How to Comply With Accessibility with DDA Doors

The Disability Discrimination Act (DDA) was introduced in 1995. It laid out specifications for accessibility adjustments such as wider doors, ramps and other accommodations to allow disabled people equal access rights.

Employers and public and commercial building operators must abide by the DDA regulations to ensure legal compliance. So, what are the DDA regulations, what is the required disabled door width and how do you make sure you’re compliant? Learn all this and more below.

To speak directly to one of our experts and find the perfect accessible doors for your premises, call 01782 703 234 now.

What Is the DDA?

DDA stands for the Disability Discrimination Act. It was a landmark piece of UK legislation introduced in 1995 that aimed to ensure equal access for people with disabilities. It applied to all public and commercial buildings and included specifications for door widths for disabled access, door automation, lines of sight, ramps and more.

In 2010, the DDA was superseded by the Equality Act, which took a much broader approach and included protections against all forms of discrimination, including disabilities. However, ‘DDA-compliant’ is still the commonly used way to refer to disability-friendly doors and other adjustments.

What Is the Width of a DDA-Compliant Door?

The standard DDA-compliant door width is roughly 750 – 1,000 mm (75 – 100 cm). This is to ensure that people using wheelchairs or other mobility aids have enough space to pass comfortably through the door. It also allows people who require a support worker to get through the door with the help they need.

For homes and dwellings, the ideal disabled access door width is about 900 mm (90 cm). However, for public and commercial buildings the requirements vary based on the angle of approach to ensure easy mobility. See the table below for more details.

	Minimum Door Width for Wheelchair Access in CM
Angle of Approach and Direction	New Builds	Existing
Straight on (no turning or angles)	80	75
At a right angle using an access route of at least 150 cm in width	80	75
At a right angle using an access route of at least 120 cm in width	825	77.5
All external doors on buildings open to the public	100	77.5

Measuring your disabled access door:
These measurements are for the effective clear width of the door. That means the actual usable space within the doorway, not the overall width. So, when measuring the gap:

Measure from the edge of the door furniture (handle or any other protrusions) to level with the non-hinge side of the door frame.
If there is a radiator or other wall fixture that interferes with the doorway, then you need to measure from the edge of that item to the door furniture.
There must be at least a 30 cm gap between the wall (or radiator or other fixture) and door frame unless the door is automated.

How Do I Comply With the Regulations?

Complying with the DDA regulations is about more than disabled door width. You must ensure that people of all abilities can easily navigate your premises from start to finish.

Ramps

Having the right door width is a start, but ensuring that people can get to your door is important too. If your entryway is elevated or involves steps, you may need to install a ramp for easier access. These need to be wide enough, provide adequate grip, not be too steep and include landings wherever there is a change of direction.

Smooth Flooring

Once people are inside your building, they need to be able to move easily. This means making sure that floors are smooth enough not to cause an issue for wheelchair users and don’t present a trip hazard to others.

Remove Obstructions

Seemingly normal fixtures such as radiators can be a potential obstruction for people in wheelchairs. They might restrict the width of corridors or passageways and make it difficult to manoeuvre. Measure the usable space throughout your building’s corridors to make sure that it’s not too narrow at any point, and consider relocating fixtures if necessary.

Lifts

If your building is spread over several floors, you may need to fit lifts. These can be general-use lifts or smaller, mobility-specific lifts. This will enable people with mobility issues to reach all floors without issue.

FAQs About Automatic Doors and Accessibility

What happens if you don’t comply with the DDA?

Those who fail to comply with DDA-compliant door widths and other requirements can be subject to fines of up to £10,000, as well as further lawsuits and reputational damage.

Do DUK Doors installers comply with regulations?

Are disabled access doors a legal requirement?

Employers and operators of public and commercial buildings are required to make ‘reasonable adjustments’ for people with disabilities if requested. This includes the installation of DDA-compliant doors. For the sake of compliance and contributing to improved accessibility for all, it’s worth considering the installation of disabled access doors at your premises regardless of whether someone has requested an adjustment.

How do I check if my automatic doors are complying?

How wide does a door need to be for a wheelchair?

Are there any extra accessibility regulations across different sectors?

Almost every sector is subject to accessibility regulations. Public and commercial buildings are required to provide accessible entryways by default. Additionally, as an employer, if you hire a person with mobility restrictions, you’re required to make reasonable adjustments to your workplace to accommodate them. It is also illegal to deny employment to a person with a disability on the grounds of their disability, or to avoid having to make these adjustments.

Get a Quote for Automatic Doors

Automatic doors go a long way to ensuring greater accessibility at your premises, and choosing automatic doors can even reduce the amount of space you need to commit to door widths for disabled access.

At DUK Doors, we offer a wide range of DDA-compliant automatic doors, and our installers have an in-depth knowledge of relevant legislation, helping you meet disabled door width requirements with ease. To meet your legal obligations and make your premises accessible for all, contact us today for a free quote. Call us on 01782 703 234, email us at info@dukdoors.co.uk or fill out our contact form.

Want to learn more about how automatic doors work or the benefits of sliding doors vs swinging doors? Make sure to read our other blog posts for more information.

DDA: How to Comply with Accessibility