RHFAC Training Student Guide

RHFAC Training STUDENT GUIDE

• The Rick Hansen Foundation Accessibility Certification (RHFAC) is a program that provides ratings and certification for buildings based on their accessibility features.

Disclaimer and Copyright

• The RHFAC Student Guide is copyrighted by the Rick Hansen Foundation, and users are not allowed to sell, modify, or distribute the guide for public or commercial purposes.

Authors and Acknowledgements

• The authors of the RHFAC Student Guide are Brad McCannell and Patricia Short.
• The guide was developed with the support of various individuals and organizations, including Glenn Galy, Doug Mauger, Bruce Raber, and Patrick Simpson.

Contents

• The RHFAC Student Guide is divided into six sections: Introduction, Disability Awareness, RHF Accessibility Certification, Universal Design, Legal Framework and Compliance, and Construction Documents and Projects.

Disability Awareness

• Approximately one in five Canadians have a disability, and this number is increasing as the population ages.
• Disabilities can result from an accident, illness, or medical condition, or can be the natural outcome of growing older.

Foreword

• The Rick Hansen Foundation was established in 1988 to raise awareness and remove barriers for people with disabilities, and to fund research for the care and cure of people with spinal cord injuries.
• Disability affects us all, and people living with disabilities continue to face both visible and invisible barriers that limit their access and prevent them from fully participating in, and contributing to, society.### Program Overview
• The program focuses on removing physical barriers for people with disabilities in the built environment.
• The course outcomes include:
  • Explain the impact of social and physical environment on people with disabilities
  • Apply the RHFAC program
  • Integrate Universal Design principles and standards
  • Integrate relevant legislation, regulations, and standards
  • Interpret and navigate construction drawings for pre-construction ratings

The Big Picture: Program Vision and Overview

• RHFAC Training provides participants with the skills and knowledge to rate a Site using Rick Hansen Foundation Accessibility Certification (RHFAC) methodology.
• A Site can be a public, commercial, or multi-unit residential building, or trails/pathways, either existing or in the pre-construction phase.
• RHFAC is a rating system that measures accessibility and promotes increased access through Universal Design principles.
• Sites can earn one of two certification levels: RHF Accessibility Certified or RHF Accessibility Certified Gold.

Program Scope: The Built Environment

• The built environment refers to physical spaces and places where people live, work, learn, and play.
• Focus areas include commercial, institutional, and public buildings, multi-unit residential buildings, trails, and pathways.
• Technical language is essential for effective communication of rating results.

Providing Meaningful Access

• Accessibility means that people with disabilities can approach, enter, and use an area and its facilities without assistance.
• Accessibility recognizes that the built environment must be available to everyone on an equal basis.
• Meaningful access meets the real accessibility needs of all users of a Site, regardless of their physical ability.

Rating the Built Environment: Core Concepts

• Rating a Site's accessibility requires understanding how people with disabilities interact with the built environment.
• Core concepts include understanding occupancy, technical language, and the importance of Universal Design.
• A planned meaningful access strategy creates a built environment that anticipates the needs of all users.

Student Resources and Supply List

• Required documents: RHFAC Training Student Guide, RHFAC Rating Survey, RHFAC Professional Handbook, RHFAC Rating Survey Workbook, and CSA B651 Accessible Design for the Built Environment.
• Recommended tools: camera or phone, steel tape measure, ruler, level, door pressure gauge, luggage scale or fish weigh scale, and a notebook or tablet for notes.### Putting a Face on Disability
• This unit focuses on the impact of the social and physical environment on people with disabilities.

