In Australia, what governs the number of wide/wheelchair accessible
aisles that must be provided in supermarkets?

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Request for Question Clarification by answerfinder-ga on 12 Oct 2005 03:37 PDT

Dear dnwallace-ga,

As a wheelchair user myself your question interested me, however, I?m
not quite sure as to what you are exactly seeking. As far as I can see
there is no requirement on the specific number of wide/wheelchair
accessible aisles that must be provided in supermarkets. However,
supermarkets are required to comply with Section 23 of the Disability
Discrimination Act 1992. Failure to provide access down an supermarket
aisle may contravene this act.

The web site of the Australian Human Rights and Equal Opportunity
Commission states that ?Section 23 of the Disability Discrimination
Act makes it unlawful to discriminate on the grounds of disability in
providing access to or use of premises that the public can enter or
use.?
http://www.hreoc.gov.au/disability_rights/buildings/access_to_premises.html

The guide to the act makes it clear that the act applies to Shops and
department stores.

?What is expected?
Every area open to the public should be open to people with a
disability. They should expect to enter and make use of places used by
the public if people without a disability can do so. [...] While
changes may not happen overnight, people with a disability should
expect that changes will be made. A person with a disability has every
right to complain when they are discriminated against because a place
used by the public is inaccessible.?
http://www.hreoc.gov.au/disability_rights/dda_guide/ins/ins.html

You may also wish to read the frequently asked questions.
http://www.hreoc.gov.au/disability_rights/faq/Access/access.html

And the advisory notes on access to premises.
?Note that in premises such as shops and supermarkets management
practices could be introduced to ensure people with disabilities can
access stock normally kept on higher shelves.?
http://www.hreoc.gov.au/disability_rights/standards/Access_to_premises/premises_advisory.html

The act appears on this page
http://www.comlaw.gov.au/ComLaw/Legislation/ActCompilation1.nsf/0/896CF5A0E01CA785CA25705700098A96/$file/DisabilityDiscrimination1992_WD02.pdf

The Australian Building Codes Board has a number of documents on the
topic but I cannot see supermarkets / shops specifically discussed.
http://www.abcb.gov.au/dsp_publications_list.cfm?Cat_ID=2

Can you clarify your question or let me know whether this in fact
answers your question.

answerfinder-ga

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Clarification of Question by dnwallace-ga on 13 Oct 2005 02:44 PDT

Hello. I am a wheelchair user.

I'm preparing to make a personal, individual submission to a major
supermarket chain, in which I am a shareholder, to the effect that
they should go beyond any mandated 'standard' or widesperead industry
'accepted practice' and provide ALL their aisles as 'wide aisles'.
This I need to argue on the basis of economic sense, on marketing
themselves as being exemplary corporate citizens as well as issues of
'fairness' and equity.

It occurs to me that ratios of aisles which are opened to those which
are closed the majority of time indicates the 'need' for the amount of
aisles to be less than they are. This therefore weakens any argument
they may put up that the number of aisles lost by making them all
wider would be detrimental to their effectiveness.

To argue this I need to know how supermarkets determine how wide the
ausles should be and how many (ratio) they need to provide.

I hope that clarifies my question.

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Request for Question Clarification by answerfinder-ga on 13 Oct 2005 05:59 PDT

Thank you for your clarification. I've had a look but I have not been
able to find the answer for you. Perhaps another researcher will be
more successful.

Here in the UK the aisles in most modern supermarkets are very wide
with room for two trolleys to pass plus a bit more. Mind you that's
done more for the convenince of the mobile shopper than thinking of
those in a wheelchair.
Good luck with your submission.

answerfinder-ga