man in a wheelchair inside an office building

BS8300 is a British Standard that sets out how buildings should be designed, constructed and maintained to create an accessible and inclusive environment for disabled people.

BS8300 is in place to ensure that everyone can use a built environment equally. Everybody, particularly the disabled, elderly or those less able to stand, should be able to enter, use and exit a building easily, comfortably and independently. This includes being able to escape in the event of an emergency.

Previous versions of the British Standard have focused on the provision of accessibility solutions specifically for the disabled. The most recent version, BS8300:2, however, has been developed to explain how developers can build inclusive environments from the start. That is, rather than bolting on separate accessible facilities, it details how the whole environment can be made universally accessible.

The detail of the document aims to give those in the construction industry a firm set of guidelines to adhere to in order to be fully BS8300 compliant. These guidelines apply to a wide list of areas – both within the building and within its immediate surroundings. BS8300’s guidelines are vast and extend to:

  • Entrances
  • Door fittings
  • Steps, stairs and ramps
  • Corridors and passageways
  • Surface finishes
  • Visual signs
  • Lighting
  • Storage facilities
  • Provision of seating

And that’s just to name a few. Everything is considered as every aspect of a building has an impact on a user’s accessibility.

If you’re not sure if your building complies, contact us to discuss one of our Disability Access Audits.