User Perspective

• Vision Loss:
  • Effects of visual or color contrast between surfaces
  • Illumination and lighting, including glare
  • Objects in the path of travel
  • Effect of irregular or uneven ground/floor surfaces
  • Importance of accessible stair/handrail design
  • Wayfinding and signage for people with vision loss
  • Impact of sounds/acoustics on a person with vision loss
  • Physical exertion required to focus on safely navigating the environment
• Mobility Disability:
  • Overall space and clearance
  • Circulation clearances and turning radius
  • Reach requirements from the seated position
  • Height of controls
  • Ramp slopes and effect of cross-slope on wheelchair users
  • Physical stress when traveling up or down steep slopes or ramps
  • Washroom use (stall, sink, entry/door) as a wheelchair user
  • Impact of door swing direction and opening weight
  • Effect of irregular or uneven ground/floor surfaces
• Deaf and Hard of Hearing:
  • Impact of sounds/acoustics on a person with hearing loss
  • Factors affecting communication, including good lighting, direct sight lines, and ample space for signing

Understanding Disability, Accessibility, and Barriers

• This unit focuses on the impact of the social and physical environment on people with disabilities.

Disability Statistics in Canada

• 1 in 5 Canadians (6.2 million or 22%) aged 15 years and over had a disability that limited them in their daily activities (2017 Canadian Survey on Disability)
• Prevalence of disabilities increases with age
• Women (24%) were more likely to have a disability than men (20%)
• Most common disabilities: pain (15%), flexibility (10%), mobility (10%), and mental health-related (7%)

The Silver Tsunami: Accessibility and an Aging Population

• Baby boom generation is aging, with a growth rate four times faster than the population at large
• By 2036, there will be over 9.9 million seniors in Canada, with approximately 3 million having a disability
• Accessible environments must anticipate the needs of older adults and seniors

Definition and Models of Disability

• Formal definition of disability: a physical or mental condition that limits a person's movements, senses, or activities
• Medical model of disability: views disability as a medical condition, expecting the person with the disability to change to fit society
• Social model of disability: views disability as an aspect of diversity, focusing on removing environmental and social barriers

Types of Disabilities

• Statistics Canada's 10 types of disabilities:
  1. Seeing
  2. Hearing
  3. Mobility
  4. Flexibility
  5. Dexterity
  6. Pain-related
  7. Learning
  8. Developmental
  9. Mental health-related
  10. Memory

RHFAC Training STUDENT GUIDE

Disclaimer and Copyright

• The Rick Hansen Foundation (RHF) retains the copyright of this Student Guide, Version 3.0, and authorizes individual use.
• The user agrees to retain copyright notices, not sell or modify the guide, and not reproduce or distribute it publicly or commercially.

Authors and Acknowledgements

• Authors: Brad McCannell, Patricia Short
• Acknowledgements: Various individuals and organizations contributing to the 2018 development and 2020 update of the Student Guide

Table of Contents

• Foreword
• Section One: Introduction
• Section Two: Disability Awareness
• Section Three: RHF Accessibility Certification
• Section Four: Universal Design
• Section Five: Legal Framework and Compliance
• Section Six: Construction Documents and Projects
• References

Foreword

• Disability affects approximately one in five Canadians and is increasing as the population ages
• The UN reports over 1.3 billion people worldwide living with disabilities
• The Rick Hansen Foundation aims to empower people with disabilities and remove barriers
• Rick Hansen's Man In Motion World Tour (1985) raised awareness and funding for spinal cord injuries and disabilities### Introduction to RHFAC Training
• RHFAC Training provides participants with the fundamental skills and knowledge required to rate a Site using the Rick Hansen Foundation Accessibility Certification (RHFAC) methodology.

The Big Picture: Program Vision and Overview

• The RHFAC program is a rating system that helps owners and tenants measure the accessibility of their Sites and promotes increased access through the adoption of Universal Design principles.
• A Site can be a public, commercial, or multi-unit residential building, or trails/pathways.
• RHFAC uses a consistent methodology through a rating survey to yield reliable results when rating a Site.

Program Scope: The Built Environment

• The built environment refers to the physical spaces and places where people live, work, learn, and play.
• Focus areas include commercial, institutional, and public buildings, multi-unit residential buildings, trails, and pathways.

Technical Language

• RHFAC Professionals must be fluent in the technical language of the built environment.
• A Technical Language Glossary is provided as an appendix to the RHFAC Professional Handbook.

Providing Meaningful Access

• Access or accessible means that a person with disabilities is, without assistance, able to approach, enter, pass to, and make use of an area and its facilities.
• Meaningful access is access that meets the real accessibility needs of all users of a Site, regardless of their physical ability.

