Important Changes to the NBC 2020: Accessibility
Anne Gribbon, Technical Advisor, Codes Canada
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Video transcript
Introduction
Hi, my name is Anne Gribbon and I am a Technical Advisor supporting the Canadian Board for Harmonized Construction Codes – also referred to as the CBHCC.
This committee is a federal-provincial-territorial body responsible for developing and maintaining the National Model Codes in Canada.
I am a member of the Codes Canada team at the National Research Council of Canada.
Codes Canada acts as a secretariat to the CBHCC, providing administrative, technical and policy support, including publishing the National Model Codes.
To learn more about code changes and provisions in the National Model Codes, or about Canada’s national model code development system, please visit CBHCC’s website.
This presentation is part of a video series led by the CBHCC on the key technical changes incorporated in the 2020 editions of the National Model Codes.
This presentation will focus on important changes related to accessibility in the National Building Code of Canada 2020.
History
The first accessibility requirements were introduced into the National Building Code of Canada—or NBC—in 1965. Of course, population demographics have changed since that time.
The Canadian Commission on Building and Fire Codes and its standing committees, with the guidance of the provinces and territories, were hard at work developing changes. These changes aim to improve access to the built environment for a larger portion of the population, especially those with physical or sensory disabilities.
The changes in the 2020 Code are based on updated demographic data and anthropometric studies showing what dimensions allow for safe movement of people in a building when it comes to space needed to turn a corner or to maneuver inside a space, for example. These changes also look at Canadian and international practices.
One of the intents of all these changes was to make accessibility a consideration from the onset in the design of a building, rather than trying to apply it to an already designed building at a later point in the process. The changes are not only for people who use mobility aids—there are new provisions for people who have limited dexterity or who have vision or hearing loss.
The changes apply to buildings that need to be accessible; as in the NBC 2015, the accessibility objective continues not to apply to detached houses, semi-detached houses, houses with a secondary suite, duplexes, triplexes, townhouses, row houses, or boarding houses, Group F Division 1 buildings, or buildings that are not intended to be occupied on a daily or full-time basis. Part 9 refers to Section 3.8. for small buildings, so most of these changes would apply to small buildings as well.
Anthropometrics and wheelchair dimensions
This slide shows NBC changes that address how doorways, corridors and bathrooms were previously too narrow to accommodate up to 40% of wheelchairs.
The new minimum dimensions for various accessible features and floor spaces were increased so approximately 90% of manual wheelchairs would be accommodated. Motorized wheelchairs or scooters have not been included at this time, although many could still be accommodated by these new dimensions since their maneuvering abilities overlap with those of some manual wheelchairs.
Some examples of dimension adjustments are illustrated on the slide:
- requiring maneuvering space at doorways so a person can align their mobility device to go through the doorway;
- increased floor space in universal washrooms and in front of accessible washroom stalls for maneuvering into spaces;
- increasing the minimum width of barrier-free paths of travel indoors and outdoors;
- requiring spaces in long hallways so that a person using a wheelchair can pass another or turn around instead of backing up for a long distance; and
- requiring clear floor areas at service counters or telephones.
Universal washrooms
Previously, the NBC required accessible stalls within men-only or women-only washrooms. While this helped some people with disabilities to access washrooms, it excluded people who required assistance from caregivers where the caregiver was not the same gender as the care recipient. The NBC 2020 addresses this by requiring universal washroom facilities in all new buildings, so a caregiver can assist a care recipient with toileting no matter their gender. The NBC 2020 also requires universal shower and dressing rooms in buildings where showers are provided.
Although these changes focus on caregiver and care recipient needs in the context of the NBC’s accessibility objective, they also benefit families or people who may not want to use traditional men-only or women-only washrooms.
Also, the required number and size of accessible water closets in washrooms was revised to reflect the more recent population demographics and the presence of universal washrooms nearby. In smaller washrooms with a limited number of fixtures, this could save space, as the universal washroom can replace the accessible stall.
Accessible drinking fountains and water-bottle filling stations
The NBC also addresses drinking fountains and water-bottle filling stations. When these features are provided, at least one must be accessible. By “accessible,” we mean that there’s enough clear floor space in front of the fountain or filling station for a person to get close enough to use the fixture. The controls must also be within reach and usable by a person with limited mobility or hand strength.
Tactile signage for persons with vision loss
The Code already requires signs to convey safety-related and wayfinding information. However, as they were required in the NBC 2015, signs were often not accessible to people with vision loss. This made it difficult for them to find their way through a building during an emergency or even to find a washroom.
The group of changes made to the 2020 Code provides more inclusive signage that requires that some signs be “readable through touch” with the addition of tactile signage requirements, which include both Braille and raised characters on signs. The changes also require the signs to be in a consistent location so that people with vision loss can find them more easily at doorways.
