Evaluating step-free access during a site visit

Follow the route from a person's arrival point to the proposed work area and essential facilities. Check it at the hours they need the space. A ramp or lift on a tour is only the start.

Agree which route to inspect

Ask the operator which entrance members and visitors should use, including those arriving from a drop-off point or accessible parking space. Find out whether reception, security gates or lifts need a card, intercom or staff member. Invite the intended user to identify details that matter to them; an access label cannot identify an individual's needs.

If the operator proposes another entrance, get clear directions and check its hours and entry method. Ask who can help if that method fails.

Follow the route without shortcuts

Start where the intended journey starts. Continue through the external path, entrance, reception, controlled doors and lift to the actual desk or office. Follow the route to a toilet and any meeting space or other essential facility the person needs. Check the usual way out and ask separately about the site's emergency procedures.

Note changes in level, difficult doors, thresholds, obstructed passages, unclear signs and furniture that restricts movement. Where permitted, try the entry method the proposed member would receive. A staff escort or master key may hide a barrier the member would face alone.

Ask what changes when reception closes and how a lift outage or blocked passage is communicated. Check a proposed alternative for the same destination, hours and user.

This visit is an observation, not a technical measurement or certification. If dimensions, gradients or legal compliance need to be established, obtain a suitable professional assessment.

Record what happened

For each route segment, record the date, time, start and end point, what you observed and what the operator still needs to confirm. A note such as “the door between reception and the lift needed staff assistance during the evening visit” is more useful than “access unclear”. Keep a promise from the operator separate from a route you used.

Mark an essential route usable for the intended journey, unresolved or not usable as proposed. If a change is promised, confirm who will make it and check the result before relying on it. Follow any proposed alternative from its own arrival point through to the facilities the person needs.

Key Access Points to Verify on Site Visit