Rating the Built Environment: Core Concepts

• The core concepts of rating the built environment include understanding who is using a Site, how they use it, and considering multiple factors when conducting a rating.
• RHFAC Professionals must have a technical understanding of the built environment and be fluent in the technical language.

Disability Awareness

• Disability awareness is essential for RHFAC Professionals to understand how people with disabilities interact with the built environment.

• Empathy and understanding of different types of disabilities and appropriate language and etiquette are crucial.### Unit 2.1 Putting a Face on Disability

• This unit focuses on explaining the impact of social and physical environments on people with disabilities.

User Perspective

• Vision Loss:

  • Consider the effects of visual or color contrast between surfaces
  • Consider illumination and lighting, including glare
  • Consider objects in the path of travel
  • Consider the effect of irregular or uneven ground/floor surfaces
  • Consider the importance of accessible stair/handrail design
  • Consider how wayfinding and signage are used by people with vision loss
  • Consider how sounds/acoustics affect a person with a vision impairment
  • Consider the physical exertion required to focus on safely navigating the environment

• Mobility Disability:

  • Consider overall space and clearance
  • Consider circulation clearances and turning radius
  • Consider reach requirements from the seated position
  • Consider height of controls
  • Consider ramp slopes and the effect of cross-slope on wheelchair users
  • Consider the different types of physical stress when traveling up or down a steep slope or ramp
  • Consider washroom use (stall, sink, entry/door) as a wheelchair user
  • Consider the impact of door swing direction and opening weight
  • Consider the effect of irregular or uneven ground/floor surfaces

• Deaf and Hard of Hearing:

  • Consider how sounds/acoustics impact a person with hearing loss
  • Consider how various factors affect communication, including good lighting, direct sight lines, and ample space for signing

Unit 2.2 Understanding Disability, Accessibility, and Barriers

Disability Statistics in Canada

• 1 in 5 Canadians (6.2 million or 22%) aged 15 years and over had one or more disabilities that limited them in their daily activities
• The prevalence of disabilities increases with age
• Disabilities related to pain (15%), flexibility (10%), mobility (10%), and mental health-related (7%) were the most common among Canadians aged 15 years and over
• Women (24%) were more likely to have a disability than men (20%)

The Silver Tsunami: Accessibility and an Aging Population

• Sustainability must consider providing meaningful access and aging-in-place solutions
• By 2036, there will be over 9.9 million seniors in Canada and 10.9 million people in the USA
• Approximately 3 million Canadian seniors will have a disability within 20 years

Definition and Models of Disability

• The medical model of disability sees disability as a medical condition and expects the person with the disability to change to fit society
• The social model of disability views disability as an aspect of diversity and focuses on the barriers created by society that make it harder to function day-to-day

Types of Disabilities

• Statistics Canada’s 10 types of disabilities:
  • Seeing
  • Hearing
  • Mobility
  • Flexibility
  • Dexterity
  • Pain-related
  • Learning
  • Mental health-related
  • Memory
  • Developmental

RHFAC Training STUDENT GUIDE

Disclaimer and Copyright

• The Rick Hansen Foundation (RHF) retains the copyright of this Student Guide, Version 3.0, and authorizes individual use.
• The user agrees to retain copyright notices, not sell or modify the guide, and not reproduce or distribute it publicly or commercially.

Authors and Acknowledgements

• Authors: Brad McCannell, Patricia Short
• Acknowledgements: Various individuals and organizations contributing to the 2018 development and 2020 update of the Student Guide

Table of Contents

• Foreword
• Section One: Introduction
• Section Two: Disability Awareness
• Section Three: RHF Accessibility Certification
• Section Four: Universal Design
• Section Five: Legal Framework and Compliance
• Section Six: Construction Documents and Projects
• References

Foreword

• Disability affects approximately one in five Canadians and is increasing as the population ages
• The UN reports over 1.3 billion people worldwide living with disabilities
• The Rick Hansen Foundation aims to empower people with disabilities and remove barriers
• Rick Hansen's Man In Motion World Tour (1985) raised awareness and funding for spinal cord injuries and disabilities### Introduction to RHFAC Training
• RHFAC Training provides participants with the fundamental skills and knowledge required to rate a Site using the Rick Hansen Foundation Accessibility Certification (RHFAC) methodology.