Building controls
Previously, many building controls could be seen or heard, but not both. The NBC 2020 addresses this by requiring controls that provide feedback to be both audible and visible, such as a key fob reader that lights up and beeps when used. This way, a person with hearing or vision loss can receive the same information.
Requirements for assistive listening systems have also been updated to provide some flexibility to accommodate rapidly evolving technology in this field.
Accessible building entrances
The NBC 2015 only required about 50% of entrances to public buildings to be accessible. This meant that a person with a disability might have had to travel a long distance to get into a building through the back door that is barrier-free, or to the accessible front door from a parking area at the back of the building where only a non-accessible entrance is required. This made getting into a building much more challenging for a person with a disability, compared to a person without a disability who could use the nearest entrance without walking all the way around the building.
New changes in the 2020 edition of the NBC require that all pedestrian entrances to a barrier-free storey be accessible, and this includes having a power door operator to give all building occupants equal access to a building.
Access to other floors
The previous slide noted that accessible entrances are only required for access to barrier-free storeys. In the NBC 2015, the entry level needed to be accessible. However, some floor areas did not need to be barrier-free if they were in a raised or sunken space or if an elevator was not in place to take a person to another level. This meant that a person using a wheelchair could be excluded from circulating in a building in the same way as a person not requiring a mobility aid.
The NBC 2020 now requires that these raised or sunken floor spaces be accessible by removing this exemption. The NBC 2020 also requires that elevators be provided in buildings so that people—regardless of their use of mobility aids—can circulate in a building on a more equal basis. The requirements are similar to those already required in other provinces. As adding elevators to buildings can be expensive, particularly for smaller buildings, there are some exemptions for small two-storey buildings or suites where the facilities provided on the non-entry level are the same as those on the entrance level. For example, if the washrooms are only on the second floor of a restaurant, a barrier-free path of travel will need to be provided for a person to reach the washrooms since they are integral to the function of the space and are not found elsewhere.
Fire alarms
According to the results of the 2006 Participation and Activity Limitation Survey and the Canadian Hearing Society, 5% to 10% of Canadians are affected by hearing loss/limitations. Of these, about 80% use hearing aids. As you may imagine, these are not turned on all the time, when people are alone or sleeping, for example. This becomes a problem if an only audible fire alarm signal is triggered at night or in areas where a person is alone—in a hallway or washroom, for example.
The NBC 2015 required visible alarm signals where facilities were intended for use primarily by people with hearing loss/limitations and in noisy environments where people might be using hearing protection, singing very loudly (such as a concert hall) or inside sound-insulated enclosures.
The NBC 2020 expands the locations where visible alarm signals are required: public corridors of certain major occupancies and public washrooms and some hotel sleeping rooms. The main reason behind this change is to improve safety for people who are hard of hearing or deaf and provide a more inclusive environment for people with different abilities.
Another change in the NBC 2020 requires low-frequency audible alarm signals in some spaces (such as sleeping rooms in residential and care occupancies). These low-frequency signals have been shown to be better at waking people up from sleep.
Other
Several other changes related to accessibility were introduced into the 2020 Code. As with the fire alarm provisions, these changes are not all within Section 3.8. of the NBC, so Part 9 buildings may not be included in these updates at this time.
These include minimum lighting requirements at escalators and moving walks, and at building controls, particularly where a person would need to read some instructions, for example.
To assist people with vision loss in circulating in a building and identifying doors that provide access to public spaces or exits, these doors or door frames are required to contrast with adjacent surfaces.
Ramp slopes in paths of travel that are not designated as barrier-free were adjusted (in Part 3) to be less steep to be safer for use for everyone—regardless of whether or not a person has a disability. This change benefits people who may not need a barrier-free path of travel, but perhaps have low stamina, low vision, balance issues, prosthetic lower limbs, etcetera. Note that this change does not affect industrial occupancies.
The amount of accessible seating in assembly seating was also adjusted in the 2020 Code to be more representative of modern demographics. Adaptable seating requirements were also introduced. These involve seats that have a movable armrest so that a person who has a mobility limitation but can still navigate stairs, for example, can use these seats.
Conclusion
This concludes the presentation about important changes related to accessibility in the National Building Code of Canada 2020.
How to get involved
To participate in the code development process, visit the CBHCC’s website to find information about upcoming events and meetings, to submit a code change request, to comment on a proposed change during an open public review, or to volunteer to participate on a code development committee.
How to access the Codes
The National Model Codes are published by the National Research Council of Canada.
Visit Codes Canada publications web page on the NRC’s website to purchase a paper copy of the Codes or to access them in free electronic format.
Thank you.