? Long ones may be disorienting.
  3. How is the lighting inside?
  4. Are exits clearly marked?
  5. Is there a map to find the nearest exit?
  6. Are there elevators?
  7. Are there stairs?
  8. What is the height of the steps? Are there railings?
  9. Are there thresholds inside?
  10. What is the width of the doorways?
  11. What is the floor covering?
  12. What is the density of furniture arrangement?
  13. Are light switches easily reachable?

Work and Dining Areas

  1. What are the table heights?
  2. Are there clearances for wheelchairs?
  3. What are the heights of the chairs?
  4. Are there armrests?
  5. How is furniture density? (e.g., sparse, moderate)

Restrooms and Showers

  1. Are signs clearly marked for genders?
  2. What is the width of the doorway?
  3. Is there a threshold?
  4. Are light switches accessible?
  5. How is the lighting?
  6. Are there any concerns for the bathroom stall?
  7. What is the toilet seat height?
  8. Is toilet paper accessible?
  9. What is the turning space? (e.g., 5’x5′)
  10. What is the sink height?
  11. Is there knee space for the sink?
  12. Are the sink faucets accessible?
  13. Is there a mirror?
  14. Is there a towel rack?
  15. How is the shower access?
  16. Is there seating for showers?
  17. How is the tub access?
  18. Is there a soap rack?

Telephones

  1. Are any available?
  2. How is the route and ease of access?
  3. What height is required for operation of receiver?
  4. Are there any visual barriers? (e.g., low contrast)
  5. What fine motor skills required? (e.g., small dialpad, coin insertion)
  6. Is there assistive technology for the hard of hearing: TDD/TDY available?

Drinking Fountains

  1. What is the height?
  2. What is the location of the button?
  3. What is knee clearance?
  4. Is water bottle filling available?

General Seating for Waiting Areas

  1. What is the type of chair or bench?
  2. What is the height?
  3. What is the material of the seating surface?
  4. Is it firmly secured and stable? (e.g., or ‘wobbly’)
  5. Are armrests available?
  6. Are they easy to transfer onto and off?

Other Rooms and Uses

  • Purpose
  • Specifications
  • Recommendations
  1. ____________________
  2. ____________________
  3. ____________________
  4. ____________________
  5. ____________________
  6. ____________________
  7. ____________________
  8. ____________________
  9. ____________________
  10. ____________________

Sources

Blackman, T., Mitchell, L., Burton, E., Jenks, M., Parsons, M., Raman, S., & Williams, K. (2003). The accessibility of public spaces for people with dementia: A new priority for the’open city’. Disability & Society, 18(3), 357-371.

Keerthirathna, W. A. D., Karunasena, G., & Rodrigo, V. A. K. (2010, December). Disability access in public buildings. In International Research Conference on Sustainability in Built Environment, Kandy (pp. 13-14).

Thapar, N., Warner, G., Drainoni, M. L., Williams, S. R., Ditchfield, H., Wierbicky, J., & Nesathurai, S. (2004). A pilot study of functional access to public buildings and facilities for persons with impairments. Disability and rehabilitation, 26(5), 280-289.