The Big Picture: Program Vision and Overview

• The RHFAC program is a rating system that helps owners and tenants measure the accessibility of their Sites and promotes increased access through the adoption of Universal Design principles.
• A Site can be a public, commercial, or multi-unit residential building, or trails/pathways.
• RHFAC uses a consistent methodology through a rating survey to yield reliable results when rating a Site.

Program Scope: The Built Environment

• The built environment refers to the physical spaces and places where people live, work, learn, and play.
• Focus areas include commercial, institutional, and public buildings, multi-unit residential buildings, trails, and pathways.

Technical Language

• RHFAC Professionals must be fluent in the technical language of the built environment.
• A Technical Language Glossary is provided as an appendix to the RHFAC Professional Handbook.

Providing Meaningful Access

• Access or accessible means that a person with disabilities is, without assistance, able to approach, enter, pass to, and make use of an area and its facilities.
• Meaningful access is access that meets the real accessibility needs of all users of a Site, regardless of their physical ability.

Rating the Built Environment: Core Concepts

• The core concepts of rating the built environment include understanding who is using a Site, how they use it, and considering multiple factors when conducting a rating.
• RHFAC Professionals must have a technical understanding of the built environment and be fluent in the technical language.

Disability Awareness

• Disability awareness is essential for RHFAC Professionals to understand how people with disabilities interact with the built environment.

• Empathy and understanding of different types of disabilities and appropriate language and etiquette are crucial.### Unit 2.1 Putting a Face on Disability

• This unit focuses on explaining the impact of social and physical environments on people with disabilities.

User Perspective

• Vision Loss:

  • Consider the effects of visual or color contrast between surfaces
  • Consider illumination and lighting, including glare
  • Consider objects in the path of travel
  • Consider the effect of irregular or uneven ground/floor surfaces
  • Consider the importance of accessible stair/handrail design
  • Consider how wayfinding and signage are used by people with vision loss
  • Consider how sounds/acoustics affect a person with a vision impairment
  • Consider the physical exertion required to focus on safely navigating the environment

• Mobility Disability:

  • Consider overall space and clearance
  • Consider circulation clearances and turning radius
  • Consider reach requirements from the seated position
  • Consider height of controls
  • Consider ramp slopes and the effect of cross-slope on wheelchair users
  • Consider the different types of physical stress when traveling up or down a steep slope or ramp
  • Consider washroom use (stall, sink, entry/door) as a wheelchair user
  • Consider the impact of door swing direction and opening weight
  • Consider the effect of irregular or uneven ground/floor surfaces

• Deaf and Hard of Hearing:

  • Consider how sounds/acoustics impact a person with hearing loss
  • Consider how various factors affect communication, including good lighting, direct sight lines, and ample space for signing

Unit 2.2 Understanding Disability, Accessibility, and Barriers

Disability Statistics in Canada

• 1 in 5 Canadians (6.2 million or 22%) aged 15 years and over had one or more disabilities that limited them in their daily activities
• The prevalence of disabilities increases with age
• Disabilities related to pain (15%), flexibility (10%), mobility (10%), and mental health-related (7%) were the most common among Canadians aged 15 years and over
• Women (24%) were more likely to have a disability than men (20%)

The Silver Tsunami: Accessibility and an Aging Population

• Sustainability must consider providing meaningful access and aging-in-place solutions
• By 2036, there will be over 9.9 million seniors in Canada and 10.9 million people in the USA
• Approximately 3 million Canadian seniors will have a disability within 20 years

Definition and Models of Disability

• The medical model of disability sees disability as a medical condition and expects the person with the disability to change to fit society
• The social model of disability views disability as an aspect of diversity and focuses on the barriers created by society that make it harder to function day-to-day

Types of Disabilities

• Statistics Canada’s 10 types of disabilities:
  • Seeing
  • Hearing
  • Mobility
  • Flexibility
  • Dexterity
  • Pain-related
  • Learning
  • Mental health-related
  • Memory
  • Developmental